Cryptocurrency Foundation and Non-Profit Status

I’ve been looking at several major cryptocurrency projects—Ethereum, Cardano, Tezos, Polkadot, NEAR, and Solana—and noticed they’re all structured as nonprofit foundations instead of traditional for-profit companies.

I understand their primary goal is to grow their respective ecosystems, encourage development, and support broader adoption, which doesn’t necessarily seem incompatible with a for-profit model.

If a project is aiming to fund open-source research, dApp development, or other community-driven efforts, couldn’t it still do that effectively while also operating as a business with shareholders? Or is there a strategic advantage—maybe regulatory or tax-related—that makes a nonprofit foundation a more favorable setup?

I’m curious to hear everyone’s thoughts on why these projects choose a nonprofit route instead of being for-profit. Does this approach offer something important in terms of governance, neutrality, or community trust? Or is the motivation primarily due to tax benefits and compliance considerations?

If anyone has insights or opinions on how this might affect the long-term sustainability and growth of these blockchains, I’d love to hear your perspective!