XAO DAO marks a watershed moment for the XRP Ledger (XRPL), promising true community-driven governance. Unlike other DAOs, XAO DAO doesn't rely on a new token or presale. It gives governance power directly to XRP holders—bringing democratic control to one of crypto's oldest ecosystems.
What is XAO DAO and what makes it unique?
Launched in June 2025. XAO DAO is the first major DAO built natively for the XRPL. It doesn't mint a new governance token or run an airdrop. Instead, it ties governance directly to XRP holdings. That means no speculation—just real utility and on-chain voting.
How does voting work without a native token?
Voting rights are determined based on XRP held at a specific snapshot. The DAO uses a hybrid governance model:
XRPL records DAO membership
An EVM-compatible sidechain mints temporary governance tokens tied to each vote
This dual-chain approach ensures transparency, flexibility, and legality (via a Wyoming-based LLC structure).
What will XAO DAO govern and fund?
The DAO will manage community grants and allocate part of the 1 billion XRP Ripple has committed to XRPL development. These grants will support:
Validator infrastructure
dApps
Research and education
Developer onboarding
All funding decisions will be voted on transparently by the community.
Who are the co-founders and partners?
XAO DAO was founded by Fabio Marzella and Santiago Velez. It is a founding member of the new XRPL Foundation, alongside XRPL Labs, Ripple, and XRPL Commons. This collaborative structure ensures both independence and integration within the broader XRPL roadmap.
Why is XAO DAO a big deal for decentralization?
Ripple's influence over XRPL has long been debated. XAO DAO directly addresses this by moving key decision-making power to XRP holders. It shifts governance from corporate control to a transparent, token-less community model—potentially changing how blockchain communities self-govern.
Conclusion
XAO DAO isn't just a governance layer—it's a signal that the XRPL is ready to fully embrace decentralization. By giving power to XRP holders and focusing on real development, XAO DAO offers a fresh model for ecosystem stewardship—one that doesn't chase hype, but builds meaningful infrastructure.
