Own The Doge DAO acquired the rights to the original photo of Kabosu — the legendary Doge

In 2010, Japanese woman Atsuko Sato photographed her Shiba Inu, Kabosu, sitting on a yellow couch. That photo went viral and gave birth to the Doge meme — and later, the cryptocurrency Dogecoin

In 2024, a DAO called Own The Doge struck a deal with Atsuko Sato to obtain the exclusive rights to the image. The goal isn’t just to collect a piece of internet history — it’s to develop the Doge brand in Web3, including NFT drops, merchandise, and collaborations with major companies

Importantly, the DAO doesn’t plan to restrict existing use of the image in memes or products. On the contrary — they aim to unite the Doge community and promote the philosophy of “Doing Only Good Everyday” by developing the brand, launching new products, licensing IP, and donating to charitable causes

The meme that inspired Dogecoin — and an entire crypto subculture — now officially belongs to a DAO. Not in the sense that every DAO member can use it freely, but in the legal sense: like a musician owns the rights to a song, or Disney owns Mickey Mouse

The internet has long run on memes. Now, thanks to DAOs, memes are becoming the property of those who know how to capitalize on them