Kaito AI Changes Billions Token Unlock Terms Before TGE

Steady attention without excessive speculation.

The original terms, as shown on Kaito’s Capital Launchpad and confirmed in official announcements, promised a full token unlock at TGE. Kaito had even updated the terms from an earlier 75%/25% vesting schedule to 100% unlock, specifically in response to community feedback. That promise no longer stands.

What Changed and Why

According to Kaito’s April 27 announcement, participants now must choose from three options before May 18, 2026. Option A provides a 100% refund and serves as the default if no selection is made. Option B offers the full original allocation plus a 25% bonus, but with a 6-month lock-up period.

Another option C gives participants the full allocation plus a 50% bonus, paired with a 12-month lock-up. Only the original contributing wallets can make a selection, and all choices are final.

Kaito framed the change as giving participants a choice. The announcement described Options B and C as paths “for contributors who want to stay aligned with Billions over the longer term.” Refunds will only be processed after the May 18 deadline closes.

Kaito Founder Addresses the Backlash

Yu Hu, Kaito’s founder, posted a detailed response on X on April 28, 2026. He opened by saying “this sucks” and acknowledged that “no platform wants to be in a position where terms are changed.”

According to Yu Hu, the Billions team approached Kaito in March 2026 about a “major exchange listing obstacle” related to the 5.6% day-1 launchpad unlock. The two teams explored alternatives but could not find a solution that satisfied all parties.

Yu Hu also cited Polymarket data. At the time of the decision, he said Polymarket implied only a 40% probability of Billions launching above the breakeven level of $100M FDV. That figure had risen to around 80% by April 28. He argued that the expected value of the launch was below the raise valuation at the time.

He said Kaito pushed for the full refund option to “make users whole” and committed to further discussions with the Billions team after reviewing community feedback.

Why Participants Are Angry

The community response has been overwhelmingly negative. Hundreds of replies on X use terms like “scam,” “bait-and-switch,” and “broken trust.” The core grievance centers on a simple fact: participants invested based on explicit 100% TGE unlock terms.

Changing those terms after 8-9 months of capital lock-up feels like a unilateral move, regardless of the stated reasons. During that period, participants earned no yield and received no compensation for repeated delays.

The refund option also drew criticism. Because refunds are processed only after the May 18 deadline, participants cannot access their capital during or immediately after TGE. Critics see this as the project effectively using retail funds interest-free for nearly a year.

Many also view the term change as a strategy to reduce day-1 sell pressure. The bonus tokens are seen as insufficient compensation for the added risk and extended lock-up periods.

Questions About Kaito’s Role

As the launchpad operator, Kaito handled KYC, funding collection, and all official communication for the Billions community round. That role makes Kaito a central player in this dispute, not just a neutral platform.

Critics argue that Kaito should have enforced the original terms rather than facilitating a change that benefits the project. Prior complaints about Kaito’s community rewards also added fuel to the backlash. Top yappers reportedly received only about 0.03% of the token supply after six months of participation.

Blockchain investigator ZachXBT had also previously raised concerns about allegedly inflated user metrics on the Kaito platform. These earlier issues compounded the distrust that erupted after the April 27 announcement.

Billions Network Stays Silent

Billions Network has not issued a separate official statement addressing the term change. The project’s recent posts on X focus on community rewards, yappers, and airdrop registration.

The Kaito announcement is treated as speaking for both parties. Billions previously raised approximately $30M from venture capital backers including Polychain Capital and Coinbase Ventures. The project focuses on ZK identity verification and had built strong user growth before this controversy.

The Bigger Picture for Crypto Presales

This case highlights a structural problem in crypto token sales. Participants commit capital based on published terms, but those terms can change without formal consent or a governance vote. The phrase “community feedback” is used to justify decisions the community did not request.

Some participants have raised legal and compliance concerns. Questions about fund custody transparency, material term changes, and refund timelines suggest this dispute may not end with the May 18 deadline.

What Happens Next

The selection window remains open until May 18, 2026, at 12pm UTC. TGE is expected to follow shortly after. Yu Hu has promised further updates based on the feedback received on April 28.

Participants who take no action will receive a full refund by default. Those who choose Options B or C lock in their tokens with bonus allocations but give up the 100% TGE unlock they originally signed up for.

This is not financial advice. Anyone involved in the Billions community round should review the official terms and consider their options carefully before the deadline.