DARC
Decentralized Autonomous Regulated Company (DARC), a company virtual machine that runs on any EVM-compatible blockchain, with on-chain law system, multi-level tokens and dividends mechanism.
A blockchain system for running a company entirely on Ethereum using code instead of legal documents, automating ownership, voting, token-based dividends, and rule enforcement.
DARC stands for Decentralized Autonomous Regulated Company. It is a software system for running a company entirely on a blockchain, without relying on a central authority to enforce the rules. Anyone can deploy a DARC instance to any Ethereum-compatible blockchain and use it to manage ownership, voting, and money distribution in a formal, automated way.
The core idea is that company rules are written as code rather than as legal documents. DARC uses a concept called "Plugin-as-a-Law," where each rule is a plugin that checks a condition and then either allows an operation, blocks it, or triggers a vote among token holders. For example, a rule might say that any shareholder owning more than 25 percent of tokens cannot transfer their stake without approval from the full board. When that condition is triggered, the system automatically initiates a vote and only proceeds if the required approval threshold is met within the allowed time window.
Ownership in DARC is represented through multi-level tokens, where each level can serve a different purpose. Level-0 tokens might be common stock, level-1 tokens might represent board-of-directors seats, and other levels can be used for preferred stock, bonds, or non-fungible assets. Each level can carry different voting weight and different entitlement to dividends. The dividend mechanism distributes funds to token holders according to rules defined when the company is set up.
Operations are written in a JavaScript-like language called By-law Script. Developers write instructions to mint tokens, transfer ownership, pay out dividends, or change the rules themselves, and then send those instructions to the DARC contract on the blockchain. The plugin system checks every instruction before it executes, so no operation can bypass the company's own rules.
The project was in early development at the time the repository was most active and is not described as ready for production use. A whitepaper is available in English and Chinese for anyone wanting a deeper technical overview.
Where it fits
- Deploy a company structure on an Ethereum blockchain where ownership is represented by multi-level tokens with different voting rights per level.
- Automate shareholder voting workflows, for example, requiring board approval before any large token transfer proceeds.
- Distribute dividends to token holders automatically according to rules written as code plugins rather than managed manually.
- Write company bylaws as smart contract plugins that inspect every operation before it executes and block or trigger a vote on anything that violates the rules.