The founding cohort

Become a Founding Trader

Everyone who joins gets the Kaup beta and can trade from day one. The first 500 traders in each city to go active earn Founding Trader status and a run at the most active-trader rewards Kaup offers. Here's exactly how it works.

Earning your founder status: download the beta, then post at least 5 Wants and 5 Offerings and complete a trade. Founder slots are limited to 500 per city and fill by activity — not signup order — so the sooner you start trading, the better your odds.

Founder Points

Founder Points measure how much you help build the Kaup market. They are in-app status and perks — not shares, tokens, or any kind of security, and they carry no cash value. You earn them by trading and by bringing good traders in.

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Complete a trade
The North Star — weighted highest.
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Refer a trader who completes their first trade
Grow the market, earn the credit.
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Join a feedback session
Help us build. Awarded by the team.
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Stay active week to week
Small, steady credit for showing up.

What founders get

Founding Trader badge

A permanent #NNN badge on your profile — you were here first, and everyone can see it.

Lifetime fee waiver

Founding traders never pay the cash-trade fee. Barter is free for everyone, forever.

Standing Boost slots

Recurring Boosted Offering slots so your listings surface to the top of the feed.

City leaderboard

Your Founder Points rank you against other founders in your city — activity you can see.

Early access

You shape the product. Founders get new features first and a direct line to the team.

The Founders' pool

Draft — under legal review. The terms below are a plain-language description of a program still being finalized with counsel. They are not an offer, and nothing here promises or issues a security. Final terms will govern.

If and when Kaup reaches a set annual-revenue target, the top 50 most active founding traders in each launch city qualify for a capped Founders' pool — split across launch cities and allocated by activity — subject to securities-law compliance and board approval.

How the cutoff is measured. Standing is measured by Founder Points at the moment revenue hits the target — a point-in-time snapshot of each city's leaderboard. Your seat is not permanent: going inactive can drop you below the line before the snapshot is taken, and a more active trader takes your place.

Taxes and eligibility. Any allocation may have tax consequences you are responsible for. At launch, the program is open to U.S. residents only. Details will be confirmed in the final, counsel-reviewed program terms.

Claim your founder spot

Founder slots fill by activity, not signup order. Start trading to claim yours.

Become a Founding Trader →