Gov/en/Portal:Economy/Funder-Stories
💡 In simple words: This page shares stories from people who gave money to support WikiDeal.
⚠️ Not yet approved. This page describes a proposal that is still under community review. It is documented here so it can be discussed, improved and endorsed.
Funder Stories — How Kim & Noah Earn Their Rewards
From WikiDeal, the Wikipedia of e-commerce · Pilot 1, Prototype 1 · Socio-Technical Innovation by Théo Bondolfi
WikiDeal's financial mechanisms can seem complex at first. This page walks through two fictional but realistic profiles — Kim and Noah — to show exactly how each step works: from initial contribution, through Credit allocation, to monthly rewards and cashout. These are illustrative examples based on the Prototype 1 model.
Meet Kim & Noah
Kim — A 34-year-old community organizer based in Seoul. Believes in cooperative economics and wants to support WikiDeal's early phase with CHF 1,000.
Noah — A 28-year-old software developer in Tokyo. Interested in the Wikinomics model, contributes CHF 5,000 to WikiDeal's first funding call.
Step 1 — The Contribution (Bonding Curve)
When a funder contributes CHF to WikiDeal, the amount is processed through the Bonding Curve formula. The bonding curve determines how many Credits are issued in return. Crucially, the earlier a funder contributes — when the reserve is low — the more Credits they receive per CHF. This is the Bonding Curve advantage, not a payout multiplier.
- Kim contributes CHF 1,000 → receives approximately CHF 100 worth of Cash Rewards (example from bonding curve formula at r=0: ~100 CHF reward = ~10,000 Credits at CHF 0.01/Credit)
- Noah contributes CHF 5,000 → receives approximately CHF 476 worth of Cash Rewards (~47,600 Credits)
Early funders get more Credits per CHF because the reserve is low. As more contributions accumulate, the bonding curve adjusts, and each subsequent CHF yields fewer Credits. This is an inherent property of the formula, not a promotional bonus.
Step 2 — Credit Allocation (The Boost)
Not all Credits go directly to the funder. The Boost mechanism splits the total Credits between the funder's personal Cash Rewards and a community pool. This allocation is determined at funding time — it does not change later.
- The Boost percentage (P2) defines how much goes to Cash Rewards vs. the community pool.
- Example: if the Boost is set at 70%:
- Kim's 10,000 Credits → 7,000 Cash Rewards + 3,000 to the community pool
- Noah's 47,600 Credits → 33,320 Cash Rewards + 14,280 to the community pool
The community pool portion supports WikiDeal's broader civic and operational goals. The Cash Rewards held by Kim and Noah are what generate future rewards.
Step 3 — Annual Value Increase
Cash Rewards are not static. Each year, the CHF value assigned to each Credit increases by 5% automatically. This protects early funders against inflation and rewards long-term holding.
- Kim's 7,000 Cash Rewards: after Year 1, each Credit is worth 5% more in CHF value than at issuance.
- Noah's 33,320 Cash Rewards: the same 5% annual increase applies uniformly across all Cash Rewards.
This increase is baked into the algorithm — no market price, no speculation. The value is defined by the formula alone.
Step 4 — Monthly Subscription Revenue Distribution
The primary ongoing reward mechanism is the distribution of WikiDeal's monthly subscription revenue across all Cash Rewards in circulation. The formula is linear and transparent:
Revenue per Credit = Total monthly subscription revenue ÷ 100,000,000
The denominator (100,000,000) represents the total Credits in the system. This keeps the formula stable and predictable as WikiDeal scales.
Example Scenario
WikiDeal has 50,000 active subscribers paying CHF 1/month = CHF 50,000/month total revenue.
- Revenue per Credit = CHF 50,000 ÷ 100,000,000 = CHF 0.0005 per Credit per month
- Kim (7,000 Credits) earns: CHF 0.0005 × 7,000 = CHF 3.50/month
- Noah (33,320 Credits) earns: CHF 0.0005 × 33,320 = CHF 16.66/month
Scaling Effect
As WikiDeal grows its subscriber base, rewards scale proportionally for all Credit holders:
| Active Subscribers | Monthly Revenue (CHF 1/sub) | Revenue/Credit | Kim (7,000 Credits) | Noah (33,320 Credits) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10,000 | CHF 10,000 | CHF 0.0001 | CHF 0.70/month | CHF 3.33/month |
| 50,000 | CHF 50,000 | CHF 0.0005 | CHF 3.50/month | CHF 16.66/month |
| 200,000 | CHF 200,000 | CHF 0.002 | CHF 14.00/month | CHF 66.64/month |
| 500,000 | CHF 500,000 | CHF 0.005 | CHF 35.00/month | CHF 166.60/month |
| 1,000,000 | CHF 1,000,000 | CHF 0.01 | CHF 70.00/month | CHF 333.20/month |
Note: these figures assume CHF 1/month per subscriber and a fixed Credit count for Kim and Noah. Actual rewards will vary based on real subscription pricing, total Credits in circulation, and the annual 5% value increase applied to each Credit.
Step 5 — Cashout Conditions
Kim and Noah can convert their Cash Rewards to CHF when the cashout conditions defined by the protocol are met. Key principles:
- No speculation: The CHF value of each Credit is defined entirely by the algorithm (base value + 5%/year compound increase). There is no secondary market, no price volatility.
- Revenue-linked: Cashout is possible when sufficient subscription revenue has been generated to back the redemption. This ensures the system remains solvent and sustainable.
- Transparent timing: The protocol defines clear thresholds for when cashout windows open — Kim and Noah can track this through their contributor dashboard.
- Proportional: Cashout amounts are proportional to the number of Cash Rewards held and the current CHF value per Credit at the time of redemption.
This design eliminates speculative risk for contributors while ensuring WikiDeal can meet its obligations as it scales revenue.