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What is DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization)?
A DAO is an organization governed by smart contracts and token holder votes instead of a CEO or board. Members vote on proposals proportional to their token holdings.
Full Explanation
A Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) is a community-led entity with no central authority. Rules are encoded in smart contracts; decisions are made through token-holder voting. Treasury management, protocol upgrades, and grants are all decided by vote. Examples: MakerDAO (manages DAI stablecoin), Uniswap DAO (governs Uniswap protocol), Aave DAO. DAOs enable transparent, democratic governance of blockchain projects. Challenges: voter apathy, governance attacks, legal status uncertainty.
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Last updated: 2026-03-21
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