Quadratic Voting

Definition ∞ Quadratic voting is a collective decision-making method where participants pay a cost proportional to the square of the number of votes they cast for a particular option. This system aims to allow individuals to express the intensity of their preferences, preventing wealthy actors from dominating outcomes with sheer volume of votes. It balances voting power with the strength of conviction, seeking a more equitable distribution of influence.
Context ∞ Quadratic voting is a frequently discussed innovation in decentralized governance, particularly in attempts to mitigate the “whale problem” in traditional coin voting systems. News reports often analyze its implementation in various decentralized autonomous organizations and its potential to foster more genuine community consensus. Debates continue regarding its practical application, resistance to collusion, and overall effectiveness in promoting fairer collective choices within blockchain protocols.