XRP News Today: XRP Ledger Launches XAO DAO for Community Governance

The XRP Ledger (XRPL) is entering a new phase with the upcoming launch of XAO DAO, its first decentralized, community-led governance organization. This initiative will empower XRP holders to actively participate in shaping the network’s future through proposals, funding grants, and on-chain decisions using the native XRP token.

XAO DAO introduces a formal governance framework that gives the community meaningful control over XRPL’s direction. Unlike previous models that relied on foundational entities or corporate influence, the DAO will allow individual XRP holders to propose ideas, vote on initiatives, and implement changes entirely on-chain. This shift reflects a growing demand for blockchain networks to embrace democratic and decentralized decision-making.

Built to support transparency, resilience, and decentralization, XAO DAO will manage funding for community-driven projects and coordinate improvements across the ecosystem. This marks a significant departure from XRPL’s earlier governance model, emphasizing the network’s commitment to community involvement and decentralized control.

This development has been in the works for some time. In September 2024, XRPL Labs revealed that Ripple, XRPL Commons, and other contributors had begun collaborating on decentralized governance frameworks. By the end of that month, the XRPL Foundation had publicly signaled its intent to support community-led bodies through GitHub updates and technical proposals. David Bchiri, president of XRPL Commons, described the vision in an interview, outlining a structure that includes an independent board, rotating committee members, and transparent voting systems. These early efforts laid the foundation for what is now materializing as XAO DAO—a legally structured, community-empowered arm of XRPL governance.

The shift toward community governance is also aligned with broader reforms across the XRPL ecosystem. In early 2025, XRPL validators were advised to migrate to a new Unique Node List (UNL) under a restructured XRPL Foundation. This new framework includes XRPL Commons, XRPL Labs, Ripple, and now XAO DAO as its four pillars. In a move that emphasizes legal legitimacy and international collaboration, the XRPL Foundation is now incorporated under French law. This ensures oversight through a General Assembly and an independent board, while embedding community representation at its core. These structural changes are designed to increase trust, reduce centralization risks, and make governance more transparent for all network participants.

The announcement confirms that XAO DAO will launch soon, with a waitlist already open for early participants. Once live, the DAO will offer XRP holders the tools to directly influence development decisions, allocate funding for promising projects, and vote on major network upgrades. As decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) continue to gain traction across the crypto world, XRPL is taking a bold step to stay at the forefront of decentralized innovation. By enabling secure, on-chain voting and structured community input, XAO DAO promises to accelerate XRPL’s growth while reinforcing its core values of openness and decentralization.

With XAO DAO on the horizon, the XRP Ledger is no longer just a payment protocol—it’s now a living, evolving ecosystem shaped by the very people who use and build on it. This governance milestone signals XRPL’s readiness to compete not just as a blockchain, but as a fully decentralized, self-sustaining network. The launch of XAO DAO represents a significant step forward in the evolution of the XRP Ledger, empowering the community to drive its future development and ensuring that the network remains at the cutting edge of decentralized technology.