Bunz is a community-powered trading platform where you can swap goods, services, and experiences — without using cash. Instead of money, we use BTZ (our own trade currency) when needed to make trades smoother and easier.
BTZ is the universal trade item inside Bunz.
It’s not a cryptocurrency and not for speculation — it’s a simple, stable tool that makes trades easier when direct barter isn't practical.
BTZ was inspired by the early days of Bunz, when users often traded Toronto metro tokens to balance uneven swaps.
Think of it like a digital version of subway tokens — built for everyday use, not for financial games.
BTZ is the universal trade item inside Bunz. You can use it to swap goods, services, and, at higher levels, exchange it for select real-world gift cards (depending on your region) through our pilot program — and if the program succeeds, we hope to expand it even further under even better terms.
For smoother trades, Bunz uses a guideline where 1 BTZ is considered roughly equal to 1 Canadian cent for internal calculations.
Important:
Please note: Bunz is an independent platform. If Bunz were to shut down in the future, BTZ would no longer have any use outside the app.
You can earn BTZ by participating actively inside Bunz:
Note:
You cannot buy or sell BTZ.
The only way to get BTZ is by earning it through activity inside the Bunz community.
Buzz is a special type of post on Bunz — a short video (up to 15 seconds) you create to share anything you want directly with your followers:
When you create a Buzz, you’re not just promoting yourself — you’re also helping your followers earn BTZ by watching your Buzz.
Buzz posts are temporary — each Buzz lasts 24 hours and can only be watched once by each follower.
You can create one Buzz per day to keep your followers engaged.
Every time a follower watches your Buzz, you earn 1 BTZ (up to a maximum of 25 BTZ per Buzz).
Watching Buzz from others earns you 2 BTZ per full watch.
Note: After watching a Buzz, you’ll enter a short exclusive session before another becomes available.
No.
BTZ cannot be bought, sold, or exchanged for real-world money.
BTZ is created purely as a universal trade item inside the Bunz community — made for swapping goods, services, and experiences, not for financial speculation.
You can only earn BTZ through participating on Bunz: trading, creating Buzz, or watching Buzz.
You can use BTZ in several ways inside Bunz: * Trade items and services: If both parties agree, BTZ can be used fully or partially to complete a trade.
BTZ is designed to keep trading smooth, active, and accessible — without needing cash.
Note: Bunz may also introduce new features in the future that use BTZ as the platform grows.
The Sherpa Cut is a small monthly fee (10 BTZ) that helps keep Bunz running, fair, and independent — and keeps BTZ meaningful for everyone.
It’s named in honor of the Sherpas — the legendary climbers of the Himalayas — whose strength and quiet work make reaching the summit possible for many.
The Sherpa Cut exists because:
Without it, BTZ would lose its meaning, trades would slow down, and Bunz would slowly become inactive.
With it, Bunz stays fast, fair, alive — a living community where true barter can thrive, and where the value you build today will still matter tomorrow.
During the early launch period, the Sherpa Cut is waived.
Starting July 2025, all users will need to pay the Sherpa Cut monthly to stay fully active on Bunz.
Bunz normally asks for a small Sherpa Cut (10 BTZ per month) to help keep the platform active, fair, and sustainable for everyone.
During the early launch period, the Sherpa Cut is waived.
Starting in July 2025, the 10 BTZ Sherpa Cut will become active for all users.
Once the Sherpa Cut is active:
Paying your Sherpa Cut reactivates your full access instantly.
Remember: you can easily earn enough BTZ each month just by staying a little active inside Bunz!
BTZ is designed to be used inside the Bunz platform only.
It has no external market or cash value.
If Bunz were to shut down in the future, BTZ would no longer have any use outside the app.
We will never let Bunz fade as long as we breathe — and we haven’t since August 2015.
But in the end, Bunz is a living community, not just an idea.
Its future will always depend on the people who use it — the Bunzers who keep it alive.
If they choose to climb with us, there is no summit we cannot reach.
If they choose not to, Bunz will eventually have to shut down — because a true marketplace cannot exist without the people who bring it to life.
At the end, no matter how strong your Sherpa team is, it is the mountain and the climbers' determination that decide the summit.
Our goal is to make Bunz sustainable and give BTZ real everyday utility through trading, activities, and experiences inside the community.
The best way to protect the value of your BTZ is to stay active inside the Bunz community.
BTZ has value inside Bunz only — through trades, activities, and experiences.
As long as you keep participating, creating, trading, and connecting with other users, your BTZ will continue to have meaning and usefulness.
Remember: BTZ isn’t just stored value. It’s a living part of the Bunz economy.
The more you engage, the more BTZ stays alive — for you and for the entire community.
If you ever stop using Bunz for a long time, your BTZ won't disappear,
but its practical value depends on the health and activity of the platform itself.
Think of it like this:
If you had 5 Miranda dollars — Miranda being one of the beautiful moons of Uranus — but you never connected with any other colonists there, how much would those dollars really be worth? Value only exists when there’s a living, active community around it — just like BTZ.
On Bunz, you can trade almost anything — as long as it follows our community rules and spirit.
You can trade goods like clothes, books, electronics, furniture, kitchenware, collectibles, handmade items, and more.
You can trade services too — like tutoring, repairs, photography, art commissions, or even lending tools.
Some users even offer experiences — like a homemade meal, a guided local tour, or a dance lesson.
You can even trade your public message — sharing something you believe in or want others to know.
At the end of the day, you’re not just trading things — you’re trading a lot of good time.
The idea is simple:
If it brings value to someone else and respects our three laws (no cash, no discrimination, no spamming), it belongs on Bunz.
The creativity of Bunz trades is part of what makes the community special — so don't be afraid to think outside the box!
Because trades on Bunz are lighter and don’t involve cash negotiations, you can usually expect faster and more responses compared to traditional buy/sell platforms — depending on your item and your region, of course.
Starting your first trade on Bunz is easy:
And don’t hesitate to reach out to other Bunzers —
you’ll usually find that people here are friendly, helpful, and happy to trade.
Smart tip:
Invite your friends to join Bunz too.
Building your own little Bunz community makes trading even easier, more fun, and more creative — you’ll have a trusted circle right from the start.
Remember:
On Bunz, trades are usually smooth — and even when something doesn't go perfectly,
the beauty is that problems tend to be small and manageable.
Since no real money is involved, most issues feel lighter compared to cash-based platforms.
If you have an issue with a trade:
Tip:
If you used the Plan Trade feature to schedule your trade,
we’ll have some basic record of the agreement (like date and time) —
which can make it easier to help you if needed.
Safety Tip:
When meeting for a trade, always choose a public, well-lit place.
Bring a friend if you’ll feel more comfortable, and always trust your instincts.
(If something feels wrong, it’s okay to walk away.)
Good to know:
Bunz isn’t the kind of environment where scammers or bad-faith users can easily survive —
the nature of trading here makes it hard for them to succeed.
Our community rewards trust, creativity, and real participation.
Remember:
Bunz is built on bartering and goodwill.
Most problems are small, and most trades go smoothly.
Stay calm, trust the process, and focus on building positive connections.
Every trade — even imperfect ones — is part of the adventure!
BTZ is a universal item for trading inside Bunz.
It gives you more flexibility to make creative swaps without using cash.
Here’s what you can do with your BTZ:
Small tip:
Because of how Bunz works, we don’t recommend hoarding massive amounts of BTZ.
Keeping an optimum balance is usually smarter — just use BTZ when you need it, and keep earning it through natural activity.
As long as you stay reliable and consistent, it’s very unlikely you’ll ever run out when you need it.
BTZ is here to move — not to sit still.
BTZ cannot be bought or sold.
It exists only inside the Bunz ecosystem — and it's earned through real activity, not financial transactions.
There’s no marketplace to "buy" BTZ with cash.
There’s no way to "sell" BTZ for money outside the app.
Instead, BTZ rewards come from living inside the community:
Pro tip:
If you want to earn BTZ faster, be as active as possible!
Build your follower network — but choose carefully:
since your ability to follow others is limited, it’s smarter to follow active users who create Buzz often.
The more active your network, the more opportunities you’ll have to earn BTZ naturally.
In Bunz, activity and trust — not money — are the real currencies.
Bunz Levels are a way to reflect how active, reliable, and trustworthy you are within the community.
They are not just cosmetic symbols — they determine what privileges and opportunities you unlock on the platform.
Each level is named after an iconic mountain, progressing according to their real-world heights.
The first two levels, Fuji and Elbrus, are designed to make sure you are familiar with the key features of Bunz and that you are genuinely here.
The real climb starts after Elbrus, when you reach Kilimanjaro and unlock the most enjoyable part of leveling: the Hustle Bar (see: What is Hustle Bar?).
The Hustle Bar allows you to see how your activity compares to other users.
Levels after Elbrus are structured like real expeditions, each with its own Itinerary (see: What is Itinerary on Levels?).
The Itinerary defines the length of your climb, leading up to a Summit Push (the final 3 days) and a Summit Day.
During Summit Push and Summit Day, your activity counts with higher value compared to regular days.
The Bunz leveling system is designed not only to reflect real engagement, but also to make scamming extremely difficult and to ensure that ad income and platform opportunities are fairly shared among users who truly contribute. At higher levels, you will have the opportunity to swap your BTZ for gift cards, with limits and options that are aligned with your level.
However, if you view leveling up purely as a way to redeem BTZ, you are in the wrong place.
The ability to swap BTZ for gift cards exists to stimulate real demand for BTZ, and to strengthen BTZ’s credibility and role as a respected medium of trade within the Bunz ecosystem.
Advancing through levels is based entirely on what you do — not how long you’ve been on Bunz.
(See Level Comparison Table below.)
| Level | Theme | Main Goal | Special Unlocks | Expedition Style | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuji | Basic Familiarity | Learn key Bunz features | None (Starter Level) | No (Instant leveling) | Entry point |
| Elbrus | Feature Activation | Prove you are real and active | None (but unlocks Kilimanjaro path) | No (Instant leveling) | End of onboarding |
| Kilimanjaro | Start of Real Climb | Compete, be active | Hustle Bar unlocked, Direct Messaging Ability (coming soon) | Yes (2-week itinerary) | First real expedition |
| Denali | Higher Engagement | Stay consistently active and reliable | Gift Card Swap access (up to 500 BTZ) | Yes (3-week itinerary) | Requires stronger activity |
| Aconcagua | Top Contributor | High contribution and trust | Gift Card Swap access (up to 1,000 BTZ) | Yes (3-week itinerary) | Approximately top 10% activity required |
| Everest | Peak of Bunz | Elite engagement and leadership | Gift Card Swap access (up to 5,000 BTZ), Legacy Badge | Yes (60-day itinerary) | Approximately top 1% activity required |
The Hustle Bar is a live indicator that shows your current standing on an activity-based priority list.
It tells you what level you would reach if your Summit Day were happening right now.
As you use Bunz — by posting, trading, creating Buzz, and staying active — your Hustle Bar indicator may surprisingly move up or down.
That's because it's not just about your own activity — your standing also depends on how active other users are during the same time.
Even if you are active, if others are even more active, your position can still drop.
The Hustle Bar unlocks once you reach Kilimanjaro Level and stays with you throughout all higher expeditions.
It updates continuously during your climb, and becomes especially important during the Summit Push and Summit Day, when your actions count with higher value.
(See: What is Itinerary on Levels?)
For fairness and to protect the integrity of the system, Bunz does not publicly share which activities impact the Hustle Bar, or how much weight each action carries.
The best way to climb is simple: stay active, stay consistent, and let your climb speak for itself.
Finally, remember:
Your official Bunz level and your Hustle Bar indicator are different things.
Your level shows what you have already achieved.
Your Hustle Bar indicator shows how you are performing right now in your current expedition.
The Itinerary is the planned timeline you follow during your climb after you reach Kilimanjaro and higher levels.
It shows how much time you have before your Summit Day, when your activity is judged.
Each level has its own Itinerary length.
For example, Kilimanjaro expeditions are about two weeks, while Everest expeditions last about sixty days.
Your Itinerary is personal.
It starts when you begin your expedition, not based on when others start.
It’s your private climbing schedule inside Bunz.
Near the end of your Itinerary, the last few days are called the Summit Push.
During the Summit Push, your actions count with higher value as you get closer to your Summit Day.
Your performance at the end of your Summit Day decides what happens next:
If you were at any level above Kilimanjaro, you will also have a one-day window on your Summit Day to swap BTZ for gift cards, according to the level you held during your expedition.
The Itinerary is not something you can extend, restart, or change.
It’s a one-time journey for each expedition.
All you need to do is stay active, climb steadily, and be ready when your Summit Day arrives.
There aren’t many posting rules on Bunz.
All you need to do is follow the Three Laws of Bunz:
Bunz is a bartering platform. Barter means exchanging goods or services without using money.
(However: gift cards are considered goods, foreign currency exchange is considered a service, rentals of a single home or room you own are allowed to include a price, and Posts/ISOs may show a cash value in description for reference — but trades must happen without cash.)
Any form of discrimination, harassment, bullying, hateful speech, or degrading comments about things like race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, gender or identity is not allowed.
Please use the Report feature whenever needed.
Unsolicited commercial content, self-promotion, spam, irrelevant links, or for-profit posting in Posts/ISOs is not allowed.
As long as you respect these Three Laws, posting on Bunz is simple and free.
Yes.
Bunz is designed to be a safe and trusted community, and we take user behavior seriously.
If you see a user or a post that violates the spirit of Bunz, we strongly encourage you to report it.
Every profile and every post has a Report option.
When you submit a report, our team will review it carefully and take action if necessary.
Reporting helps protect the entire community and keeps Bunz healthy for everyone.
However, please use the Report feature thoughtfully.
Spamming multiple reports for no real reason can slow down the system and make it harder to address real issues.
If you report responsibly, you’re helping make Bunz stronger for everyone.
An ISO post means "In Search Of."
It’s a way to tell the Bunz community what you are looking for, instead of what you are offering.
If you create an ISO post, you are saying you want to trade for a specific item, service, or experience.
Other users can then offer you what you’re looking for, either in exchange for their own items or through a barter deal using BTZ if needed.
Posting an ISO is a great way to start a trade even if you don't have anything specific to offer at the moment — it shows what you need and invites others to connect.
Thanks to Bunz’s powerful search feature — where you can filter by ISOs, Posts, or Profiles — it’s easy for others to find your ISO, and just as easy for you to find users who are looking for what you have.
On Bunz, using ISO posts has become part of the community’s style — it’s a Bunz thing.
Yes — you can frame it, hang it on your wall, or try to impress your cat with it.
Which means... not really.
BTZ is designed to work only inside the Bunz community.
You can't spend it outside, and it can’t be exchanged for real money.
It’s our own trade currency — meaningful inside Bunz, sentimental (but not usable) outside of it.
Inside Bunz, BTZ makes trading smoother, more human, and way more fun than using cash.
If any future partners or businesses choose to accept BTZ, that's perfectly fine with us — and we are actively working on creating more reasons for them to do so — but today, BTZ is designed for use inside the Bunz community.
Bunz was built to be self-sustaining — not by charging money for trades, not by chasing investors, and not by relying on tricks or shortcuts.
We finally reached a point where we can offer a real system based on honest circulation between users, BTZ, and advertisers.
What happens next is up to the community.
We’re proud to have built the foundation — and now it's in the hands of Bunz users to decide where it leads.
Today, Bunz is funded directly by the person who was the first investor in Bunz back in late 2015 — someone who never stopped believing in the idea behind it, and who now manages the platform following the departure of the former management team.
Every time users post, create a Buzz, or start a new trade, they keep the community alive and growing.
To support this without disrupting the experience, Bunz spreads ads carefully inside Buzz — not through banners or pop-ups — making sure that ads feel part of the natural flow.
The revenue from these ads strengthens the BTZ economy, helping to keep Bunz sustainable without sacrificing the clean feed experience users enjoy.
This approach also gives users something rare today:
A clean feed without distracting banners, pop-ups, or interruptions.
That freedom is made possible by the BTZ system — and by our most valuable partners: the advertisers who support the platform behind the scenes.
(We may not have met them yet, but hopefully we will after this release — fingers crossed 🙂.)
Ad revenue also backs the BTZ-to-gift card swaps, helping maintain real-world value inside Bunz without disrupting its no-cash, no-reward philosophy.
As for monthly BTZ charges and transaction fees, they aren’t about profit — they are necessary tools to protect the stability of BTZ itself.
They help keep BTZ valuable, controlled, and fair for users who truly rely on it.
In short:
Users build the value.
Advertisers support the value.
Bunz protects the value.
That’s the circulation — simple, fair, and built to last.
No — Bunz is not backed by venture capital.
The platform is independently funded and managed by the same person who first invested in it in late 2015 — and who remains committed to its long-term vision.
We operate with real ownership, real risk, and real responsibility.
There are no outside investors steering the platform, and no external timelines shaping our decisions.
That said, Bunz is open to the right kind of partnership:
We are interested only in smart money — funds that come with proven, experienced individuals who can contribute not just capital, but meaningful ideas, time, connections, and strategic thinking.
Anyone joining the Bunz journey would need to add real value beyond money, and share the long-term vision of building something truly different.
First of all, thank you.
If you're exploring ways to advertise with Bunz, it means you're thinking about more than just running an ad — you're exploring the possibility of becoming part of this community.
At the moment, we can offer limited geo-targeted ad placements inside Buzz — the short videos users create to share their trades, ideas, and lifestyles.
Targeting is available by city, state/province, country, or worldwide.
That said, our follow-up tools and campaign features are still very early stage.
But here's the real opportunity:
This release is a major gamble — and a turning point.
If it succeeds, the brands that step in early will have been the reason Bunz survived and came back stronger.
They won't just be advertisers — they’ll be part of the story. Part of the rescue team. Part of what made it all possible.
If things go well, we plan to build a full Self-Serve Ad Platform (SSAP).
But if we don’t see traction — on either side — we’ll have to reconsider everything.
If you're serious and want to talk in person, send us a message: ads@bunz.com
We’re open to conversations — especially with those who see what this really could be.