> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://mintlify.com/mezo-org/documentation/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# veMEZO Locking

> Learn how to lock MEZO to boost voting power, earn rebases, and participate in the matching market

veMEZO is the tokenized (NFT) representation of MEZO locked on Mezo Network. Locking MEZO lets you boost your veBTC voting power by up to 5x, amplifying your earnings, and earn anti-dilution rebases via MEZO emissions.

## What is veMEZO?

When you lock MEZO on Mezo, you receive a veMEZO NFT that represents your locked position. This NFT gives you:

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Boost Multiplier" icon="arrow-trend-up">
    Amplify veBTC voting power up to 5x
  </Card>

  <Card title="Rebase Rewards" icon="arrows-rotate">
    Earn weekly MEZO emissions to offset dilution
  </Card>

  <Card title="Matching Market" icon="handshake">
    Earn incentives from veBTC holders
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

<Note>
  **Important:** veMEZO does not grant independent voting power. It only multiplies the voting power of veBTC positions. Without veBTC, your veMEZO cannot participate in gauge voting.
</Note>

## How veMEZO Weight Works

Your veMEZO weight depends on two factors: the amount of MEZO locked (more MEZO = more weight) and your lock duration (longer locks = higher sustained weight).

Your weight decays linearly over time. A user who locks 1,000 MEZO for 4 years starts with 1,000 veMEZO weight, which decays to 500 after 2 years, and reaches 0 at expiration. You can extend your lock at any time to maintain full weight.

You can also auto-max lock your veMEZO, which will let you sustain the maximum 4-year voting weight every epoch without needing to relock your tokens continuously.

### Lock Parameters

| Parameter    | Value                                                      |
| ------------ | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| Minimum lock | 1 week                                                     |
| Maximum lock | 4 years (1,456 days)                                       |
| Lock decay   | Linear — weight decreases continuously until reaching zero |

## What You Earn

### Rebase Rewards (All veMEZO Holders)

veMEZO holders receive a share of weekly MEZO emissions as rebases. This protects against dilution from new emissions. The rebase share is dynamic—higher when fewer tokens are locked, lower as more MEZO locks.

### Incentives (Via the Matching Market)

veMEZO holders can vote on veBTC gauges to earn incentives. When a veBTC holder wants to boost their position but lacks sufficient veMEZO, they may post incentives on their veBTC gauge. By voting for that gauge, you earn those incentives in exchange for providing boost.

## veMEZO vs veBTC

|                  | veBTC                          | veMEZO                            |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------ | --------------------------------- |
| Underlying asset | BTC                            | MEZO                              |
| Max lock         | 28 days                        | 4 years                           |
| Voting power     | Base voting power              | Multiplies veBTC power (up to 5x) |
| Earns fees       | Yes (bridging, swap, MUSD)     | No                                |
| Earns rebases    | No                             | Yes                               |
| Earns incentives | Yes (from gauges you vote for) | Yes (from veBTC boost gauges)     |

## How to Lock MEZO

<Steps>
  <Step title="Prerequisites">
    Ensure you have:

    * MEZO tokens in your wallet
    * A connected wallet
    * Sufficient BTC for gas fees
  </Step>

  <Step title="Navigate to Lock">
    * Open the Mezo app
    * Click **Lock** in the left sidebar (under "Earn")
    * You'll see your eligible assets
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure Lock">
    Find the MEZO asset card and click **Lock**:

    * **Amount:** Enter the MEZO amount to lock
    * **Duration:** Select lock duration from 1 week to 4 years
    * Review your estimated initial veMEZO weight
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm Transaction">
    Review your lock details:

    * MEZO amount
    * Lock duration
    * Initial veMEZO weight
    * Lock expiration date

    Click **Confirm Lock** and approve the transaction in your wallet.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  Lock durations are aligned to epoch boundaries and rounded down to the nearest full week.
</Note>

## The Boost Mechanism

veMEZO boosts your veBTC voting power by up to 5x through the following formula:

**Boosted Weight** = |veBTC| × min(5, 1 + Boost)

Where the Boost term is:

**Boost** = 4 × (|veBTC|\_total / |veBTC|) × (|veMEZO| / |veMEZO|\_total)

### Key Properties

* **Minimum multiplier: 1x** — A veBTC position with no veMEZO votes operates at base weight
* **Maximum multiplier: 5x** — No combination of holdings can exceed 5x
* **Relative, not absolute** — Your boost depends on your share of total veBTC and total veMEZO, not raw amounts

### Understanding the Formula

The boost formula has important implications:

**Larger veBTC positions need more veMEZO.** The formula contains |veBTC|\_total / |veBTC| in the numerator. As your veBTC share grows, this ratio shrinks, requiring proportionally more veMEZO to maintain the same boost level.

**You reach max boost when your shares match.** A participant hits the 5x cap when their share of veMEZO equals or exceeds their share of veBTC:

(|veMEZO| / |veMEZO|\_total) ≥ (|veBTC| / |veBTC|\_total)

<Note>
  **Example:** If you hold 1% of all veBTC, you need at least 1% of all veMEZO to reach the maximum 5x multiplier.
</Note>

## The Matching Market

Every veBTC NFT has its own veBTC boost gauge. veMEZO holders vote on these gauges to allocate boost.

<Steps>
  <Step title="veBTC Holder Creates Position">
    A veBTC NFT is minted with an associated boost gauge
  </Step>

  <Step title="veMEZO Holders Vote">
    They allocate veMEZO weight to veBTC gauges
  </Step>

  <Step title="Boost is Calculated">
    The veBTC position's boost depends on total veMEZO votes it receives
  </Step>

  <Step title="Position is Poked">
    The veBTC holder triggers a transaction to apply the new boost
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Why This Creates a Market

**BTC-heavy users** can attract boost by posting incentives on their veBTC gauge. If the incentive yield per unit of veMEZO is attractive, veMEZO holders will vote for that gauge.

**MEZO-heavy users** earn by voting on well-incentivized veBTC gauges, even if they hold little BTC themselves.

The matching market prices boost as a permissionless, tradable service.

## Boost Without Holding MEZO

You don't need to hold MEZO yourself to benefit from boost. If you post attractive incentives on your veBTC gauge, other veMEZO holders may vote for it—giving your position a multiplier without you locking any MEZO.

Conversely, a veBTC position with no veMEZO votes still:

* Retains full base voting weight (1x multiplier)
* Earns passive bridging fees
* Can vote on gauges to earn fees and emissions

Boost enhances returns but isn't required to participate.

## Boost Summary

| Scenario                          | Multiplier | Notes                                     |
| --------------------------------- | ---------- | ----------------------------------------- |
| veBTC only, no veMEZO votes       | 1x         | Base weight, still earns fees             |
| veBTC + some veMEZO votes         | 1x–5x      | Multiplier scales with veMEZO share       |
| veBTC + proportional veMEZO share | 5x         | Maximum boost achieved                    |
| veMEZO only, no veBTC             | —          | Cannot vote on gauges; earns rebases only |