The Cyber Republic DAO, a cornerstone of the Elastos ecosystem since 2018, has officially rebranded to Elastos DAO. This change marks an important step in the project’s growth, bringing together the governance system and the broader Elastos brand under a single, unified identity.
History of the DAO
Cyber Republic’s story began on August 27, 2018, when Elastos Foundation co founder Rong Chen announced its creation. In a move that truly showed commitment to decentralization, the Elastos Foundation transferred 50% of the total ELA token supply, 16,500,000 tokens, to the DAO, giving the community real power to shape the project’s future.
In 2022, the DAO took another major step forward by legally incorporating as “Cyber Republic Operations LLC” in Delaware, with help from AmLaw 100 law firm K&L Gates. This legal status allowed the DAO to conduct essential business operations, including opening bank accounts and entering legally binding contracts with partners.
In January 2024, the DAO further evolved by relocating its legal entity to the Marshall Islands, seeking a more favorable regulatory environment for decentralized organizations. This strategic move, completed through partnership with MIDAO, provided enhanced legal protections while maintaining the decentralized governance structure that defines the organization’s core philosophy.
Why the Change?
The decision to rebrand comes after years of observation that having two separate names with “Cyber Republic” for governance and “Elastos” for the broader ecosystem. This separation created unnecessary confusion, especially for newcomers.
As stated in Elastos DAO Proposal #191, “Most newcomers encounter Elastos first and its SmartWeb vision, Bitcoin anchored security, and the ELA token. Most people discover only later that governance sits under a different name. That split identity erodes trust, muddies marketing efforts, and keeps the DAO’s achievements in the shadows.”
The unified Elastos DAO branding creates immediate clarity about who controls the project’s direction. Now, when people learn about Elastos technology, they simultaneously discover its governance structure without needing to connect separate brand entities. This seamless association strengthens the entire ecosystem’s message that ELA token holders collectively steer the future of the SmartWeb platform.
What Changes and What Stays the Same
While the name changes to Elastos DAO, the core functions remain intact. The DAO will continue to operate through its legal entity later referred to as Elastos DAO LLC, maintaining its status as a legally registered DAO.
The rebrand involves several key updates across the ecosystem. The brand identity will see all “Cyber Republic DAO” references transformed into “Elastos DAO” across logos, graphics, and style guides. Website content from the Cyber Republic platform will migrate to Elastos.com.
Social media presence will transition to new @ElastosDAO handles, replacing the previous Cyber Republic accounts. Additionally, all official papers, including whitepapers and technical documentation, will be updated to reflect the new brand.
The DAO’s Role in Elastos
The Elastos DAO continues to serve as the third consensus tier in Elastos’ hybrid consensus system, which combines Auxiliary Proof of Work (AuxPoW) and Bonded Proof of Stake (BPoS). Through on chain voting, ELA token holders elect 12 representatives to the Council, who then manage proposals for ecosystem growth.
Since June 2019, the Council has directed growth strategies and community initiatives for Elastos. With the rebrand, the DAO will continue these functions with a clearer connection to the Elastos name.
Looking Forward
This rebranding signifies a coming together of governance and product under one clear identity. For current community members and potential newcomers alike, the change makes it immediately clear that ELA serves as the governance token for the entire Elastos ecosystem.
The rebrand takes place at a strategic time, with council elections approaching and growing interest in on chain proposals. The unified Elastos brand now stands ready to welcome a broader group of contributors to shape the future of Web3.
Visit elastos.com to learn more about Elastos DAO and how you can participate in decentralized governance.
