Gnosis Safe vs Multisig-based delegation: Treasury Control & Delegation

Battle-tested smart contract framework: Secures over $100B+ in assets across 10+ EVM chains. This matters for DAOs requiring maximum security for large treasuries with complex governance.

Deep ecosystem integration: Native compatibility with Snapshot, Zodiac modules, and Safe{Wallet} UI. This matters for DAOs that want to build custom governance flows (e.g., timelocks, roles) without forking core contracts.

Direct, low-overhead control: Uses the protocol's own governance contracts (e.g., Compound Governor Bravo, Uniswap). This matters for teams prioritizing minimal dependencies and direct execution of on-chain proposals.

Lower gas costs and latency: Fewer contract calls and no intermediary Safe transactions. This matters for high-frequency operations like parameter adjustments or emergency responses where every block counts.

Complex, multi-chain treasuries requiring:

• Recovery mechanisms (social, timelock)
• Role-based permissions (Spending limits, roles)
• Integration with DAO tooling like Tally, Boardroom.

Protocols with simple, on-chain governance where:

• Speed and cost are primary constraints.
• Governance logic is self-contained (e.g., Aave, Maker).
• Team size is small and trust is high.

Tailored logic and ownership: Enables bespoke signing rules, custom recovery mechanisms, and integration of proprietary governance tokens. This matters for novel protocols where standard m-of-n signatures are insufficient, such as those requiring dynamic quorums or cross-chain logic.

No external dependencies: Full control over upgrade paths and no reliance on a third-party's roadmap or fees. This matters for large-scale DeFi protocols (e.g., MakerDAO, Compound) that require their security model to be an inseparable, auditable part of their core system.

Industry-standard infrastructure: Secures over $100B+ in assets across 12+ chains. This matters for high-value treasuries requiring maximum auditability and a proven track record against exploits. Features like transaction simulation (via Tenderly/Safe{Core}) and role-based permissions provide granular control.

Deep tooling integration: Native support in DAO tooling (Snapshot, Tally), payroll (Sablier, Superfluid), and DeFi (Zapper). This matters for operational efficiency, enabling complex treasury management (e.g., streaming grants, automated investing) without custom development.

Inflexible execution: Every action requires multi-signature approval, creating latency for time-sensitive operations. This matters for active protocols needing rapid parameter updates or emergency interventions, where achieving a quorum can take days.

Delegation is manual: Signer fatigue leads to centralization of power with a few active signers or reliance on a Gnosis Safe Agent. This matters for decentralized governance, as it contradicts the goal of broad, permissionless participation in treasury decisions.

Separates voting from execution: Token holders delegate voting power to a flexible module (like a Zodiac Reality Module) that can execute approved transactions automatically. This matters for scaling DAO operations, enabling faster execution based on off-chain (Snapshot) or on-chain votes.

Module risk: Adds smart contract complexity beyond the audited Safe core. A compromised module can drain funds. This matters for security-critical treasuries, as it introduces new vectors like module governance attacks or malicious proposal execution.