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What is a DAO?

Summary

The term "DAO" is an acronym for "decentralized autonomous organization" - a new form of organization that enables a distributed group to coordinate through a shared set of rules enforced on a blockchain.

DAOs represent an evolution in organizational structure for the digital age. As more social and economic activity moves online, humans need new ways of coordinating around a shared mission in a trusted manner. Blockchains - given that they are inherently transparent, lack a centralized authority, and are opt-in by nature - are a new tool that enable distributed individuals to coordinate in a decentralized fashion. DAOs are an outgrowth of this innovation, applied to organizations.

Resources

To continue exploring the basics of DAOs, check out the list of resources below:

• What is a DAO? Mapping Out the Ecosystemby Kevin Nielsen
• A Beginner Guide to DAOs by Linda Xie
• DAOs Are The Next Big Thing by Jimmy Chang
• Decentralized Autonomous Organisations (DAOs) by The Ethereum Foundation
• [Everything you need to know about DAOs.](https://foundation.app/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-daos] by Foundation
• DAOs, DACs, DAs and More: An Incomplete Terminology Guide by Vitalik Buterin
• D(?)A(?)O - Decentralization and Autonomy in “DAOs” by James Duncan
• The DAO of DAOs by Packy McCormick