Exploring the Mysterious FWB DAO: A New Version of Thinking About the World

Friends With Benefits (FWB) is a unique private club and also a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO). It has over 2000 members, and joining requires passing a strict identity verification and purchasing a ticket worth nearly ten thousand dollars. Members can not only participate in club activities but also engage in operations and decision-making.

The main activity venue for FWB is Discord, which has over 100 channels covering various fields such as learning, art, creativity, trading, and life. There are a large number of discussions and exchanges every day. Although it seems like a large chat group, it is actually much more than that.

According to FWB's community declaration, it is a crossroads of technology and culture, gathering a group of unique individuals who pursue a brighter future. They believe that in the Web3 world, data and assets should be controlled by creators, and open knowledge can benefit society. FWB brings together creators, rebels, artists, thinkers, and practitioners to discuss and shape the future.

Joining FWB is not easy. Applicants must fill out a detailed form, which is reviewed by a 15-member membership committee. The committee prefers applicants with unique backgrounds, especially artists, musicians, creative thinkers, and participants in the Web3 ecosystem. Currently, the rejection rate for applications is about 60%.

After passing the review, you also need to purchase community tokens worth about ten thousand dollars as a ticket. This makes FWB somewhat of a crypto version of a wealthy club.

The membership composition of FWB is different from that of other communities. Those who understand cryptocurrency are only a minority; there are more creative workers, artists, and traditional entrepreneurs, but all are interested in Web3.

The club activities are rich and diverse, including both online and offline events. There are five fixed online activities every week, covering themes such as creativity, Web3 projects, investment, and basic knowledge of cryptocurrencies. Offline events are held in multiple cities around the world, such as Miami and Paris.

FWB has also launched the concept of city sub-DAOs, lowering the entry threshold so that more people can participate in social activities in specific cities.

Although FWB is not a productivity-oriented organization, it has gradually developed some products, mainly related to culture and social aspects. These products include weekly digests, semi-finished products (a content product about culture, Web3, and future thinking), Gatekeeper (an application for verifying on-chain identities), NFT display and auction platforms, etc.

The organizational structure of FWB includes seven different directional teams: Editorial, Membership, Product, City, Events, Partnerships, and DAO teams. These teams consist of about 200 contributors and 31 core members.

FWB is a diverse and complex community. It is both a club and goes beyond the traditional concept of a club. Members can focus on trading, NFT projects, or participate in various activities, as well as delve into culture, Web3, and its impact on society.

Unlike other DAOs, FWB places more emphasis on natural social interactions and the collision of ideas, rather than highly structured operations. Although this approach may result in fewer documents and historical records, it also fosters more spontaneous innovation and projects.

FWB recently secured $10 million in funding led by A16z, which will be used to expand the community and develop new projects. FWB's vision is to create a model that allows strangers on the internet to come together and redefine the way culture is created and funded.

Overall, FWB represents a new type of social and innovation model that combines Web3 technology, cultural creativity, and community governance, exploring and shaping the next version of the world.