A directed acyclic graph (DAG) in blockchain is a specific type of data structure used to validate and process transactions. Unlike traditional blockchains that use a linear chain of blocks, DAG-based blockchains allow multiple transactions to be confirmed simultaneously by incorporating a graph structure where each transaction is linked to previous ones. DAGs do not have a central chain, and transactions can be processed in parallel, potentially increasing the scalability and transaction speed of the blockchain network. Popular examples of DAG-based blockchains include IOTA and Nano.