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DeFi has emerged as a revolutionary force in the financial sector, challenging traditional models of governance and decision-making. At the heart of DeFi lies the power of crypto holders and users who come together to build a better financial future for themselves and others. While DAOs seem to be the most discussed and standard governing model in blockchain, the reality is much more complex and diverse.
The term DeFi governance is seldom used but refers to various approaches that can be found within the blockchain universe, particularly DeFi. It typically describes the collaborative and decentralized decision-making processes that empower stakeholders (users, developers, investors, and other interested parties) to control and operate decentralized applications, platforms, protocols, etc. Generally, such governance is based on a community-led approach where stakeholders unite to decide on various aspects of the projects they care about, including risk management, token issuance, liquidity provision, network upgrades, etc.
By spreading decision-making power across an eclectic community of stakeholders rather than concentrating it on one or several individuals, decentralization-valuing projects aim to promote fair and equitable governing processes and ensure that nobody has excessive influence over a particular product or ecosystem. However, it should be noted that some projects prefer to remain pretty centralized governance-wise, even within the DeFi space.
Another fundamental tenet of decentralized governance is transparency. Open access to information, proposals, and voting outcomes is critical to creating trust within the project's community, as well as the whole DeFi community. This transparency promotes accountability and encourages stakeholders to engage in governance by providing a clear view of decision-making processes and outcomes. As a result, transparency helps ensure the project operates fairly and equitably for everyone involved.
One of the most popular ways to decentralized decision-making in blockchain projects is with the help of governance tokens. Those cryptographic assets confer voting rights and decision-making power to holders within a decentralized network or platform. They represent a tangible means for stakeholders to actively participate in governance, including voting on proposals, determining fee structures, influencing upgrades, etc. Different projects choose to distribute such tokens in different ways, such as liquidity mining, staking, or initial coin offerings (ICOs). Regardless of the distribution method, these tokens incentivize users to actively engage with the project and its products while aligning their interests with the long-term success and sustainability of the whole ecosystem.
One of the defining features of governance tokens is their ability to evolve. As projects using them mature and adapt to changing market conditions or community needs, governance mechanisms allow for iterative improvements and adjustments. This flexibility ensures that decentralized platforms remain responsive to the demands of their user base while maintaining decentralization and security.
Governance tokens are often used with the DAO model. DAOs are decentralized autonomous organizations that utilize blockchain technology to offer a transparent and community-driven approach to making important project decisions. This innovative governance model operates through smart contracts that encode protocols for proposing, voting, and executing ideas without intermediaries. By ensuring that DAOs are not controlled by any single entity, they provide a high level of decentralization, which gives the crypto community a significant say in shaping the future and promoting a culture of openness, inclusivity, and shared ownership.
Another governance model goes beyond crypto and is often discussed in the context of changing real-life governance systems and enhancing democracy with the power of blockchain. Nonetheless, some DeFi projects use this approach, too. This model is called liquid democracy, and it is a modern form of democracy that aims to combine both direct and representative democracy. This approach allows token holders to either vote directly on proposals or delegate their voting power to trusted representatives. Consequently, voting members can ensure that the decisions are fair and represent the community's wishes, while projects can benefit from a more flexible and scalable governance structure.
The next approach is called futarchy. It is quite unique and mainly relies on prediction markets. Under this principle, all proposals are evaluated based on their predicted impact on predefined metrics. Elected officials establish measures of national well-being, and prediction markets are utilized to determine which policies will yield the most favorable outcomes. While futarchy-inspired governance mechanisms are relatively uncommon, they have a good potential to motivate members to participate in the project's development and choose policies that can be the most beneficial.
Another way to distinguish governance models is based on the project's influence distribution. There are three primary approaches: founder-based, council-based, and community-based. In the founder-based governance model, the final vote rests with a single individual, usually the project's creator. Founders that prefer and endorse this governing model are often referred to as BDFLs, which stands for Benevolent Dictators for Life. This nickname mirrors both their contribution to the project and the power they choose to hold over it.
The council-based model is more representative and decentralized but is not perfect for protecting DeFi's main principles, including accessibility and equality. The council usually comprises a select group of founders, early adopters, and other notable contributors. They are responsible for making high-level decisions about the project, including upgrades and updates. They can listen to the community's opinions but do not depend on them.
Finally, the community-based model is a form of governance in which far more people participate in making decisions that affect the project's development. People can either vote directly or delegate their power by selecting representatives who will act on their behalf. Most DeFi projects prefer this type of governance, as it reflects the principles the crypto community aspires to safeguard and promote.
DeFi governance models represent a notable shift in how systems can be governed, even outside DeFi. They empower users to partake in the formation and growth of decentralized projects and, consequently, the whole DeFi industry. Moreover, such governing approaches foster innovation, resilience, and accountability within the ecosystem, contributing immensely to its development. As the DeFi landscape matures, exploring and refining governance models will be vital to unlocking the crypto's full potential.
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