DAOs Revolutionizing the Crypto Sphere: The Top 10 with the Largest Treasuries in 2023

In the ever-evolving crypto world, Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) have emerged as a pivotal force, leveraging the power of blockchain to promote decentralized governance. DAO operates on the basis of smart contracts with no central decision-making authority, making it an exciting playground for crypto enthusiasts. As of 2023, the total treasury managed by DAOs has crossed an astounding $25 billion mark. Let's delve into the top 10 DAOs with the largest treasuries in 2023.

What is a DAO?

Before we proceed, let's quickly understand what a DAO is. DAO stands for Decentralised Autonomous Organisation. It's an entity that operates without a central governing body, enabling individuals to share a common objective and make decisions collectively. Smart contracts dictate decision-making in DAOs, which are pre-coded agreements among the founding members.

DAOs with the Largest Treasuries in 2023

Now, let's discuss the top ten DAOs in 2023 with the largest treasuries.

1. Arbitrum One

• Treasury: $3.7b
• Founded: 2018
• Founder: Steven Goldfeder

Arbitrum One has been in the limelight for its innovative approach to scaling Ethereum. With its rollup technology, it's been a game-changer for dApps looking for faster and cheaper transactions. The recent drama around DAO voter decentralization has only highlighted the challenges and opportunities in the DAO space. It's a testament to the evolving nature of decentralized governance.

2. BitDAO

• Treasury: $3.5b
• Founded: 2021
• Founders: Launched with significant backing, including Peter Thiel, Founders Fund, Bybit, Pantera, Spartan Fund, Sushiswap, Polygon, and Dragonfly Capital.

BitDAO is on a mission to bolster the growth of open finance and craft decentralized, tokenized economies. Born from a collaboration with Bybit, a derivatives exchange from Singapore, BitDAO is all about funding long-term projects. Whether it's art, R&D, ventures, or education, they're on it. With a vision to construct an entire decentralized economy, BitDAO partners with specialized entities, collaborates on token swaps, and ensures smooth governance. Their $BIT governance token, launched via a Dutch Auction on SushiSwap, is a testament to their commitment to the decentralized ethos.

3. Optimism Collective

• Treasury: $3.4b
• Founded: 2019
• Founders: Karl Floersch, Jinglan Wang, and Ben Jones

The Optimism Collective is not just another name in the crypto space; it's a beacon of hope for public goods in the Ethereum ecosystem. This collective of companies, communities, and individuals is on a mission to prove that public goods can be both impactful and profitable. Their mantra? Impact = Profit. They've introduced a groundbreaking model called retroactive public goods funding, which supports projects and communities after they've showcased their value, rather than predicting their potential beforehand.

Governance in the Optimism Collective is a two-pronged affair. The Token House, kickstarted with the OP token, focuses on various governance proposals, with tokens awarded to those who've shown positive community behavior. On the other hand, the Citizens' House zeroes in on retroactive public goods funding, ensuring that beneficial projects get the backing they deserve.

With a community-first approach and a vision to bridge the gap between profit and the common good, the Optimism Collective is undoubtedly paving the way for a brighter, more decentralized future.

4. Uniswap

• Treasury: $2.3b
• Founded: 2018
• Founders: Hayden Adams

Uniswap is the poster child for decentralized exchanges (DEXs) on the Ethereum network. Founded by Hayden Adams with guidance from Ethereum's very own Vitalik Buterin, it's a fully decentralized protocol for automated liquidity provision. With its unique AMM (Automated Market Maker) model, it allows anyone to swap ERC20 tokens without the need for traditional order books. Over the years, Uniswap has become a cornerstone of the DeFi movement, enabling decentralized token swaps and liquidity provision.

5. Gnosis

• Treasury: $808.4m
• Founded: 2017
• Founders: Martin Köppelmann and Stefan George

Gnosis is all about prediction markets and decentralized trading. With its innovative platforms, Gnosis allows users to create customizable prediction market applications. Their Gnosis Safe platform has become a go-to for multisig Ethereum management. The vision? To redistribute the future's value by building new market mechanisms.

6. Polygon

• Treasury: $732.5m
• Founded: 2017
• Founders: Jaynti Kanani, Sandeep Nailwal, Anurag Arjun

Formerly known as Matic Network, Polygon is a layer-2 scaling solution for Ethereum. It aims to provide faster and cheaper transactions using sidechains. With its multi-chain Ethereum scaling approach, it's been a boon for developers wanting to achieve high throughput.

7. DyDx

• Treasury: $653m
• Founded: 2017
• Founders: Antonio Juliano

DyDx is a decentralized platform that brings advanced financial tools to the crypto world. It allows for margin trading, borrowing, and lending, all in a decentralized manner. With its stark focus on transparency and open-source ethos, it's been a favorite among DeFi enthusiasts.

8. ENS (Ethereum Name Service)

• Treasury: $606.3m
• Founded: 2017
• Founders: Nick Johnson and Alex Van de Sande

ENS is Ethereum's domain name system. Think of it as the decentralized version of the internet's DNS. It allows users to have readable Ethereum addresses, making it easier to send and receive assets on the Ethereum network.

9. Wonderland

• Treasury: $398.4m
• Founded: 2021
• Founders: Daniele Sestagalli

Wonderland, often associated with its native token $TIME, has been a significant player in the DeFi space. The project has faced its share of ups and downs, with the community playing a pivotal role in its governance. Daniele Sestagalli, the notable figure behind Wonderland, has been at the forefront of many of its decisions. While the project has been lauded for its innovative approach to decentralized finance, it has also faced criticism and challenges. The vision of Wonderland has been to create a truly decentralized autonomous organization, but its journey has been marked by debates on its governance and the role of its leadership. Despite the hurdles, the project continues to be a significant player in the crypto space, with a dedicated community backing its vision and future.

10. Crypto Relief

• Treasury: $293.4m
• Founded: 2021
• Founders: Sandeep Nailwal

Crypto Relief is a unique entity in the crypto space. While most DAOs focus on financial products or governance mechanisms, Crypto Relief's mission is more philanthropic. It aims to provide relief during crises using cryptocurrency. The DAO collects donations in the form of digital assets and then allocates them to various relief efforts. Given the global and decentralized nature of cryptocurrencies, this DAO can mobilize resources quickly and efficiently, ensuring that help reaches those in need promptly. The founders and the exact year of its inception need further research, but its impact in terms of humanitarian aid is undeniable.

Future of DAOs: A Promising Outlook

The future of DAOs appears to be promising, with their adoption skyrocketing in recent years and billions of dollars being invested. The rise of DeFi, Web3, and the metaverse, all of which emphasize decentralized governance and community-driven decisions, have further boosted the demand for DAOs.

Embracing the DAO Evolution with Solidity.io

As we stand on the precipice of a new era in the crypto sphere, DAOs are undeniably shaping the future of decentralized governance. Their ability to harness the collective power of communities, combined with the transparency and security of blockchain technology, is revolutionizing the way we think about organizational structures and decision-making. The top 10 DAOs of 2023, with their vast treasuries, are testament to the trust and belief the crypto community places in this innovative model.

At Solidity.io, we're passionate about the potential of DAOs and the transformative impact they can have on the world. We believe in a future where decentralized governance isn't just an option, but the norm. As pioneers in the crypto space, we invite you to join us in this journey. Whether you're a seasoned crypto enthusiast or just starting out, Solidity.io is here to guide, educate, and empower you in this exciting realm of possibilities.