Project Merlin: A Practical Guide to the DAO-Driven Web3 Ecosystem

2025-10-21
Project Merlin: A Practical Guide to the DAO-Driven Web3 Ecosystem

Project Merlin is a modular Web3 ecosystem built to help startups raise funds, hire talent and engage communities under DAO governance. 

It brings crowdfunding, a freelance marketplace, community engagement tools and a launchpad together, powered by the utility token MRLN. 

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What is Project Merlin?

At its core, Project Merlin is an integrated platform (DAO) that combines four pillars: decentralized crowdfunding, a gig/freelance marketplace (Freelify), community tasking (Taskium) and a launchpad (Funddex). 

The DAO coordinates which projects get funded and how resources are allocated, enabling a single on-chain workflow from idea to launch. 

Read Also: What is Axol (AXOL), Tokenomics, Price, and How to Buy on Bitrue

How the Ecosystem Works 

Project Merlin

  • Founders submit projects and pay application fees in MRLN; proposals are reviewed by the community.
     
  • Holders & voters (often NFT holders) participate in governance and can earn MRLN via the platform’s Vote2Earn model.
     
  • Freelancers find paid gigs on Freelify and are compensated in MRLN or supported currencies.
     
  • Investors can join early rounds and IDOs through Funddex once projects pass community checks. All actions are recorded on-chain for transparency.

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Merlin token (MRLN) & tokenomics, quick snapshot

MRLN is the native utility token that powers payments, staking, governance, grants and marketplace activity within Project Merlin. 

The token supply is capped at 800,000,000 MRLN, and the tokenomics include allocations for treasury, grants, liquidity, team, marketing and community distributions (seed, public sale, airdrops, etc.). 

These mechanics are designed to tie token demand to platform usage rather than pure speculation.

Category

Percentage

Amount (MRLN)

Vesting & Cliff

Purpose

Merlin Treasury

30%

240,000,000

8-month cliff, 40-month vesting

Funds DAO grants, ecosystem growth, and long-term sustainability.

Grants & Incentives

15%

120,000,000

8-month cliff, 30-month vesting

Supports startup funding through Camelot & Excalibur Grants, and community rewards.

Liquidity

18%

144,000,000

25% unlocked at TGE, rest vested over 16 months

Ensures smooth trading and stable liquidity across exchanges.

Dev Team

8%

64,000,000

5-month cliff, 50-month vesting

Rewards developers and core contributors over the long term.

Operations

7%

56,000,000

1-month cliff, 40-month vesting

Covers platform operations, partnerships, and DAO infrastructure.

Marketing

5%

40,000,000

1-month cliff, 25-month vesting

Used for global marketing, community growth, and strategic collaborations.

Seed Sale

5%

40,000,000

3-month cliff, 9-month vesting (10% at TGE)

Early supporters and private investors who provided initial funding.

Public Sale

4%

32,000,000

No vesting, 100% at TGE

Allows public entry and liquidity for early trading.

D/CEX Community Programs

5%

40,000,000

60% unlocked at TGE

Distributed to users through listings, airdrops, and trading campaigns.

Stake Pool

1%

8,000,000

Vested over 8 months

Rewards long-term holders through staking incentives.

Airdrop

2%

16,000,000

3-month cliff, 8-month vesting

Rewards early community members and contributors.

Read Also: Bedrock DAO (BR) Explained: Tokenomics, veBR Voting & Decentralized Treasury

Use Cases & Benefits

  • End-to-end fundraising: founders can raise on a community-governed platform with transparent disbursement.
     
  • Built-in talent network: projects can hire blockchain-focused freelancers without leaving the ecosystem.
     
  • Aligned incentives: Vote2Earn and grant models reward active contributors and help bootstrap quality projects.
     
  • DAO control & transparency: treasury and grant flows are on-chain, giving holders verifiable oversight.

Project Merlin Token MRLN

Risks & What to Watch For

  • Execution risk: the platform’s success depends on shipping the roadmap (Freelify, Taskium, Funddex) and attracting sustained demand.
     
  • Token concentration & vesting: token allocations to team, treasury and grants have cliffs/vest schedules—monitor vesting to understand sell pressure.
     
  • Market & liquidity risk: smaller tokens can be volatile and may have thin liquidity on some markets.
     
  • Regulatory risk: crowdfunding + token utilities sit in evolving regulatory environments—local rules on tokens, securities and taxes may affect participation.

Read Also: What is T-MAC DAO? Analyzing Its Tokenomics and Roadmap

Practical next steps for interested users

  • Read the Project Merlin DAO handbook and whitepaper for governance, token address and roadmaps.
     
  • Verify MRLN contract address in docs before adding to wallets (e.g., MetaMask).
     
  • Start small: participate in DAO activities or test Freelify tasks to earn MRLN before committing large funds.

Read Also: What is Ink Finance? Understanding Its Impact on DAOs and $QUILL Tokenomics

Conclusion

Project Merlin aims to compress crowdfunding, talent hiring, community governance and token launches into one DAO-governed ecosystem powered by MRLN. 

Its strengths are integrated tooling and a utility-driven token model; its challenges are execution, liquidity and regulatory clarity. 

For builders and contributors who want a DAO-led launch environment, Merlin presents a compelling, if early-stage, option.

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FAQ

What is Project Merlin (MRLN)?

Project Merlin is a modular Web3 ecosystem and DAO that combines crowdfunding, freelance marketplaces, community engagement and an IDO launchpad, all powered by the MRLN utility token.

How is MRLN used inside the platform?

MRLN is used for proposal fees, voting, payments to freelancers, grant disbursements, staking and gated utilities across the Merlin ecosystem.

Where can I buy MRLN tokens?

MRLN trades on selected centralized exchanges (e.g., Gate, Toobit) and may be available on DEXs; always verify the official contract address in Project Merlin docs before purchasing.

What are the top risks of participating?

Key risks include project execution risk, tokenomics/vesting sell pressure, liquidity and broader regulatory uncertainty for tokenized crowdfunding.

How can I get involved without buying tokens?

You can participate by contributing to DAO governance if you hold community NFTs (if required), completing tasks on Taskium/Freelify (to earn rewards), or joining community discussions and proposal reviews.

Disclaimer: The content of this article does not constitute financial or investment advice.

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