DAO Governance & Transparency Policy

Table of Contents

Introduction

Becoming Alpha, Inc. (the "Company," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to transitioning toward a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) model over time, where token holders and community members participate in governance decisions. This DAO Governance & Transparency Policy explains how our governance system works, what decisions the DAO can make, and how transparency is maintained throughout the governance process.

This Policy is intended to provide clarity about the rules of governance, promote transparency in decision-making, and ensure that all participants understand their rights and responsibilities in the DAO. As we transition to a fully decentralized model, this Policy may be updated to reflect the evolution of our governance system.

This Policy should be read together with our Terms of Service, which contain important information about token ownership, platform use, and legal rights. Participation in DAO governance does not create any legal relationship between token holders beyond what is set forth in our Terms of Service and applicable law.

Important Note: This Policy describes our planned governance model. As of the date of this Policy, Becoming Alpha is still primarily operated by the company and its management. The full transition to DAO governance will occur over time as we develop and implement the necessary infrastructure and processes. We will provide updates on our progress toward full decentralization.

Governance Structure

Becoming Alpha's governance is designed to give token holders meaningful input into platform decisions while maintaining operational efficiency and legal compliance. Our governance structure includes multiple mechanisms for participation.

Token-Based Voting

The primary governance mechanism is token-based voting, where holders of Alpha tokens can vote on proposals. Voting power is generally proportional to the number of tokens held, though we may implement mechanisms to prevent excessive concentration of voting power.

Voting Rights: Each Alpha token generally represents one vote. However, we may implement weighted voting, quadratic voting, or other mechanisms to ensure more equitable governance participation.

Token Locking: To ensure long-term alignment, we may require tokens to be "locked" or "staked" for a minimum period before they can be used for voting. Locked tokens cannot be transferred or sold during the lock period.

Delegation

Token holders may delegate their voting power to other participants (delegates) who they trust to make informed governance decisions. Delegation allows smaller token holders to participate in governance even if they do not have the time or expertise to research every proposal.

Delegation Flexibility: Delegation is flexible—you can delegate all or part of your voting power, and you can change or revoke your delegation at any time.

Delegate Responsibilities: Delegates are expected to act in the best interests of the DAO and the platform. However, delegates are not legally obligated to vote in any particular way, and token holders delegate at their own risk.

Multisig Wallets

For high-stakes decisions or treasury management, we may use multisignature (multisig) wallets that require multiple signatures before actions can be executed. Multisig wallets provide additional security and ensure that critical decisions require broad consensus.

Multisig Structure: Multisig wallets may be controlled by a combination of:

• Elected or appointed community representatives
• Company representatives (during transition period)
• Technical experts or advisors

The specific structure and signature requirements for multisig wallets will be disclosed for each relevant decision or treasury function.

Governance Committees

We may establish governance committees to handle specific areas of governance, such as:

• Technical upgrades and protocol changes
• Treasury management and budgeting
• Community grants and funding
• Policy and compliance matters

Committee members may be elected by token holders, appointed by the DAO, or selected through other democratic processes. Committee decisions are typically subject to DAO oversight and approval.

DAO Decision Scope

The DAO will have authority to make decisions about various aspects of the Becoming Alpha platform, but there are important limitations on what the DAO can decide.

Decisions Within DAO Authority

The DAO may make decisions about:

• Platform Development: Proposing and voting on new features, protocol upgrades, and technical improvements
• Treasury Management: Decisions about how to allocate treasury funds, including spending, investments, and grants
• Community Initiatives: Funding community projects, grants, and initiatives that benefit the Becoming Alpha ecosystem
• Policy Updates: Proposing changes to certain platform policies (subject to legal and regulatory constraints)
• Partnerships and Integrations: Approving or rejecting proposed partnerships, integrations, or collaborations
• Token Economics: Decisions about token distribution, staking rewards, and other tokenomic parameters (subject to legal constraints)

Decisions Outside DAO Authority

The DAO generally cannot make decisions about:

• Legal and Regulatory Compliance: The company remains responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. The DAO cannot override legal obligations or make decisions that would violate applicable law.
• Corporate Governance: Certain corporate decisions (e.g., corporate structure, officer appointments, legal entity matters) remain with the company's board of directors and management, as required by corporate law.
• User Agreements: Changes to Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and other user agreements require careful legal review and may be subject to regulatory approval. The DAO may propose changes, but implementation is subject to legal and regulatory constraints.
• Day-to-Day Operations: Routine operational decisions (e.g., customer support, bug fixes, minor updates) are handled by the company and its employees/contractors.
• Emergency Responses: In emergency situations (e.g., security breaches, legal threats), the company may need to take immediate action without waiting for DAO approval.

Transition Period

During the transition period (before full decentralization), the company retains greater control over platform decisions. As we develop DAO infrastructure and processes, we will gradually transfer more decision-making authority to the DAO. We will provide regular updates on our progress and timeline for full decentralization.

Proposal Creation and Process

The governance process begins with proposal creation. Any token holder can create a proposal, but proposals must meet certain requirements to be considered.

Proposal Requirements

To create a proposal, you must:

• Token Ownership: Hold a minimum number of Alpha tokens (threshold to be determined and published)
• Proposal Format: Submit proposals in the required format, including:
  • Clear title and description
  • Rationale and justification
  • Implementation plan (if applicable)
  • Budget and resource requirements (if applicable)
  • Timeline and milestones
  • Risks and considerations
• Discussion Period: Proposals must go through a discussion period (e.g., 7-14 days) before voting begins to allow for community feedback and refinement

Proposal Categories

Proposals may be categorized by type:

• Protocol Changes: Changes to the platform's technical infrastructure or smart contracts
• Treasury Proposals: Requests for funding or treasury allocations
• Policy Proposals: Changes to platform policies or governance rules
• Community Initiatives: Community-led projects or programs

Different categories may have different requirements, voting thresholds, and processes.

Proposal Lifecycle

Proposals typically go through the following stages:

1. Draft: Proposal is created and submitted for initial review
2. Discussion: Community discussion period where feedback is collected and the proposal may be refined
3. Review: Proposal is reviewed for completeness, legality, and feasibility
4. Voting: Eligible token holders vote on the proposal during a specified voting period
5. Execution: If approved, the proposal is implemented according to its implementation plan
6. Monitoring: Progress and outcomes are monitored and reported to the community

Voting Mechanisms and Thresholds

Voting is conducted on-chain or through our governance platform, depending on the type of proposal and our technical infrastructure.

Voting Methods

On-Chain Voting: Votes are recorded directly on the blockchain, providing transparency and immutability. On-chain voting requires gas fees, which may be borne by voters or reimbursed by the DAO.

Off-Chain Voting: For efficiency and cost reasons, some votes may be conducted off-chain through our governance platform, with results recorded on-chain for transparency.

Snapshot Voting: We may use Snapshot or similar platforms for gasless voting, with results considered binding for DAO decisions.

Voting Thresholds

Different types of proposals require different approval thresholds:

• Standard Proposals: Typically require a simple majority (50% + 1) of votes cast, subject to quorum requirements
• High-Impact Proposals: May require supermajority approval (e.g., 60%, 66%, or 75%) and higher quorum thresholds
• Constitutional Changes: Changes to governance rules or foundational policies may require very high thresholds (e.g., 75% or higher)

Specific thresholds for each proposal category will be published in our governance documentation and may be updated through the governance process itself.

Voting Period

Voting periods are typically 3-7 days, depending on the importance and complexity of the proposal. Voting periods are set to allow sufficient time for all token holders to participate, regardless of time zones.

Quorum Requirements

To ensure that governance decisions reflect the will of an engaged community, proposals must meet quorum requirements—a minimum threshold of voting participation.

Quorum Thresholds

Quorum requirements vary by proposal type:

• Standard Proposals: May require 5-10% of eligible tokens to participate in voting
• High-Impact Proposals: May require 15-25% of eligible tokens to participate
• Constitutional Changes: May require 30% or more of eligible tokens to participate

If a proposal does not meet the quorum requirement, it fails regardless of the vote outcome. This prevents small groups from making major decisions on behalf of the entire community.

Quorum Calculations

Quorum is calculated based on:

• The total supply of eligible voting tokens (excluding tokens held by the company treasury or locked in certain contracts)
• Tokens that actively participate in the vote (voted "yes," "no," or "abstain")

Specific quorum calculation methods will be published in our governance documentation.

Emergency Powers and Fail-Safes

While DAO governance is designed to be decentralized, certain emergency situations may require immediate action without waiting for the full governance process. We have implemented emergency powers and fail-safes to protect the platform and community in crisis situations.

Emergency Scenarios

Emergency powers may be invoked in situations such as:

• Security Breaches: Active security threats or exploits that require immediate remediation
• Critical Bugs: Software bugs that threaten platform functionality or user funds
• Legal Threats: Immediate legal or regulatory threats that require urgent response
• Market Manipulation: Coordinated attacks or manipulation attempts that threaten platform integrity

Emergency Response Process

In emergency situations:

• The company or designated emergency responders may take immediate action to protect the platform
• Emergency actions will be communicated to the community as soon as possible
• Emergency actions are subject to post-hoc review by the DAO
• The DAO may vote to ratify, modify, or reverse emergency actions

Time-Locked Governance

To prevent sudden or malicious governance attacks, certain high-impact decisions may be subject to time locks that delay implementation even after approval. This provides an additional layer of security and allows time for community review and potential reversal of harmful decisions.

Conflicts of Interest

We recognize that governance participants may have conflicts of interest, particularly during the transition period when company employees and token holders may overlap.

Disclosure Requirements

Governance participants (including delegates and proposal creators) are expected to disclose potential conflicts of interest, such as:

• Employment or financial relationships with Becoming Alpha or its affiliates
• Financial interests in competing platforms or services
• Personal or business relationships that could influence governance decisions

Voting Restrictions

In some cases, participants with clear conflicts of interest may be restricted from voting on certain proposals. For example:

• Company employees may be restricted from voting on proposals that directly benefit them financially
• Proposal creators may be restricted from voting on their own proposals in certain circumstances

Specific conflict-of-interest policies will be developed and published as our governance system matures.

Transparency

We are committed to transparency about potential conflicts of interest. We will disclose:

• The voting behavior of large token holders and delegates
• Relationships between proposal creators and other governance participants
• Company holdings and voting participation in DAO governance

Transparency and Reporting

Transparency is fundamental to effective DAO governance. We are committed to providing the community with clear information about governance decisions, processes, and outcomes.

Proposal Transparency

All proposals, votes, and outcomes are publicly available on our governance platform. This includes:

• Full proposal text and documentation
• Voting results and participation statistics
• Implementation status and progress updates
• Post-implementation reports and outcomes

Regular Reporting

We will provide regular reports to the community about:

• Governance Activity: Summary of proposals, votes, and decisions during each reporting period
• Treasury Status: Treasury balance, spending, and allocations
• Platform Development: Progress on approved proposals and platform development initiatives
• Governance Metrics: Participation rates, voting patterns, and other governance analytics

Public Forums

Governance discussions and community input are encouraged through:

• Public governance forums and discussion platforms
• Community calls and meetings
• Open communication channels (Discord, Telegram, etc.)
• Regular community updates and announcements

Transition Period

Becoming Alpha is in a transition period as we develop DAO infrastructure and gradually transfer governance authority to the community. During this period, the company retains greater control over platform decisions.

Current State

As of the date of this Policy:

• Becoming Alpha is primarily operated by the company and its management
• Limited governance mechanisms may be available for community input
• Full DAO governance is being developed and will be implemented gradually

Transition Timeline

We plan to transition to full DAO governance over a multi-year period. The transition will include:

• Development and testing of governance infrastructure
• Gradual transfer of decision-making authority to the DAO
• Community education and onboarding
• Iterative improvements based on governance experience

We will provide regular updates on our progress and timeline. However, please note that timelines may change based on technical development, legal considerations, and community readiness.

Community Input During Transition

Even during the transition period, we value community input and will:

• Solicit feedback on major platform decisions
• Provide opportunities for community proposals and discussions
• Consider community input in company decision-making
• Increase community governance participation as infrastructure develops

Contact Information

For questions about DAO governance, to submit proposals, or for governance-related inquiries:

For governance proposals, please follow the proposal creation process outlined above. For questions about this Policy or our governance system, please contact us using the information above.

Governance Platform: As we develop our governance infrastructure, we will publish information about our governance platform, proposal submission process, and voting mechanisms. Please check our website and community channels for updates.

For more contact options and additional ways to reach us, please visit our Contact page.