The Dogecoin Foundation has mutually terminated its exclusive trademark licensing agreement with Nasdaq-listed House of Doge Inc., effective October 19, 2026. The change was disclosed in a Form 8-K filing submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on October 23.

Under the termination agreement, House of Doge and its U.S. subsidiary must pay the Foundation a $400,000 settlement. The company also loses exclusive rights and must stop using titles such as the Foundation’s “Official Corporate Arm” or “Official Commercial Partner.” Corporate names that include “Doge” must be changed by December 31, 2026.

Terms of the Termination and New Limited License

The original Amended and Restated Trademark License Agreement, dated May 7, 2025, granted House of Doge exclusivity, sublicensing authority, and partnership designations. Those rights ended with the mutual termination. Accrued claims under the prior agreement remain outstanding until the $400,000 is fully paid.

Payment may be made in cash, shares of House of Doge common stock, or a combination of both. Share valuation would use the five-day volume-weighted average price preceding the payment date. The obligation becomes due only when the company has sufficient funds available. House of Doge has not specified a payment timeline. If the amount is not paid within ten business days after notice, the Foundation may terminate the replacement license.

In place of the exclusive arrangement, a new three-year non-exclusive license runs through October 19, 2029. It covers only three existing 21Shares investment products as they stood on the termination date: the 21Shares Dogecoin ETF (TDOG),the 21Shares Dogecoin ETP (DOGE),and the 21Shares 2x Long Dogecoin ETF (TXXD). Any additional products require separate written approval from the Foundation. The license does not extend to corporate names, merchandise, or payment-related uses.

Dogecoin Labs Named Official Commercial Partner

The Foundation designated the newly formed Dogecoin Labs as its official commercial partner. Dogecoin Labs consolidates development efforts around consumer applications and infrastructure, including MyDoge, Such App, and DogeOS.

House of Doge’s U.S. subsidiary agreed to transfer selected Such App assets—source code, domains, cloud accounts, and app-store listings—to Dogecoin Labs. In exchange, it would receive shares valued at approximately $4 million, based on a $120 million pre-money valuation for Dogecoin Labs. The transfer remains subject to lender consents, lien releases, and other closing conditions. Either party may terminate the asset agreement if closing does not occur within 30 days of October 19, 2026. Dogecoin Labs assumes no responsibility for the subsidiary’s existing debts or contracts.

Leadership Changes and Strategic Shifts at House of Doge

On October 22, 2026, Chief Executive Officer Marco Margiotta and Chief Financial Officer Charles Park resigned. Curt Hopkins, chief executive of McQueen Labs, assumed the roles of interim CEO and CFO.

House of Doge is redirecting focus toward tokenized alternative investments and sports-related assets. The company signed a binding letter of intent to acquire McQueen Labs’ MCQ Markets tokenization platform and microlending operations for $15 million, with a portion of consideration contingent on milestones. A definitive agreement has not been executed; the letter of intent expires if none is signed by December 15, 2026.

The company previously built its identity around Dogecoin branding after listing on Nasdaq through a reverse merger. It had partnered with 21Shares on investment products and held significant Dogecoin positions. The filing does not state a reason for ending the exclusive Foundation relationship and does not indicate wrongdoing by either party.

Impact on Investment Products and Ecosystem

The three licensed 21Shares products retain limited trademark rights under the new non-exclusive arrangement. One of those products, the 21Shares Dogecoin ETP, has traded in euros on European exchanges since April 2025 with reported assets of about $9.49 million. Future product expansions will require Foundation approval on a case-by-case basis, with royalties paid quarterly and no upfront fees or minimums.

The termination affects only commercial branding and partnership designations. It does not alter the Dogecoin blockchain, token supply, tokenomics, or network operations. Dogecoin Labs’ role consolidates consumer-facing applications and infrastructure under one entity aligned with the Foundation.

House of Doge has indicated it is considering a full corporate rebrand and plans to seek shareholder approval for a reverse stock split at its next annual meeting. The $400,000 payment and pending asset transfer remain incomplete as of the latest disclosures.