Embedded Files
The Filecoin Plus (Fil+) program is adding a long awaited Experimental Pathway Metaallocator. Over the past year, the governance team at Fil+, with help of the community, including FIDL, has been working to streamline Datacap allocation by moving toward a Pathway Metaallocator model—a more accountable, transparent, and efficient system for approving storage clients. Earlier this year, the Manual Pathway Metaallocator launched as the first step in this shift. Now, FIDL is supporting the next phase: the launch of the Experimental Pathway Metaallocator (EPMA).
Why We Need Room to Experiment
Innovation in decentralized governance requires more than just good ideas—it needs infrastructure that can support iteration, learning, and risk-taking without compromising the stability of the broader system. That’s the motivation behind the Experimental Pathway Metaallocator.
This new Metaallocator gives Fil+ contributors and developers a dedicated pathway to test new allocation methods and incentive structures. The goal is to lower the barrier to entry for builders, enabling them to experiment with allocation logic and deal-making strategies in a controlled environment.
Built for Builders, Designed for Safety
The Experimental Pathway Metaallocator was proposed in this governance discussion, and is designed with a clear scope: support testing and iteration without putting the network at risk. To achieve this, it includes several important boundaries:
Lower Datacap ceilings: Allocators in this pathway receive smaller allocations to minimize potential harm from unproven systems.
Faster review cycles: Feedback loops are tighter, enabling quicker adjustments and more learning.
Clear visibility: Reports and metrics are required from participants, ensuring transparency even while the rules are more flexible.
FIDL’s Role: Enabling Experiments While Protecting the Network
At FIDL, our goal is to help the Filecoin community onboard meaningful data and incentivize great storage services—and that means giving teams the room to try things that haven’t been tried before. We’re helping steward the Experimental Pathway Metaallocator by:
Supporting prospective allocators through the application process.
Providing tooling that tracks performance and behavior.
Sharing insights with the wider community to inform future governance decisions.
This new pathway is a lightweight way to test assumptions before they’re hardened into production logic. It’s a place where people can move fast, fail safely, and learn what works. Approved applicants will receive up to 1PiB of DC for their experiments, with the expectation that this is enough to test and verify the hypothesis and move to apply to one of the major (automated, market-based or manual) pathways managed by the governance team at Fil+.
Looking Ahead: Toward Full Pathway Allocation
The Experimental Pathway isn’t a side project—it’s a key step on the roadmap to making Pathways the default for Datacap allocation. By giving the community more tools and flexibility, we’re laying the groundwork for a more scalable and resilient Fil+.
If you’re building new allocation logic or trying out alternative incentive models, this is your place to test them. Organizations who had previously submitted applications but not yet reached the bar of having a fully functioning MVP are encouraged to apply. To apply use the form on FIDL's website.
You can follow the development and application process on the governance repo:
Experimental Pathway Metaallocator proposal
As always, we’re here to support you. Reach out if you want to get involved—or just want to talk about ideas.
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