Yuga Labs has proposed dissolving the ApeCoin DAO and replacing it with a new governing body, ApeCo. This would mark a decisive shift in the management structure of one of Web3’s most recognizable token communities.
The proposal arrives amid growing dissatisfaction with the DAO’s performance. Greg Solano, co-founder of Yuga Labs, described the organization as having become “sluggish, noisy and often unserious,” declaring “it’s time for ApeCoin to sunset the DAO and get back to winning.”
That measure shifted the bulk of the treasury into the ApeChain ecosystem, but the new proposal effectively renders that effort moot by dissolving the DAO entirely and centralizing governance under a new legal entity.
If enacted, this would constitute one of the most sweeping rollbacks of a DAO to founder-led control in recent crypto history. The implications extend beyond the Ape ecosystem, raising renewed scrutiny on the long-term viability of token-holder governance in Web3.
The AIP remains in the Idea stage and will require full approval before implementation through the DAO voting process. Large token holders, including major venture backers and ecosystem partners, retain the ability to amend or reject the proposal.
Should it pass, the operational logistics of transitioning smart contract ownership, treasury management, and grant disbursements will become immediate focal points.
Solano’s framing of the DAO’s shortcomings illustrates the broader sentiment that, while aspirational, decentralized governance may struggle to support fast-moving brand and protocol development.
ApeCo, as proposed, would operate with a smaller, professionalized structure focused on the execution and strategic growth of the Ape ecosystem’s assets, including Otherside and ApeChain.
The transition would mark a foundational shift in how one of crypto’s most prominent communities governs its capital and IP.
