for Community Leaders: Building Sustainable Local Economies

ZUZ is flexible and can be customized to accommodate specific needs of a community.

How communities can Adopt ZUZ

Using ZUZ in your community offers any local organization a tool to infuse capital that stays local. The ZUZ solution can be used as the platform for an existing community currency program, or ZUZ can be used to launch a new program, jumpstarting a network that increases local business activity.

Social Service Grants

A town issues Muni-ZUZ to residents in need (e.g., for a guaranteed income program or other social service grants). The grantees get spending power for needed goods and merchants get increased business. Merchants choose to accept Muni-ZUZ because they can redeem any Muni-ZUZ they accept with the town. By accepting Muni-ZUZ they are helping out members of their community, and they get new business. The town will allow Muni-ZUZ to be used instead of cash for any city fees, taxes, etc. The town benefits since no cost is incurred until the Muni-ZUZ are used for payments. Everyone wins because citizens get needed assistance while stimulating economic activity that strengthens the community.

How to adopt ZUZ in your community

Make your money go further with ZUZ by leveraging grants, supporting local businesses, and encouraging local spending – increasing the local activity and wealth in your community.

Any city or town can issue MuniZuz, a municipal bond on the ZUZ platform. Institutional investors and individuals, including in your community, can purchase a share of the MuniZuz, via the Zuz platform.  They can hold their MuniZuz–and earn interest on it–or they can purchase goods and services at merchants that accept MuniZuz.

Individuals can purchase and hold it or spend their MuniZuz at local merchants for goods and services.

Merchants can redeem their MuniZuz for US dollars from town, or, they can continue the cycle by spending their MuniZuz–creating even more increased business activity.

The town issues MuniZuz to raise capital

Instead of selling a municipal bond through a traditional underwriter, the town sells (in retail sized chunks) part of the bond to local citizens. This reduces costs and risk of default.

You can hold the MuniZuz, earn interest, OR

The MuniZuz are purchased as an investment to fund your town’s capital needs.  You can either hold the town’s MuniZuz and earn interest, or …

You can use it today to buy goods and services

The MuniZuz are accepted by local businesses in exchange for goods and services – giving individuals the opportunity to use the bond as a currency and circulate more money in town.

The town accepts MuniZuz as payment for any service

Merchants can redeem any MuniZuz they accept for $US. The town accepts MuniZuz as payment for local taxes, permits, etc.

Merchants use MuniZuz with each other

Accepted MuniZUz can be used as a local currency between merchants and between all members of the community. This creates a sustainable local economy in which money is kept local – multiplying the impact of a town’s investment.

At Maturity, MuniZuz can be redeemed with interest.

When the MuniZuz matures, anyone holding MuniZuz redeem their MuniZuz (and accumulated interest) with the town.

The ZUZ team works with community leaders to understand local priorities and helps leaders determine the best way to deploy ZUZ in their communities.

The ZUZ Platform

A two-sided platform integrating lending and payment in your community

Harness relationships with a public ledger and encourage money to stay local.

Seriously Powerful.

Ask us anything

There is no charge to issue ZUZ. A small (1%) fee is applied on transactions, much less than other credit options.
ZUZ are very flexible. Interest is one of the parameters that can be set by an issuer. If the issuer elects this feature their ZUZ will bear interest.

The risk is the same as when one buys a gift card from a merchant.  In the unusual case that the merchant goes under, the customer’s investment is at risk. The transparency of ledger data provides ZUZ buyers with information that is not typically available with traditional gift cards. And, a number of merchants accepting a ZUZ mitigates risk, as it spreads across the network. 

Unlike other cryptocurrencies, each type of ZUZ is backed by its issuer. They do NOT fluctate in price.  All your ZUZ are stored in your ZUZ wallet and can be used to directly purchase goods and services from anyone who accepts them.

An issuer determines how they want to configure their ZUZ for redemption for goods and services and/or US Dollars.
Yes. ZUZ can be used on the web or with a phone. ZUZ allows merchants to generate QR codes for payment. The consumers will need to scan the QR code displayed by the merchant with their smartphones to make payments. In the long term, the ZUZ payment method will be integrated into the traditional POS (Point of Sale) system.
ZUZ goes beyond existing crowdfunding sites (like Kickstarter, GoFundMe, Patreon, or Indiegogo) and microlending platforms (like Kiva or LendingClub) as it integrates local lending and spending enabling the invested capital to circulate locally with reduced cost.
ZUZ provides the convenience of cashless payment while it keeps the money circulating within the community.

Contact us

To create a more vibrant and sustainable community today.

individual paying merchant with zuz