What is MoonDAO (MOONEY)?

Quick Facts

  • Token: MOONEY (governance token)
  • Blockchain: Ethereum (also available on Arbitrum, Polygon, and Base)
  • DAO type: Decentralized space exploration organization
  • Voting mechanism: Escrowed Quadratic Voting (vMOONEY)
  • Lock period: One week to four years
  • Fixed supply: No new tokens are ever minted
  • Founded: Launched late 2021, initial issuance completed early 2022

Introduction

MoonDAO is an international, community-governed organization with a bold mission: to decentralize access to space exploration and accelerate the establishment of a self-sustaining lunar settlement. It describes itself as 'the internet's space program' — open to anyone, anywhere, regardless of nationality or wealth.

The MOONEY token is at the heart of this mission, giving holders the power to co-govern the DAO, vote on proposals, and direct how community funds are spent.

History & Background

MoonDAO was officially launched as one of the first decentralized autonomous organizations focused entirely on space exploration. In its early days, the community raised over 2,600 ETH through decentralized crowdfunding and announced a landmark partnership with Blue Origin for civilian space flights. Two tickets were purchased on a Blue Origin flight, and a community-selected member was successfully launched to space.

Since then, MoonDAO has funded more than 80 space-related projects and organized zero-gravity flight experiences. The DAO also established a formal Constitution — a governance document that physically landed on the surface of the Moon in early 2025.

How MoonDAO Works

Participating in MoonDAO governance follows a clear path: acquire MOONEY, lock it for a chosen period, and receive vMOONEY (Voting MOONEY) in return.

MoonDAO uses Escrowed Quadratic Voting: voting power is calculated as the square root of the total tokens locked, and the longer the lock period, the greater the influence. This design discourages short-term speculation and prevents wealthy 'whales' from dominating decisions.

Governance is structured around three bodies: the Senate (project leads who review proposals), the Member House (all vMOONEY holders who vote), and the Executive Branch (elected leaders who manage day-to-day operations and execute approved proposals via a multi-signature treasury).

Tokenomics

MOONEY has a fully fixed supply — no new tokens will ever be minted, ensuring long-term scarcity. Approximately 50% of tokens are held in the MoonDAO treasury and are released via an infinite geometric series to reward contributors working on DAO projects each quarter.

Token distribution categories include circulating supply, locked governance tokens, liquidity pools, project rewards, and the DAO treasury. All treasury outflows require a passed community proposal, and MoonDAO has committed to never releasing tokens without holder consent.

Circulating supply ? 2.62 billion MOONEY
Total supply ? 2.62 billion MOONEY
Max supply ? -- MOONEY
Updated 18h ago

Ecosystem & Use Cases

MOONEY's primary use is governance — locking tokens to vote on proposals that guide the DAO's mission, allocate funds, and shape its roadmap.

Beyond voting, MoonDAO operates the Space Acceleration Network (SAN), a subscription-based coordination platform offering tools like a jobs board, project marketplace, team system, and a launchpad for raising funds for space initiatives. Citizens and companies can use SAN to collaborate, hire, and build onchain within MoonDAO's ecosystem.

Team, Governance & Community

MoonDAO is fully community-driven. Up to three elected executives lead day-to-day operations, supported by Senate members and treasury multi-sig signers. Proposals are discussed weekly at public Town Hall calls and voted on by the Member House over a five-day window.

Anyone can submit a proposal, and the community is active on Discord, Twitter, and GitHub. MoonDAO's open-source ethos means all governance decisions, treasury movements, and project funding are fully transparent on-chain.

Advantages

  • Unique mission: One of the few DAOs focused entirely on real-world space exploration
  • Proven track record: Has funded 80+ projects and sent a community member to space
  • Fair governance: Quadratic voting limits whale dominance and promotes democratic participation
  • Multi-chain access: MOONEY is available on Ethereum, Arbitrum, Polygon, and Base
  • Transparent treasury: All financial decisions are on-chain and community-approved

Risks & Challenges

  • Speculative mission: Lunar settlement is an extremely long-term, high-cost goal with no guarantee of success
  • Regulatory complexity: Navigating space laws and crypto regulations across multiple countries adds operational risk
  • Token utility limits: MOONEY is purely a governance token with no expectation of profit or ownership stake
  • Execution dependency: Real-world space projects rely on external partners, technology, and political environments
  • Governance participation: Like many DAOs, sustaining active voter turnout over time is an ongoing challenge

Long-Term Vision

MoonDAO envisions a future where space exploration belongs to everyone — not just governments or corporations. Its roadmap points toward a self-sustaining, self-governing lunar base, with the broader community serving as the decision-making engine that gets humanity there.

Through ongoing project funding, the Space Acceleration Network, and an ever-growing global community of space enthusiasts, MoonDAO aims to prove that decentralized coordination can play a real role in humanity's multiplanetary future.

Frequently Asked Questions

MOONEY is MoonDAO's governance token. Holders lock it to receive vMOONEY voting power, which they use to vote on proposals that guide the DAO's mission and treasury spending.

You can purchase MOONEY on Uniswap or supported exchanges, then lock it for any period between one week and four years. The longer and larger your lock, the more vMOONEY (voting power) you receive.

No. MOONEY is strictly a governance token and does not represent fractionalized ownership of the DAO's assets. There is no expectation of profit associated with holding MOONEY.

MOONEY is available on Ethereum (its primary chain), as well as Arbitrum, Polygon, and Base. Users can bridge between these networks.

MoonDAO uses Escrowed Quadratic Voting, where voting power equals the square root of locked tokens. This creates diminishing returns for very large holders, ensuring a more democratic distribution of influence.

MoonDAO raised over 2,600 ETH, purchased two tickets on a Blue Origin flight, and successfully sent a community-selected member to space. It has also funded 80+ space-related projects and organized a zero-gravity flight experience.

The Space Acceleration Network (SAN) is MoonDAO's onchain coordination platform. It provides a jobs board, project marketplace, team tools, and a launchpad for individuals and companies to collaborate on space initiatives.

No. MOONEY has a fixed supply and no new tokens will ever be minted. Approximately half of all tokens are held in the DAO treasury and are released gradually to reward project contributors.