In the evolving landscape of decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) and Guilds, the concept of token gating has emerged as a cornerstone for granting exclusive access to various benefits. Traditionally, this has involved verifying the presence of specific tokens in a participant's wallet to unlock content, events, airdrops, and more. However, this method represents just a fraction of the potential ways to leverage onchain activity for gating purposes to help drive quality membership activations.

Beyond Basic Token Gating

The scope of onchain activities extends far beyond mere token ownership and includes:

• Transaction count and frequency.

• Transaction type and complexity such as:

  • DEX activity.

  • Governance votes.

  • Pool positions & accumulated rewards.

  • Cross-chain messages and transfers.

By considering these varied interactions, DAOs and Guilds can develop more nuanced and comprehensive gating mechanisms. This approach enables the creation of membership tiers and roles based on actual onchain behaviors, fostering a more engaged and invested community.

Guild.xyz: A Platform for Customizable Onchain Gating

One platform leading the charge in this advanced gating approach is Guild.xyz. This innovative platform allows guild administrators to define membership requirements and roles based on a wide array of onchain activities. Through a user-friendly interface, admins can set specific criteria for each role within their guild, ensuring that access is granted based on meaningful and relevant blockchain interactions.

The customization doesn't stop there. Guild.xyz's open-source code base allows for deep customization, empowering communities to tailor the platform to their unique needs and preferences. Whether it's adjusting the requirements or customizing the UI, the possibilities are extensive.

Powered by Covalent

The versatility of Guild.xyz in defining membership requirements is largely enabled by the Covalent API. This powerful tool provides a wealth of data related to blockchain transactions and activities, including:

• Transaction Summary/Count: Offers a broad overview of a wallet's activity, highlighting the user's level of engagement with the blockchain.

• Transactions by Wallet: Delivers detailed information about each transaction, enabling a granular analysis of a user's onchain behavior.

Source: https://github.com/guildxyz/guild.xyz/blob/main/src/components/create-guild/templates.ts.

Token Gating and Beyond: A Comprehensive Approach

For common token gating, Covalent offers 3 API endpoints covering this specific use case:

1. Check ownership in an NFT collection.

2. Check ownership for a specific NFT in a collection.

3. Get traits & attributes for tokens in a collection.

Here are some helpful guides providing additional details on using Covalent for Token Gating:

• How to create an NFT allowlist.

• How to verify NFT ownership in a collection.

While traditional token gating remains a useful tool, the future of DAO and guild membership lies in a more comprehensive approach that considers the full spectrum of a user's onchain activity. By leveraging platforms like Guild.xyz and technologies like the Covalent API, communities can create more dynamic, inclusive, and engaging membership criteria.

This advanced gating methodology not only enriches the community experience but also encourages deeper participation and investment in the Web3 ecosystem. As we continue to explore the potential of blockchain technology, the ability to tailor membership and access based on a wide array of onchain activities will become increasingly valuable, shaping the future of decentralized communities and organizations.