Governance Incentives · Review
ActiveRealms Review 2026: Solana DAO Governance Tool
Realms is the main interface for creating and running DAOs on Solana through the SPL Governance program. It is widely used for treasuries, but audit information is not listed publicly.
By the DappsAtlas editorial team · Updated
DappsAtlas score
7.2/10
Good
Our verdict on Realms
7.2/10Realms suits Solana communities, protocols and NFT projects that want on-chain voting, delegation and treasury management without building governance from scratch. Its main strength is a focused, open-source tool with no extra platform fees according to its docs. The main caveat is that DefiLlama lists no audits, and the operator changed, so check the safety documentation and configure DAO permissions carefully before moving treasury funds.
Score breakdown
How Realms scores
- Security
- 6.0/10
- Ease of use
- 7.5/10
- Fees
- 7.0/10
- Features
- 7.5/10
Scores run from 0 to 10 and are based only on facts we could verify. Where information was missing we mark the score n/a rather than guess.
What is Realms?
Realms is the interface for SPL Governance, a program that provides core building blocks for creating decentralized autonomous organizations on Solana. It is not tied to one kind of DAO or asset, so it can manage many types of organizations and holdings.
DefiLlama lists it in the Governance Incentives category on Solana, with about $14.2 million in TVL and a listing date of March 2023. The same data shows a -4.6% change in TVL over seven days and no audits.
Public reporting shows the project is now operated by Realms Today Ltd. and released a V2 interface with a DAO creation wizard. A 2024 article says Realms separated from Solana Labs and launched the Realms Ecosystem DAO. The documentation says the code is open-source and that Realms does not charge extra platform fees.
How Realms works
Realms is the front end for SPL Governance, an on-chain Solana program. The program holds the rules for a DAO: who can vote, how many votes a proposal needs and what instructions a passed proposal may execute.
A DAO is created through the interface, and its members submit proposals. Token holders or other members vote, and if a proposal passes, its instructions can be run against the DAO's treasury or other assets. Members can also delegate their voting power to someone else.
Because the program does not care what type of DAO or asset it manages, the same system can serve a DeFi protocol, an NFT project or a community group. Developers can also integrate it into their own apps.
6 features
Key features
01
Proposals and instructions
Members create proposals that others vote on, and the docs list proposals and instructions as core features.
02
Delegation
Voting power can be delegated to other members, a feature listed in the V2 documentation.
03
Treasury management
DAOs can hold and manage assets in a treasury, and the V2 release mentions updated treasury prices.
04
DAO creation wizard
A wizard in the V2 interface guides users when setting up a new DAO.
05
Flexible DAO types
The docs describe SPL Governance as agnostic to DAO type and asset type, so it can be used for many kinds of organization.
06
Integration guides
A guide explains how to integrate SPL Governance into a DeFi protocol, NFT project or other application.
Pros and cons
What we like
- Dedicated to Solana DAOs, with core features like proposals, delegation and treasuries
- Documentation says no additional platform fees are charged
- Open-source and flexible across DAO types and assets
- V2 interface with a DAO creation wizard lowers setup effort
- Integration guide helps developers add governance to their apps
Watch out for
- No audits are listed on DefiLlama for the project
- Operator changed to Realms Today Ltd. and the project separated from Solana Labs, so users must follow the new terms and governance
- A search result shows a user reporting a realm marked as expired and charges for two months that did not fix it, a single unverified report
- Only supports Solana, so DAOs on other chains cannot use it
- Its homepage was not available publicly, so some feature details rest on documentation snippets
- The 7-day TVL change was -4.6%, and TVL held in DAO treasuries depends on each DAO's own decisions
Realms fees
The documentation states that Realms does not charge any additional fees for platform usage. That means no extra platform fee on top of what the underlying network requires.
Solana transaction fees and account rent still apply when proposals, votes or DAO accounts are created. The project does not publish specific amounts. One user report in public reporting mentions being charged while a realm showed as expired, so users should read the Costs page of the docs for what applies to them.
Is Realms safe?
DefiLlama lists no audits for Realms, and the project does not include audit reports. The docs include a Safety page, but its contents are not part of public sources, so readers should review it directly. The code is described as open-source, which allows outside review.
DAO funds sit in on-chain treasuries controlled by each DAO's rules, so risk depends on how a DAO configures voting thresholds and permissions. Users also take on wallet and Solana smart-contract risk. One search result reports an expired realm and charges that did not resolve the issue, which is an unverified single report. Regulatory status is not stated publicly.
6 steps
How to get started with Realms
- 1
Read the Realms documentation, including the What is a DAO, Features, Safety and Costs pages.
- 2
Set up a Solana wallet and fund it with a small amount of SOL for network costs.
- 3
Open the Realms V2 interface and connect the wallet.
- 4
Browse existing DAOs to see how proposals, voting and delegation work.
- 5
If creating a DAO, use the DAO creation wizard and choose governance settings carefully.
- 6
Test with small treasury amounts first and confirm how voting power and proposal rules are configured.
Who Realms is for
Realms is for DAO organizers, Solana protocol teams and community members who vote or manage treasuries on Solana. It is less suited to groups on other chains or to users who want a project with published audit reports.
Realms FAQs
What is Realms?
Realms is a front end for SPL Governance, a Solana program that provides building blocks for DAOs. It lets groups create proposals, vote, delegate and manage treasuries on Solana.
Does Realms charge fees?
The documentation snippet states that Realms does not charge any additional fees for platform usage. Standard Solana network costs and any on-chain account costs still apply, and the details are on the Costs page of the docs.
Which blockchain does Realms use?
DefiLlama lists Realms on Solana only. The project does not mention other chains.
Does Realms have a token?
DefiLlama lists a token with the ticker EPCT for the project. The project does not explain its role, so check the project documentation before relying on it.
Who runs Realms now?
Public sources show the new operator is Realms Today Ltd., and a 2024 article says Realms separated from Solana Labs and launched the Realms Ecosystem DAO. The project does not describe the terms of that transition in detail.
Is Realms audited?
DefiLlama lists zero audits for the project. Users should look at the project's own safety documentation and review the source code, which the docs describe as open-source.
Compare
Realms alternatives
Cabal is a governance-incentive and yield layer built around the Initia network, letting users deposit INIT or LP tokens to capture staking rewards and governan
Mezo Earn is the yield and governance layer of the Mezo Bitcoin sidechain, where BTC holders earn rewards and vote on network incentives.
Gardens is a community governance platform that uses conviction voting pools and a Covenant to let groups allocate shared funds across seven chains.
veDelegate is a VeChain app that automates VeBetterDAO voting, claiming and re-staking for B3TR and VET holders who want governance rewards without weekly votin
Hidden Hand is a multi-chain marketplace where protocols offer governance incentives and vote-escrowed token holders can seek rewards.
Service Nervous Systems are the Internet Computer's DAO framework that lets developers hand dapps to token-based community governance.
Same category
More Governance Incentives dApps
Geyser is an on-chain incentives platform associated with GYSR and listed across Ethereum, Polygon, and Optimism.
OSWAP is described as the governance and reward token of an Oswap DEX, though its mechanics and supported chains are unspecified.
COMP is Compound Finance’s governance token, for holders and delegates who want to participate in protocol decisions.
Hugo Finance is described as a BNB Chain token with auto-staking and governance claims, but its mechanics and project status are unclear.
MarsNext is described as a Polygon-associated community reward protocol for members, but its mechanics and official channels are unclear.
SalsaDAO is a Tezos ecosystem DAO associated with the sDAO token and products including SpicySwap.
Same chain
More on Solana
Lido is a liquid staking protocol where users stake ETH and receive stETH, a reward-earning token usable across DeFi, governed by LDO holders.
OKX is a major centralized crypto exchange for spot and derivatives trading, earn products and a Web3 wallet, with its own OKB token.
LayerZero V2 is a cross-chain messaging protocol and bridge infrastructure for developers and asset issuers, connecting dozens of blockchains.
Jito Liquid Staking lets Solana users stake SOL for JitoSOL, a liquid token that accrues staking and MEV rewards.
Marinade is a Solana staking protocol offering native and liquid staking (mSOL) via an auction where validators bid for delegated SOL.
Across is an intent-based cross-chain bridge and swap protocol for moving tokens between Ethereum, rollups and other chains, with an API for apps.
Guides
Guides that mention Realms
Wallets and tools
What Is a Multisignature Wallet? How Multisig WorksA multisignature wallet requires approval from more than one key before it can move crypto. Learn how thresholds work, how multisigs differ across blockchains, and what to check before you rely on one.
Web3 gaming
DeFi Kingdoms' DFK Chain: Why the Game Runs Its Own BlockchainDeFi Kingdoms moved its game to a dedicated chain, DFK Chain, built on Avalanche's subnet technology. This guide explains why a game would run its own blockchain, how it works, what it costs players in trade-offs, and how to use it safely.
Token
What Is YGG? The Yield Guild Games Governance Token Explained (2026)YGG is the ERC-20 token that gives holders a voice in Yield Guild Games, a gaming DAO that began with play-to-earn scholarships. This guide covers what the token does, how supply is split, how governance works and where the risks sit.
How we checked
Sources
Last updated . Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it.