Coinbase's layer 2 network called Base has generated over $700,000 in profit shortly after its launch, marking a significant achievement. Base aims to provide a foundation for its 110 million verified users to access the decentralized crypto economy. To further this goal, Aragon is introducing the no-code Aragon App and modular Aragon OSx protocol on Base, making it easier for users to create and manage Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs). This move is intended to make onchain governance more user-friendly, cost-effective, and secure. Just as Coinbase has simplified crypto adoption, the Aragon App aims to do the same for DAOs, offering a secure and user-friendly experience for launching, managing, and participating in DAOs. Jesse Pollak, Creator of Base and Head of Protocols at Coinbase, expressed excitement about this development, emphasizing the importance of projects like Aragon in bringing more users onto the blockchain.
We had an interview with Anthony Leutenegger, Head of Growth at Aragon, related to this announcement. Here's our Q&A with Anthony Leutenegger.
Tell us a bit about Aragon?
At Aragon, we build flexible and secure tools for creating, managing, and scaling DAOs, allowing everyone to experiment with governance at the speed of software. In 2017, Aragon built the first DAO framework, which has since powered the creation of thousands of DAOs and secures over $15B in value for leading projects like Lido, Decentraland, and API3.
We recently deployed the new modular Aragon OSx protocol and no-code Aragon App for anyone to launch and manage their DAO. The modularity of Aragon OSx allows DAO builders to install, upgrade or uninstall any governance mechanism via plugins. The no-code Aragon App allows builders to launch and manage their DAOs with a secure and user-friendly interface that intuitively guides them through every step of the process.
What exactly is the Aragon App and OSx Module?
The Aragon App is an easy-to-use application that allows anyone to launch, manage, and participate in a DAO with a no-code and secure user experience. User experience and security go hand in hand. When users can easily navigate and understand their onchain actions, they can make more informed decisions and safely interact with assets and contracts. That’s why we built the App, to encourage anyone to launch and participate in a DAO with a secure and user-friendly interface that intuitively guides them through every step of the process.
The Aragon OSx protocol is the foundation layer of the new Aragon stack. It allows developers to build custom DAOs by installing, upgrading, or uninstalling any governance mechanism via plugins. This means builders can experiment with different governance mechanisms in a way that is lean, adaptable, and secure.
Why did you decide to launch these on Base?
Aragon shares Base’s vision of making onchain the next online, and to achieve this we need onchain governance solutions.
Coinbase has played an important role in onboarding millions of users and organizations to crypto by creating a user-friendly and secure platform. At Aragon, we aim to do the same for DAOs. By deploying on Base, Aragon aims to make onchain governance user-friendly, cost-effective, and secure for builders and users.
How has the launch gone so far? Have you seen much engagement?
Since our launch, we have seen new DAOs deploy on Base and are eager to see the communities grow. We were excited for Indie DAO to be the first DAO to use the Aragon App on Base. They deployed a DAO for their committee governance and are excited for communities to be supercharged with low-cost, accessible, and user-friendly tools. You can read more about the DAOs that have launched on Base here. This is just one step towards empowering communities to build and interact onchain, and we are excited to see what the future holds.
Do you think onchain decentralization is critical to the success of DAOs, and if so, how is Aragon ensuring this?
A DAO is onchain by definition, and the ability to autonomously execute decisions is what gives DAOs unique qualities, as compared to traditional organizations. Onchain decentralization is essential to the success of Web3, and DAOs are critical to achieve this. Decentralization is a core principle that brings value and resilience to public blockchains, such as Ethereum. DAOs are key to ensuring that we preserve this principle as we build protocols and applications on top of this infrastructure. We build tools for sustainable and secure decentralized governance models, not only for the success of DAOs but for the success of blockchain ecosystems as a whole. A robust DAO framework, particularly a lean, secure, and modular one like Aragon OSx, is key to achieving this. And on top of this, the Aragon App allows anyone to create and manage a DAO without writing a single line of code, so anyone no matter their technical ability can experiment with decentralized governance onchain.
