Let’s be honest, @Polkadot has the most advanced on-chain governance in DeFi.

Everything is executed fully on-chain, proposals, votes, and even protocol upgrades, with no off-chain committees involved.

Their OpenGov system allows any $DOT holder to submit proposals or vote in referenda.

A decentralized expert body has replaced the old Technical Committee, providing technical oversight without centralized control.

No one talks about it, but Polkadot is the largest on-chain DAO by participation (1.3M active wallets), with a fully transparent, community-managed treasury that funds grants and ecosystem growth.

How does it work?

1/ Submit a proposal
Any DOT holder can propose anything, from treasury spending to major upgrades.

2/ Governance flow
If it gains support, the proposal moves to a referendum, a public vote for all DOT holders.

3/ Vote with conviction
Vote by locking DOT, the longer you lock, the more weight your vote carries.

4/ Treasury & bounties
Polkadot’s treasury holds millions of DOT, fueled by fees and inflation. Proposals for grants, bounties, or initiatives follow the same open process and must meet approval thresholds.