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

# Venota

# veNOTA

`veNOTA` (vote-escrowed NOTA) is the governance representation of locked NOTA tokens. Users lock their NOTA for a fixed duration to receive veNOTA, which grants voting power over protocol parameters. Longer locks grant more voting power per NOTA, rewarding long-term alignment.

## How locking works

```mermaid theme={"system"}
flowchart LR
    A[User holds NOTA] --> B[Lock NOTA]
    B --> C{Choose duration}
    C -->|1 month| D1[0.02x voting power]
    C -->|6 months| D2[0.125x voting power]
    C -->|1 year| D3[0.25x voting power]
    C -->|2 years| D4[0.5x voting power]
    C -->|4 years| D5[1.0x voting power]
    D5 --> E[Vote on proposals]
```

Voting power decays linearly with time as the lock approaches expiration. When the lock expires, the user can withdraw their NOTA.

## Lock durations

| Duration | Multiplier |
| -------- | ---------- |
| 1 month  | 0.02x      |
| 3 months | 0.0625x    |
| 6 months | 0.125x     |
| 1 year   | 0.25x      |
| 2 years  | 0.5x       |
| 4 years  | 1.0x       |

A user with 1,000 NOTA locked for 4 years receives 1,000 veNOTA. The same 1,000 NOTA locked for 1 year receives 250 veNOTA. The multiplier is continuous: locking for 2.5 years gives 0.625x.

## Extending locks

Users can extend an existing lock to regain lost voting power. Extensions add time to the current lock end, not to the original creation time. This means a user with 6 months remaining on a 1-year lock can extend by 6 months to restore their 0.25x multiplier.

## Voting power decay

Voting power decreases linearly from the moment a lock is created until it expires. This prevents users from locking briefly before a vote to game the system. Long-term holders consistently have more influence than short-term speculators.

## Early unlock

Locked NOTA cannot be withdrawn before the lock expiration. There is no emergency unlock or penalty exit. This hard guarantee is what makes veNOTA meaningful: the commitment is real.

## Code example (TypeScript)

```typescript theme={"system"}
import { Notareum } from "@notareum/sdk";

const ntm = Notareum({ provider, signer, contracts });

// Lock 1,000 NOTA for 2 years
const amount = 1000n * 10n ** 18n;
const duration = 2n * 365n * 24n * 3600n;
await ntm.governance.lock(amount, duration);

// Check current voting power
const power = await ntm.governance.getVotingPower(address);
console.log(`Voting power: ${power}`);

// Unlock after expiration
await ntm.governance.unlock(lockId);
```

## Related pages

* [\$NOTA Token](nota-token.md)
* [Tokenomics](tokenomics.md)
* [Governance](../protocol/governance.md)
* [Participating in Governance](../guides/participating-in-governance.md)