What Is DAO Maker (DAO) and How Does It Work?
DAO Maker is a decentralized venture platform designed to help early-stage blockchain projects raise capital and build sustainable communities. Unlike traditional
crypto launchpads that focus mainly on token sales, DAO Maker emphasizes long-term value creation, fair distribution, and risk-aware fundraising. It became widely known for pioneering structured fundraising models that protect retail participants while supporting high-quality Web3 startups.
DAO Maker works by providing a suite of fundraising and incubation tools, including Strong Holder Offerings (SHOs), public sales, and community-driven allocations. Projects launching through DAO Maker are typically vetted and guided on tokenomics, governance design, and community incentives before raising funds. Participation often requires holding or staking DAO tokens, which helps align investors with the platform’s long-term growth rather than short-term speculation.
At the protocol level, the DAO token powers governance, platform access, and ecosystem incentives. Token holders can participate in governance decisions, gain priority access to launches, and benefit from DAO Maker’s expanding ecosystem of startups and partners. By combining decentralized governance with structured fundraising mechanics, DAO Maker positions itself as a bridge between venture capital principles and open, permissionless crypto markets.
When Did DAO Maker Launch?
DAO Maker traces its roots back to 2018, when it was founded by Christoph Zaknun (CEO) and Giorgio Marciano (CTO) to democratize early-stage crypto investment and provide growth technologies for blockchain startups. The platform evolved through 2019–2020 with strong community support and quickly gained traction as a leading decentralized launchpad, helping projects raise funds and build active ecosystems. DAO’s native token also started trading on public markets in early 2021, marking a key milestone in its adoption and visibility within the broader crypto landscape.
DAO Maker Key Milestones: Roadmap Highlights
- 2018 – DAO Maker founded by Christoph Zaknun and Giorgio Marciano with a mission to empower retail investors and blockchain projects.
- 2020–2021 – DAO Pad launch and first live token sales; DAO token begins trading publicly.
- 2021–2022 – Rapid platform growth with multiple successful IDOs and SHOs.
- 2023–2025 – Expanded ecosystem support, partnerships, and enhanced fundraising products like Venture Bonds and community tools.
- 2026 – Continued development of decentralized governance features and expanded launchpad solutions for Web3 startups.
What Is the DAO Token Used for?
The DAO token is the native utility and governance asset of DAO Maker. It is primarily used for governance, allowing holders to vote on platform proposals, product upgrades, and ecosystem decisions. DAO tokens also unlock access to fundraising opportunities on DAO Maker, including participation in Strong Holder Offerings (SHOs), public sales, and priority allocations, while supporting staking mechanisms that align long-term users with the platform’s growth.
On BingX, you can trade DAO tokens easily on the
spot market by depositing or purchasing DAO and exchanging it against supported trading pairs such as
DAO/USDT. BingX’s spot trading interface provides real-time price data, flexible order types, and risk-management tools, making it convenient to buy, sell, or hold DAO as part of your crypto portfolio.
What Is DAO Maker Tokenomics?
DAO Maker has a fixed total token supply of 277,627,380.53 DAO, of which approximately 250,926,000 DAO are already unlocked, with the remaining supply released through predefined vesting schedules.
DAO Token Allocation
- Private Sale (24.7%) – 20% unlocked at TGE, followed by a 3-month cliff and linear vesting over 9 months
- Team (20.0%) – 0% at TGE, 1-year cliff, then linear unlock over 21 months
- Merger and Acquisition (14.0%) – 0% at TGE, 1-year cliff, followed by 24 months of vesting
- Customer Incentives (10.0%) – 0% at TGE, 2-month cliff, then linear vesting over 45 months
- DAO-Managed Foundation (10.0%) – 0% at TGE, 1-year cliff, with linear vesting across 39 months
- Ecosystem Growth (9.0%) – 0% at TGE, 1-year cliff, then linear unlock over 3 years
- Foundation (7.0%) – 0% at TGE, 2-year cliff, followed by linear vesting
- Advisors and Future Team (5.0%) – 0% at TGE, 1-year cliff, then linear unlock over 21 months
- Public Sale (0.32%) – 100% unlocked at TGE