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I wouldn’t worry about sMerit decay too much really. True that it could potentially happen, and the phrase you quoted leaves the door ajar just in case, acting as an incentive to distribute it "just in case". Were it to be set in motion, I’m pretty sure it would be well announced, and likely start to impact in accordance to sMerit age.
The first to be impacted, in any case, would be the sMerits received during the initial airdrop, which took place over three years ago, and there hasn’t been an inkling on this goint to really take place.
The above though, doesn’t contradict the fact that there is no need to hoard them, and that the more in circulation (with criteria), the merrier.