With the Treehouse Token Generation Event (TGE) just around the corner, a rewarding new staking opportunity is about to open: Treehouse Pre-Deposit Vaults.

These vaults are your first chance to use TREE, the native token powering Treehouse Protocol. By participating early, you’ll make your TREE work harder, earn more, and align with the decentralized vision behind the DOR ecosystem.

Earn up to 75% APR by staking your TREE into the Pre-Deposit Vaults to back the Panelist you believe will deliver the most accurate rates for Treehouse Protocol.

Here’s everything you need to know before Treehouse’s TGE event, Gaia.

The Role of Panelists in DOR

Treehouse’s Decentralized Offered Rates (DOR) consensus framework relies on Panelists, a group of vetted experts who submit daily interest rate forecasts for on-chain benchmarks like the Treehouse Ethereum Staking Rate (TESR). These rates serve as the foundation for fixed income products across DeFi.

Rate accuracy matters—because these rates help price borrowing, lending, and staking products across the ecosystem.

As a TREE holder, you can take part in the DOR ecosystem by:

  • Supporting the Panelist(s) you believe in
  • Staking into their vault
  • Earning based on how accurate they are

Back the best forecasters. Earn based on their performance.

If your chosen Panelist ranks among the most accurate and participative, you gain greater rewards.

Learn more about DOR on Treehouse’s website, explore the official documentation, and view the latest published benchmark rates.

Introducing Pre-Deposit Vaults

Pre-Deposit Vaults are early staking opportunities that open during the airdrop claim process on Gaia.

They are time-locked vaults designed for early participants to commit their TREE tokens ahead of time to earn enhanced yields ranging between 50% and 75% APR.

Each DOR Panelist will have a vault. With TREE, you decide which Panelist to back by staking into their vault, using data from their historical rate forecasts to guide your choice. The more accurate your chosen panelist is over time, the more you earn!

Once Gaia (Treehouse TGE event) commences, you’ll have 30 days to stake your TREE into these vaults.

At the end of a 9-month staking period, Panelists are ranked based on their forecast accuracy and participation rate. Stakers earn APR based on these rankings:

If your Panelist doesn’t come out on top, you’re still guaranteed a 50% APR after 9 months!

Do note that your principal is time-locked for the full duration—early withdrawals will forfeit all rewards.

Each vault has a limited capacity, capped at 1.5 million TREE per panelist. It’s first come, first served. Make your decision fast!

The minimum stake to participate is 10 TREE. 

Summary:

  • Each Panelist has their vault (capped at 1.5M TREE)
  • Stake your TREE tokens (min. 10 TREE) into a vault of your choice
  • After 9 months, you earn 50% – 75% APR, depending on the Panelist’s accuracy and participation
  • Pre-Deposit Vaults are only open for 30 days from the TGE date

Choose Wisely: Evaluating Panelists with Data

Choosing the right Panelist isn’t about guessing. It’s about using data to your advantage.

To help you stake smart, we’ll provide dashboards and data that showcase each panelist’s historical accuracy, submission consistency, and forecasting performance. 

You’ll be able to review trends, compare records, and make informed, data-driven decisions.

For more information on the Panelists’ ranking methodology, refer to the Treehouse Docs on Key Features.

Once a Panelist’s vault hits its 1.5 million TREE cap, it’s closed for entry. 

Still unsure? You’re free to claim without staking, but you’ll forgo both the enhanced APR and any associated GoNuts campaign boosts.

More on the campaign boost will be shared in the next section below!

Non-Vested vs Vested: Staking Flow & Campaign Bonus

Whether you’re in the Non-Vested or Vested Gaia program affects your staking flow and eligibility for the 50% Universal Buff in GoNuts Season 2!

Not sure which one you’re in? Head to our Airdrop Checker blog to learn how you can view your allocation and program status for the airdrop.

If you’re a Non-Vested Participant…

You may stake directly into a Pre-Deposit Vault during your claim process.

  • Stake any portion of your claimable amount (Base Allocation + Treasury Bonus) into a Panelist vault.
  • Minimum stake: 10 TREE
  • Stake at least 50% of your total allocation during the claim process to receive a 50% Buff in GoNuts Season 2.
  • If you un-stake early or change your Panelist midway, the Buff will be removed.

Staking during the claim process is your only way to receive a 50% Universal Buff on your Nuts through GoNuts Season 2.

If you claim without staking, you won’t be eligible for the 50% Universal buff on Season 2 Nuts.

However, you may still stake into a Pre-Deposit Vault through the dApp at a later time to earn 50% to 75% APR, but the Season 2 Buff won’t apply.

For a full rundown on staking into the Pre-Deposit Vault through the claim process, refer to this guide in the Treehouse Docs.

If you’re a Vested Participant…

You will not be able to stake in the Pre-Deposit Vaults during the claim process, but you can still stake in the vaults via the Treehouse dApp.

  • You may acquire TREE tokens from exchanges and official LP pools to stake in the Pre-Deposit Vaults through the Treehouse dApp.
  • You are eligible for the 50% to 75% APR from the Pre-Deposit Vaults. 
  • You will automatically receive the 50% Universal Buff as long as you do not claim your Base Allocation from the airdrop. At the same time, your Treasury Bonus (100%) will accrue linearly over 12 months as long as your Base Allocation is unclaimed. If you choose to claim early, you will receive your Base Allocation along with any accrued rewards up to the date of claim.

For instructions and Pre-Deposit Vault staking flows through the dApp, refer to this guide in the Treehouse Docs.

To summarize, here’s a table to break it down for the visual Squirrels!

Ready to Put Your TREE to Work?

The Pre-Deposit Vaults are your first real opportunity to activate the utility of TREE.

Stake into a Panelist vault to earn up to 75% APR, get a 50% Universal Buff in GoNuts Season 2, and support the decentralized infrastructure powering DeFi’s fixed income layer.

Whether you’re here for yield, upside, or both, we’ve designed this system to reward timing and conviction.

Gaia is just around the corner. 

Make your first move count.

Security Reminder

As we approach the Token Generation Event (TGE), please stay vigilant.

Treehouse will never DM you to request private keys, seed phrases, or ask you to sign suspicious transactions. Always double-check links, and interact only with official Treehouse channels and the verified Airdrop Checker.

When in doubt, refer to the official documentation or reach out via our verified community channels. Your safety is paramount.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Staking Mechanics

Q: Can I stake into more than one Pre-Deposit Vault?

A: Yes. Non-Vested participants can stake into one vault during the claim process and stake into additional vaults later via the dApp. Vested participants can stake in any number of vaults via the dApp.

Q: Can I add more TREE to a vault after my first stake?
A: Yes, both Vested and Non-Vested users can add more TREE via the dApp anytime during the 30-day window. Guide to staking through the dApp can be found in the Treehouse Docs.

Q: Can I partially withdraw from a Pre-Deposit Vault?
A: No. Withdrawals are all-or-nothing. Exiting early means:

  • You forfeit the entire Pre-Deposit Vault APR.
  • You lose the 50% GoNuts Season 2 Buff (if eligible).

Q: Is there a minimum to stake?
A: Yes. The minimum is 10 TREE per vault.

Q: Can I switch Panelists after staking?
A: No. Once you stake into a Panelist’s vault, it is locked for 9 months. Switching would require unstaking, which forfeits all rewards and Buffs. However, you may stake in other Panelists through the dApp anytime with TREE acquired from exchanges or swaps.

Eligibility & Access

Q: I’m not part of the airdrop. Can I still stake?
A: Yes. Anyone can stake into Pre-Deposit Vaults via the dApp using TREE acquired from exchanges or swaps.

Q: How do I know if I’m in the Vested or Non-Vested program?
A: Use the Airdrop Checker to see your status and allocation.

Q: As a Vested participant, how do I access the Pre-Deposit Vaults?
A: You can access and stake via the dApp using TREE acquired externally. You’re not eligible to stake during the claim process.

Q: Do I still get the GoNuts Season 2 Buff if I’m in the Vested program?
A: Yes, if you do not claim your base allocation, the 50% Universal buff is applied automatically. Your Treasury Bonus starts accruing simultaneously over the next 12 months (linearly, up to 100%).

Q: As a Non-Vested participant, how do I get the 50% GoNuts Season 2 Buff?
A: You must:

  • Stake at least 50% of your total allocation (base + Treasury Bonus)
  • Stake during the claim process

Note that you lose the buff once you withdraw from the vault you chose at the claiming stage.

Q: As a Non-Vested participant, can I get the 50% Buff if I claim first, then stake later via the dApp?
A: No. The Buff is only granted during the claim flow if you stake at that time.

Q: From which exchanges and LP pools can I get TREE?
A: More information on the exchanges, LP pools, and LP pairs will be shared soon in a later blog.

Rewards & Ranking

Q: What APR will I earn by staking into the Pre-Deposit Vault?
A: APR depends on how well your chosen Panelist ranks at the end of the 9-month staking period:

  • Rank 1: ~75%
  • Rank 2: ~60%
  • Rank 3: ~55%
  • Rank 4 and below: ~50% (guaranteed if staked full term)

Q: What if my Panelist performs poorly?
A: Even if your Panelist ranks lower, you still receive the minimum 50% APR, as long as you complete the 9-month staking period.

Q: How are Panelist rankings determined?
A: Panelists’ rankings are based on the accuracy and consistency of their rate submissions over 9 months. Treehouse will provide dashboards to help you evaluate them before staking.

Timing & Limits

Q: How long is the staking period?
A: 9 months (270 days) from TGE. Funds are time-locked for the full duration. 

Q: Can I withdraw early from the Pre-Deposit Vault before the 9-month staking period is up?
A: You may withdraw your staked TREE anytime from the Pre-Deposit Vaults. However, note that doing so will forfeit the rewards associated with the Pre-Deposit Vaults (50% – 75% APR) and/or GoNuts Season 2 Buff (for Non-Vested participants who staked into the Panelist’s vault during the claiming stage).

Q: What happens after the 30-day staking window ends?
A: No new stakes will be accepted into Pre-Deposit Vaults. Vaults that hit their 1.5M TREE cap before the 30-day staking window will close early.

Q: What if I miss the Pre-Deposit Vault window?
A: You can still participate in regular staking and campaigns after TGE, but the Pre-Deposit Vault APR and GoNuts Season 2 Buff will no longer be available.

About Treehouse 🌳

Treehouse, a digital assets infrastructure firm and the decentralized arm of the parent company Treehouse Labs, is at the forefront of revolutionizing the decentralized fixed income market. Treehouse Protocol introduces innovative fixed income products and primitives, starting with its first tAsset, tETH, a liquid staking token that empowers its users to participate in the convergence of on-chain Ethereum interest rates while retaining the flexibility to engage in DeFi activities. 

Treehouse Protocol is also pioneering the Decentralized Offered Rates (DOR) consensus mechanism for benchmark rate setting, enabling a range of fixed income products and primitives into digital assets. Treehouse is dedicated to creating safer and more predictable return alternatives for both individual investors and institutions.