Exploring the Mysterious FWB DAO: Rethinking the Next Version of the World

Friends With Benefits (FWB) This name might evoke thoughts of certain special relationships, but it has now been given a whole new meaning.

Early misunderstandings of FWB caused me to miss the opportunity to learn more about it, until more and more people around me mentioned it, I realized that I might have missed something. When I learned that FWB received a $10 million investment, valuing it at $100 million, I decided to join its Discord server to explore further.

The Essence of FWB

FWB is a private club with over 2,000 members, and it is also a DAO. Joining requires a strict identity verification and a ticket price of nearly ten thousand dollars. Members can not only participate in club activities but also engage in operations and decision-making.

The FWB Discord server has hundreds of channels covering various fields such as learning, art, creativity, trading, and life. On the surface, it looks more like a large chat group, but in reality, it is much more than that.

The FWB community declaration states that it is a crossroads of technology and culture, bringing together unique individuals who strive for a brighter future. They believe that data and assets in the Web3 world should be controlled by creators, and that open knowledge can benefit society.

A video blogger's summary of FWB is quite apt: it is a group of random people on the internet who meet, communicate, and participate together in various interesting projects, whether it's music production, digital art, learning about cryptocurrencies, or simply gathering to enjoy good times.

The Threshold for Joining FWB

Joining FWB is not an easy task. First, a detailed application form needs to be filled out, which will be reviewed by a membership committee consisting of 15 people. Applicants are required to provide real identity information, professional background, personal interests, and more. The committee gives priority to applicants with unique backgrounds, especially artists, musicians, creative thinkers, and Web3 participants. The current application rejection rate is around 60%.

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

Composition of the FWB Club

The membership of FWB is very diverse. In addition to a few cryptocurrency experts, there are more creative workers, artists, and traditional entrepreneurs who have a strong interest in Web3.

The club's Discord channel is divided into seven main sections: Public Area, Learning Area, Trading Area, NFT Area, Creative Area, Quality of Life Area, and Governance Area. Each section remains highly active.

In addition to online communication, FWB also provides members with various online and offline activities, city guides, summaries, exclusive materials, and special benefits.

FWB Activities

FWB regularly hosts online and offline events. There are 5 fixed online events each week, including Coffee Time, Seed Club, MAX PAIN, Into the Weeds, and Lifestyle Hours, covering various themes such as creativity, Web3, and investment.

Offline activities are mainly based on irregular gatherings, with large series of events held in places like Miami and Paris. Recently, FWB also introduced the concept of city subDAO, lowering the entry barrier and encouraging more people to participate in local activities.

FWB Products

Although FWB is not a productivity-oriented organization, it has gradually developed some products.

1. Weekly Digest: Record important discussions and events in the community.
2. Semi-finished products: Exploring thoughts on culture, Web3, and the future.
3. Gatekeeper: An application for identity verification at offline events.
4. Gallery: NFT display and auction platform.
5. FWB University: Web3 training product (to be launched).

In addition, various activities of FWB can also be seen as its core products.

FWB DAO's Organizational Structure

As of the most recent round of funding, FWB had only one full-time employee, but it has over 2,000 members, of which about 200 are active contributors and 31 hold important roles.

The organizational structure of FWB is divided into seven directions: editorial team, membership team, product team, city team, event team, partnership team, and DAO team, each with its own responsibilities, working together to promote community development.

Create the Next Version of the World

FWB is a diverse and complex community. It is both a social club and a platform for the collision of ideas. Members can trade, participate in activities, and expand their networks here, while also constantly reflecting on how Web3 impacts society and attempting to put those ideas into practice.

The uniqueness of FWB lies in its unstructured nature. Members communicate freely and enjoy socializing, rather than being strictly organized into various workgroups. This model, while difficult to form systematic documentation, can inspire more creativity and possibilities.

FWB recently secured $10 million in funding led by A16z. This capital will be used to expand the community and further explore how strangers on the internet come together to redefine the ways of cultural creation and funding.

As their funding proposal states: "If we view FWB as a digital city, this proposal is our way of developing the suburbs of the city." This unique community is attempting to integrate a new social model into the fabric of the internet, and we look forward to its future development.