Locking your USUALx is how you unlock the largest reward on Usual: a weekly share of 30% of protocol revenue, paid in USD0. This article explains the lock durations, how to lock, and how to think about the trade-off.
What the Locking Module does
The Locking Module transforms your USUALx from a basic staked position into an active participant in protocol revenue. When you lock USUALx for a chosen period, three things happen:
You become eligible for the weekly USD0 revenue distribution
You earn a higher weight based on your lock duration
You continue earning the USUAL emission stream via USUALx exchange rate appreciation
Your USUAL stream does not go down when you lock — you simply add the USD0 revenue stream on top.
Lock duration options
Standard lock periods:
Duration | Relative weight | Who it's for |
1 month | Base | Users testing the system or planning short-term participation |
3 months | Higher | Users committing to a quarter of protocol activity |
6 months | Higher still | Users with a medium-term view on Usual |
12 months | Highest | Long-term believers who want maximum revenue share |
Longer locks earn a proportionally larger share of the weekly USD0 distribution for the same USUALx balance. The exact multipliers are set by governance and displayed in the app before you lock.
How to lock
Make sure you already have USUALx (see How to stake and unstake)
Go to the Lock page in app.usual.money
Select the lock duration (1, 3, 6, or 12 months)
Enter the amount of USUALx to lock
Confirm the transaction
Your lock position is now active, and the next weekly distribution will include your share
A worked example
Suppose you hold 10,000 USUALx and choose a 6-month lock. Assume the lock multipliers and protocol revenue give you a 0.05% weighted share of the distribution.
Total revenue for the year: $6M
Share to locked USUALx: 30% = $1.8M
Weekly distribution pool: ~$34,615
Your weekly USD0: $34,615 × 0.05% = ~$17
Over 6 months (26 weeks): ~$442 USD0
Plus USUAL emission appreciation (via USUALx exchange rate growth)
Compared to a 1-month lock on the same amount:
Weight is lower → your share of the distribution is smaller
You can unlock faster
You are taking on less commitment
Compared to a 12-month lock:
Weight is higher → your share is larger
You cannot access your USUALx for a full year
You are taking the maximum commitment
How to pick a duration
Short (1 month) — if you want to test the mechanics or keep tight flexibility.
Medium (3–6 months) — if you are confident in the platform but want to revisit your allocation soon.
Long (12 months) — if you are a long-term believer and want the largest possible revenue share.
Split — you can hold several locks of different durations at the same time. A common pattern is to keep part of your USUALx in short locks for flexibility and part in long locks for maximum yield.
What happens at the end of the lock
When your lock expires:
Your USUALx moves back to the standard staking pool (unlocked)
You stop earning the USD0 revenue share on that position
You can either unstake (redeem for USUAL) or re-lock into a new period
Auto-relock (if enabled in the app) will automatically roll your position into a new lock of the same duration. Toggle this setting based on your preference.
Risks specific to locking
Opportunity cost — your USUALx is committed for the lock duration. If you want to exit before the end, you have to wait.
Revenue variability — protocol revenue can fall. Your USD0 distribution falls with it.
Governance adjustment — lock weights and revenue share parameters are subject to DAO governance.
USD0 peg risk — distributions are paid in USD0.
Who locking is for
Long-term USUAL believers who want to maximize their revenue share
Users confident in the platform's multi-year trajectory
Stakers who want USD0 dividends on top of USUAL emission exposure
Who locking is not for
Short-term traders who need immediate liquidity
Users uncomfortable with multi-month commitments
Users who prefer basic staking without the extra complexity
Note: The lock is a contract-level commitment. It cannot be undone before expiry. Choose a duration you are comfortable committing to.
Technical note (for DeFi users): The Locking Module is implemented via the USUALx Lockup contract at 0x85b6f9bddb10c6b320d07416a250f984f0f0e9ed. Lock durations are enforced on-chain. Lock weights multiply the user's share of the weekly distribution pool computed by the Distribution contract. See the docs for the lock weight table and governance history of parameter changes.
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