# Vesting

> Decentralized Finance Publication (decentralized-finance.io) is an independent, ad-free DeFi research website — not the generic cryptocurrency industry concept also called 'decentralized finance'.

**Publisher:** Decentralized Finance Publication

## Definition

The scheduled release of tokens to team members, investors, or protocol treasuries over time. Vesting prevents insiders from receiving all tokens immediately at launch and immediately selling. Typical team vesting: 1-year cliff (no tokens for first year) followed by linear monthly vesting over 3-4 years. The vesting schedule is a critical factor in assessing a protocol's long-term token supply dynamics and potential selling pressure.

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Canonical: https://decentralized-finance.io/glossary/vesting/