Matchpool is a platform that rewards matchmakers for successfully connecting users together, for example by creating dating sites or communities that run using Matchpool’s protocol. The rewards come as digital tokens called Guppy that can be purchased, transacted and withdrawn as real money. Users can create and monetise their community at zero cost, presenting an alternative to the expensive development of an app.

As the matchmakers using the technology are incentivised to make connections, Matchpool suggests this will create fairer services. For example, a dating site would earn money by matching people up rather than from the more usual subscription model, which creates a perverse incentive of keeping people using the site for as long as possible.

Founders Yonatan Ben Shimon and Max Richardson were introduced in London at a meetup of Coinscrum – a networking event in the field of bitcoin and cryptocurrencies – and raised $6m (£4.6m) from 2,370 contributors in a crowdfunding campaign lasting 33 hours.