Dash, derived from "Digital Cash," is an open-source blockchain and cryptocurrency that strives to provide a fast, cost-effective global payments network that is decentralized. Launched in January 2014 as a fork of Litecoin, Dash has evolved to include features such as a two-tier network with incentivized nodes, including "masternodes," and decentralized project governance. It also offers InstantSend for instantly settled payments, ChainLocks for instant blockchain immutability, and PrivateSend for optional transaction privacy. Dash was conceived by software developers Evan Duffield and Kyle Hagan, initially under the name XCoin, and later rebranded to Dash in March 2015.

Dash operates on a two-tier network. The first tier consists of nodes that perform mining operations under a proof-of-work consensus protocol. The second tier is made up of masternodes that provide advanced services and governance over Dash's proposal system. These masternodes, backed by collateral held in Dash, facilitate functions such as InstantSend, PrivateSend, and ChainLocks. Dash's unique proof-of-service consensus algorithm rates masternodes based on their history of providing good services to the network. This two-tier structure allows Dash to offer improvements in transaction speed, privacy, and governance.

Dash aims to be a user-friendly and scalable payments-focused cryptocurrency. It is designed for both individual users and institutions, including merchants, financial services, traders, and those who need to send international remittances. Dash's governance system distributes 10% of the block rewards for the development of the project in a competitive and decentralized way, allowing for the creation of many funded organizations. This makes Dash a potential choice for organizations looking to leverage blockchain technology for their operations.

Dash was launched in January 2014 by software developers Evan Duffield and Kyle Hagan. Initially named XCoin, it was rebranded to Darkcoin two weeks later and finally to Dash in March 2015. Before Dash, Duffield had experience in finance and public relations, having developed machine learning algorithms and search engines. He conceived Dash in 2012 with the intention of adding more anonymity to Bitcoin, hence the original name Darkcoin. Duffield served as CEO of Dash Core Group until December 2017 when he stepped down to focus on other strategic initiatives. Hagan co-authored the original Darkcoin whitepaper with Duffield but left the project in December 2014.