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The Association & The Foundation

WYDE is two separate legal entities, and it matters that you keep them straight. The structure mirrors a model you may already know: AARP.

Just like AARP has the Association (a 501(c)(4) membership organization) and the AARP Foundation (a separate 501(c)(3) charity), WYDE has the Wyoming Decentralized Exchange Association and the WYDE Foundation.

Two entities, two purposes, two addresses, two tax statuses. Keeping them separate is deliberate and important.

The two entities at a glance

Section titled “The two entities at a glance”
The Association The Foundation
Name Wyoming Decentralized Exchange Association WYDE Foundation
Tax status 501(c)(4) 501(c)(3) public charity
Legal form Wyoming DUNA (Decentralized Unincorporated Nonprofit Association) Charitable foundation
Role Operates the Impact Exchange and the token economy ($EAT, the card, governance) Receives and directs tax-deductible charitable support
Donations Not tax-deductible (a 501(c)(4) social-welfare org) Tax-deductible (a 501(c)(3) charity)
Address 1908 Thomes Ave, Suite 12204, Cheyenne, WY 82001 1621 Central Ave, Cheyenne, WY 82001, USA
Contact contact@wyde.org invest@wyde.org

The Association (501(c)(4) · DUNA)

Section titled “The Association (501(c)(4) · DUNA)”

The Wyoming Decentralized Exchange Association is the operating entity. It runs the Impact Exchange, issues and governs $EAT, and holds the on-chain treasury. It is organized as a Wyoming Decentralized Unincorporated Nonprofit Association (DUNA) with 501(c)(4) status, issued under Wyoming statute W.S. 17-32-101 et seq.

A 501(c)(4) is a social-welfare organization. It can advance a mission and operate broadly, but contributions to it are not tax-deductible. This is where token holders participate, vote, and earn (see Governance & DUNA).

The Foundation (501(c)(3))

Section titled “The Foundation (501(c)(3))”

The WYDE Foundation is the separate charitable arm, a 501(c)(3) public charity (IRS determination effective March 3, 2026). It is a cross-cause grant engine for charitable proliferation: it accepts tax-deductible donations on behalf of the causes and distributes grant funding to support the growth and exposure of the charitable causes themselves.

Crucially, the Foundation supports the causes, not the token. It does not promote or fund the price or trading of $EAT or any token. That firewall is what keeps the charitable side clean from a UBIT and securities standpoint.

Because it is a 501(c)(3), donations are tax-deductible, which opens the door to philanthropic capital, donor-advised funds, and institutions that can only give to qualified charities. Reach it at invest@wyde.org or foundation.wyde.org. For the full grant-engine flywheel, see The WYDE Foundation.

Why the separation matters

Section titled “Why the separation matters”
  • Clean accountability. Charitable dollars flow through the 501(c)(3); the token economy operates through the 501(c)(4) DUNA. Each is governed and reported on its own terms.
  • Tax clarity. Only Foundation contributions are tax-deductible. Buying or trading $EAT is not a charitable donation; it is participation in the Association’s token economy that funds meals through fees.
  • Credibility. The dual structure adds oversight on top of an already transparent, on-chain model, and is a recognized, well-understood shape (the same one AARP uses).
Section titled “Related”