Definition
In a crypto governance context, a bribe is an explicit incentive mechanism where an external party offers compensation to token holders, delegates, or voters in exchange for casting their governance power in a preferred direction. It is a structured side payment, typically denominated in tokens, designed to influence the allocation of voting weight, reward streams, or protocol parameters within on-chain or DAO-based decision systems.
In Simple Terms
A bribe in crypto is a payment offered to voters to sway how they use their governance power. It is a way for someone to pay token holders or delegates so that votes or voting weight are directed toward outcomes that the payer prefers inside a blockchain or DAO governance process.
Context and Usage
The term bribe is commonly used in discussions of on-chain governance, veToken-based voting, and DAO-controlled treasuries. It typically refers to organized markets or arrangements where governance token holders can receive additional rewards for supporting specific proposals, gauge choices, or distribution decisions. In this setting, bribes are treated as a formalized economic mechanism within governance token ecosystems, rather than an informal or hidden practice.