[RFC] Onboard Royco Dawn LP program senior vault as new yield source

Summary

This RFC proposes onboarding the Royco Dawn LP Program - Senior Vault as a new yield source for Lazy Summer Protocol. The Senior Vault offers a differentiated yield opportunity with 16.7% estimated APY and built-in principal protection through Royco’s innovative tranched structure.

Key highlights:

  1. Protected yield - Junior capital absorbs first 10-20% of losses before Senior capital is affected
  2. Differentiated yield source - This is an opportunity that is not open to all investors, and Lazy Summer would be getting preferential access.
  3. ROY token allocation - 0.5% of ROY tokens distributed pro rata to Senior Vault depositors
  4. Time-limited opportunity - Entry closes March 27, 2026 or at $50M capacity

Motivation

The Opportunity: Differentiated yield

The DeFi landscape continues to evolve with new yield sources offering competitive returns. The Royco Dawn Senior Vault represents a unique opportunity that differs from typical yield sources:

  • Structural downside protection via Junior tranche buffer (10-20%)
  • Managed diversification across multiple underlying markets
  • Additional token incentives through ROY allocation
  • Institutional-grade security with permissioned smart contracts

Why

Lazy Summer users across different risk profiles could benefit from this yield source:

  • Lower Risk vault users may appreciate the principal protection mechanism
  • Higher Risk vault users may value the competitive 16.7% APY
  • DAO Managed vault could benefit from high APY with protection to off set some of the riskier allocations.

Specifications

Field Value
Protocol Royco Dawn LP Program
Vault Type Senior Vault
Token USDC
Network Ethereum Mainnet
Contract Address TBD (Whitelist required for access)
Est. APY 16.7% (7.5% base + 9.2% ROY tokens)
Protection Level 10-20% Junior buffer
Minimum Deposit $1,000,000
Lockup 90 days (for ROY allocation only)

Yield Breakdown

Component Value Notes
Base Yield (USDC) 7.5% APY Paid in USDC
Token APY (ROY) 9.2% APY* Based on current token valuation
Total Est. APY 16.7% Combined yield
ROY Allocation 0.5% Distributed pro rata to Senior depositors

*Token APY subject to ROY token price fluctuations


Vault allocation breakdown

The Senior Vault diversifies across three underlying markets, each with dedicated Junior capital protection:

Market Protocol Allocation Est. Senior Yield Protection
sNUSD Neutrl 28% 8% 10%
savUSD Avant 28% 8% 20%
PT-cUSD Cap Finance 29% 7% 10%

Key Features:

  • 0% first-loss exposure for Senior depositors
  • Vault rebalances based on market conditions, Junior liquidity, and risk-adjusted returns
  • All allocations displayed transparently on-chain

How it works

The Senior Vault uses a tranched structure where Junior capital acts as a protective buffer for Senior depositors. When losses occur in any underlying market, the Junior tranche absorbs the first 10-20% of those losses before Senior capital is affected.

This means Senior Vault depositors earn yield with downside protection, principal and yield are only impacted if losses exceed the Junior buffer in that specific market. Each of the three underlying markets (sNUSD, savUSD, PT-cUSD) has its own dedicated Junior capital providing this protection layer.


Security

Attribute Details
Backers Electric Capital, Coinbase Ventures, Amber Group, Hashed
Access Control Fully permissioned smart contracts
Security Audits Hexens (completed), Cantina (pending)
Bug Bounty Immunefi
Monitoring Real-time monitoring systems
Code Open-source
KYC Required for all participants

Terms

Term Details
Entry Window January 26, 2026 - March 27, 2026 (60 days)
Program Capacity $50,000,000
Minimum Deposit $1,000,000
Principal Lockup None - withdraw anytime
ROY Token Lockup 90 days per deposit (forfeit ROY if withdrawn early)
ROY Vesting Linear over 3 months post-TGE, no cliff
Eligibility KYC required, accredited investor

Entry closes when either:

  1. 3 months elapsed from program start, OR
  2. $50M TVL maintained for 1 month

Once entry closes, no new deposits can enter and ROY allocation is finalized with no further dilution.


Risk considerations

  1. 90-Day ROY Lockup - Withdrawing before 90 days forfeits ROY allocation for that deposit
  2. KYC Requirement - All participants must complete KYC and be accredited investors
  3. Smart Contract Risk - Standard DeFi risks apply despite audits
  4. Underlying Protocol Risk - Exposure to Neutrl, Avant, Cap Finance protocols
  5. Token Value Risk - ROY token value subject to market conditions

Questions for the community

Seeking feedback from SUMR token holders, Block Analitica, and the Lazy Summer community on the following:


Informal support indicator

Should Lazy Summer DAO proceed with onboarding Royco Dawn Senior Vault?

  • Yes - Onboard as a new yield source
  • No - Do not onboard at this time
  • Abstain - Need more information
0 voters

If approved, which Lazy Summer vault is most appropriate for this yield source?

  • Lower Risk Vault - The protected yield structure aligns with conservative strategies *
  • Higher Risk Vault - The 16.7% APY and token exposure fits higher risk appetite
  • DAO Managed Vault - Let the DAO actively manage allocation to this source
  • Multiple Vaults - Deploy across more than one vault type
0 voters


Discussion points for @BlockAnalitica & community @chrisb @halaprix @Sixty @jensei

  1. Risk Assessment: Does the Junior tranche protection mechanism provide sufficient downside protection for Lower Risk vault inclusion?
  2. Allocation Size: Given the $50M program capacity and $1M minimum, what allocation would be appropriate for Lazy Summer?
  3. KYC Implications: What are the operational considerations for Lazy Summer DAO to complete KYC requirements?
  4. Token Exposure: How should the ROY token allocation be valued and distributed to vault depositors?
  5. Time Sensitivity: Entry closes March 27, 2026 - is this timeline feasible for governance process?
1 Like

additional info available here: Dawn Senior Vault (DSV) | Royco Dawn

@BlockAnalitica @halaprix @chrisb

1 Like

Hi Summer Community, excited to see your consideration for Royco Dawn!

I’m a part of the Royco team, focused on Growth and Risk. As a part of your discussions, feel free to reach out for any additional questions or clarifications you need. Royco Dawn is just getting started, and we hope that this is the beginning of a strong partnership!

1 Like
  1. Despite the Junior tranche protection, I would place this in the higher risk vault. Namely, because of the underlying markets. sNUSD has a 30-day unstaking window + savUSD is currently only available on Avalanche. IMO, this creates additional complexity despite the downside protection. However, only whitelisted addresses can withdraw from the vault so this does introduce some security considerations.

  2. The $1M minimum is currently very high when taking into consideration the current TVL of the Higher Risk USDC fleet. If we are to meet the minimum, we would need to allocate close to 20% to this strategy alone. This is less of an issue, however, if this vault qualifies for the Lower Risk USDC fleet.

  3. I’m assuming a legal entity would need to complete KYC on behalf of the DAO / Protocol. Perhaps @CometShock_Royco could provide a way forward.

  4. The token APY is automatically distributed to depositers, I think the ROY allocation should go to the treasury. I’m not sure what the use cases are but perhaps it could be used for some form of governance if beneficial to SummerFi, distributed to SUMR stakers etc.

  5. The speed of the governance process is highly dependent on the risk analysis by BA, so hopefully, we get it sooner than later.

3 Likes

Hi all! I’m Jai and I’m one of the contributors to Royco. I love seeing this proposal!

There is one question I thought I should address:

Our risk team has done significant work on ensuring that the junior protection is suitable. I would recommend exploring our work done on risk here: https://risk.royco.org/ – a summary like you see there is a prerequisite in order for Royco to allocate to any yield source.

The other ones are better for you to discuss amongst yourselves.

As for @Sixty ‘s comments, let me do my best to address them:

I would highlight that the existence of 1) junior capital, and 2) a curator that does all the inventory management (duration, chains, etc.) should transform the risk/operational burdens here for Senior Vault participants.

The Royco Foundation is checking this now. When I hear back from them, I will get you an update.

2 Likes