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Bitcoin Alternative Pays You To Walk

This article is more than 8 years old.

Franky Imbesi and Nissan Bahar, social entrepreneurs working in Africa, have created a new app that will pay you to walk. Rather that use computing power to "mine" bitcoin, the app allows you to generate Bitwalking Dollars by walking.

The practical limit to earnings is about $3 per day. That probably won't motivate many people in the U.S. to walk more, but for people living on a few dollars per day and walking and hour or more to and from work each day in the developing world, this could be life changing.

Bahar notes that problems go beyond not just having money, but access to the banking system. "Large populations in the developing world are still left unbanked. They don't have the opportunity to access currency and take part of the global economy."

"Inspired by the words of Nelson Mandela, 'Money won't create success, the freedom to make it will,' we created a technology to allow anyone to generate currency by basic human movement - walking," Bahar adds.

The potential of the new app to change lives is compelling. "Leveraging and combining digital currency technologies with mobile diffusion will allow us to create financial network accessible to anyone," Bahar concludes.

On Thursday, January 7, 2015 at 2:00 Eastern, Bahar and Imbesi will join me for a live discussion here about the potential of the app to change lives in the developing world. Tune in here then to watch the interview live. Post questions in the comments below or tweet questions before the interview to @devindthorpe.

You can download an audio podcast here or subscribe via iTunes.

More about Bitwalking:

Twitter : @bitwalking

Bitwalking gives you the freedom and opportunity to make money by walking.

We believe that everyone should have the freedom, and ability, to make money. Bitwalking empowers each individual by converting steps into digital currency. A step is worth the same value for everyone - no matter who you are, or where you are. What matters is how much you walk.

Most people are unable to generate and benefit from digital currencies, and large populations in the developing world are still left unbanked. We’re inviting everyone to take the next step.

Bitwalking allows everyone not only to generate money, but to manage and use it as well.

The money you generate accumulates each day, and remains in your account until transferred or spent. Users have equal opportunity to trade money with each other, to make purchases at Bitwalking’s marketplace, and to connect with our third party partners - local businesses, online retailers, brands, charities and local governments - that share our belief in an economy for all.

Bahar's bio:

Bahar, Nissan | Cofounder & CEO Prior to Bitwalking, Nissan co-founded Keepod in 2011 and directed the company as chief executive officer.

Imbesi's bio:

Imbesi, Franky | Cofounder & CMO Prior to Bitwalking, Franky co-founded Keepod in 2011 and directed the company’s strategy as chief of marketing.