We would like to clarify DFINITY’s reasoning for abstaining on the SNS-W proposal for Sonic.
Before delving into the details, we would like to reiterate the disclaimer mentioned in our voting standards: The SNS framework is a relatively new concept, and both the community and we possess limited experience in reviewing and voting on actual proposals. As we gather more experience over time, our perspectives and focal points may evolve.
Let’s now discuss our actual reasoning. Taking into account our published voting standards for SNS launch proposals, we would like to emphasize that the Sonic team has adhered to nearly all criteria, including forum syndication, white paper, open sourcing, and more. We view this as highly positive.
However, we could not fully follow the explanations regarding security reviews. As outlined in the published voting standards, the need for a security review depends on the nature of the decentralized application (dapp). For dapps where exploits could result in significant financial consequences, the industry standard demands a high level of scrutiny. Decentralized exchanges (DEXs), such as Sonic, fall into this category. Conversely, for dapps with a lower financial focus, a less stringent standard may be applicable.
Given that a security review is vital information for assessing the security and thus the maturity of a DEX, it would be logical to conduct a security review before launching an SNS. However, the Sonic team intends to perform a security review only after the SNS launch.
In conclusion, while the Sonic team’s adherence to most criteria is commendable, the lack of a pre-launch security review raises concerns about the DEX’s security.
The community supported the SNS-W proposal for Sonic. Since we generally prefer not to go against the community’s direction, as stated in our voting standards, we chose to abstain.