When CIP-0116 was approved on May 20, 2026, it introduced a clear new rule for Canton Featured Apps: lock the required amount of Canton Coin, remain in good standing, or risk losing Featured App status.
Just over a month later, that rule is no longer just policy. It is starting to shape how projects participate in the Canton ecosystem.
A number of Canton projects have begun complying with CIP-0116 by locking the required amount of CC to maintain Featured App status. That matters because Featured App status is tied to application rewards. It is not just a label or a promotional category. It gives projects access to an important part of Canton’s incentive system.
CIP-0116 makes that access more accountable.
Under the proposal, non-issuer Featured Apps must lock 5,000,000 CC per PartyId. Asset issuer Featured Apps must lock 25,000,000 CC per PartyId. The requirement must be met continuously. If a project falls below the required lock, or does not remain in good standing with the Foundation, it can lose Featured App status.
That is the core shift.
Before CIP-0116, Featured App status relied more heavily on Foundation governance. Now, projects also need to show a visible commitment to the network. They are not only asking to benefit from Canton’s reward system. They are putting capital behind their participation.
This is why the recent compliance matters.
When projects lock CC, they are showing that they are prepared to meet Canton’s higher standard for Featured Apps. It signals commitment, planning, and long-term alignment with the network. It also strengthens the ecosystem by making rewards harder to treat as short-term incentives with no ongoing obligation.
CIP-0116 does not remove incentives from Canton. It makes them more disciplined.
Projects can still benefit from Featured App rewards, but access now comes with clearer responsibilities. They need to maintain the lock, keep the right PartyId structure, and remain in good standing. If they do not, the consequence is loss of Featured App status and reward eligibility.
The proposal is not described as a slashing mechanism. It does not say the locked CC is confiscated. The point is simpler: if a project wants the benefits of being a Featured App, it must continue meeting the requirements.
That makes Featured App status more meaningful.
For builders, it creates a clearer standard. For the wider ecosystem, it shows that Canton’s incentives are being tied to visible commitment. For Canton Network, it helps move the reward system toward projects that are willing to support the network over time.
There are tradeoffs. Some teams may need to plan more carefully around capital, custody, and compliance. But that is also part of the purpose of the rule. Featured App status is becoming a higher-standard designation.
The bigger story is that CIP-0116 is now being tested in practice, and projects are responding.
That is a positive signal for Canton. It shows that governance decisions can translate into real action, and that projects are willing to meet stronger requirements to remain part of the Featured App economy.
CIP-0116 was introduced to bring more structure to Featured App status. The follow-through is what makes it important. As projects comply, the rule begins to do what it was designed to do: connect rewards with commitment, and make participation in Canton’s incentive system more accountable.
