vMAHOUT is earned, not bought or transferred freely---it represents real contribution to network maintenance. Governance voting power is retained only through active data maintenance and participation, creating a system where decision-making authority flows to those who understand the network's operational requirements through direct experience.

Transfers of vMAHOUT between verified oracles incur a 10% burn penalty, allowing necessary operational transitions while preventing speculative governance markets. An oracle can transfer responsibilities when retiring or selling their business, but the burn ensures commitment to long-term participation rather than short-term governance arbitrage.

All governance and protocol logic is managed by DUNA, including token issuance, staking rules, and reputation slashing. This governance structure enables decision-making and protocol evolution, while vMAHOUT holders maintain influence over key network parameters.

The governance model incorporates temporal decay to ensure power remains with active contributors. After MAHOUT issuance ends, vMAHOUT becomes the sole access key to protocol rewards, creating a sustainable long-term economy where network participants are rewarded for maintaining data integrity rather than speculation. This transition from MAHOUT bootstrapping to vMAHOUT sustainability ensures that the protocol serves human needs rather than extractive interests throughout its evolution.