Updated on:12/03/2025 04:22 PM 
The digital landscape continues to evolve with innovative blockchain applications, and one emerging trend is the rise of SimpDAOs - decentralized autonomous organizations designed to help content creators monetize their online presence. In a recent episode of the Bloomberg Crypto podcast, Stacy Marie Ishmael, Managing Editor of Bloomberg Crypto, was joined by Bloomberg reporter Emily Nicolle and Ph.D. student Florence Smith Nicholls to explore this fascinating intersection of social media influence and cryptocurrency technology.
Ishmael emphasized the growing significance of this phenomenon, noting: "These decentralized organizations have seen exponential growth since early 2022. They can be directly established by influencers seeking to transform their digital personas into revenue streams, whether through romantic or platonic engagement. Alternatively, third parties may create these DAOs without the influencer's knowledge or consent."
The term "SimpDAO" originates from "simping" - contemporary internet slang describing individuals who express intense admiration for others. Within the SimpDAO ecosystem, participants, often referred to as "simps," typically consist of male supporters who demonstrate appreciation toward female content creators through financial contributions and active participation.
A pioneering and highly successful example of this trend is IreneDAO, one of the earliest and most prominent SimpDAOs operating with the explicit endorsement of its namesake influencer.
The IreneDAO initiative was launched by 28-year-old digital creator Yuqing Irene Zhao. After developing a collection of stickers for her Telegram community followers, one astute member proposed minting these digital assets as non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Embracing this suggestion, Zhao's community tokenized the sticker designs, resulting in a collection of 1,106 unique NFTs that completely sold out within minutes of release. Notable investors such as Galaxy Investment Partners CEO Mike Novogratz and popular YouTuber Logan Paul participated in this NFT drop, demonstrating mainstream interest in creator-driven blockchain projects.
IreneDAO exemplifies how female influencers can utilize blockchain mechanisms to cultivate dedicated communities while generating alternative income streams. Through such structures, supporters can engage meaningfully with the DAO or influence the influencer's professional trajectory by voting on potential projects and collaborations.
Zhao reflected on her SimpDAO's success during an interview with Bloomberg, explaining: "IreneDAO provides both entry into our fan ecosystem and governance rights within the organization itself. Some creators establish similar DAOs to offer exclusive video meet-and-greet opportunities, while others incorporate elements of romantic or intimate connection."
Currently, influencer-initiated SimpDAOs present relatively straightforward value propositions. However, the ethical landscape becomes considerably more complex when influencers are not aware of or have not authorized these organizations using their identities. Unfortunately, the prevalence of unauthorized SimpDAOs has been steadily increasing.
These unsanctioned DAOs frequently leverage influencers' digital personas without consent, as demonstrated by PokiDAO, a community established for Twitch streamer Pokimane without her involvement. Similar unauthorized DAOs have emerged around globally recognized figures including Elon Musk, Dua Lipa, and Zendaya.
Many operators of these non-consensual organizations defend their practices, often positioning them as harmless fan initiatives. For instance, Dua Lipa's unauthorized SimpDAO adopts the motto "For The Simps, By The Simps" in their Twitter profile, attempting to frame the project as fan-driven rather than exploitative.
Another controversial case involves Belle Delphine, an influencer who gained international attention by selling her bath water to followers. The operator of BelleDAO openly acknowledged Delphine's lack of involvement in the project, stating that the DAO proceeded without the influencer's participation or approval, raising significant questions about digital identity rights and consent in the blockchain space.
