link
The link between creators and their true fans.
Created on 23rd October 2025
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link
The link between creators and their true fans.
The problem link solves
The Problem It Solves
YouTube creators and fans currently face a disconnect between engagement and rewards. Creators have no transparent, verifiable way to identify their most loyal fans, and fans have no portable proof of their support that can be recognized across platforms. Traditional methods like giveaways, shoutouts, or exclusive content are manual, opaque, and prone to favoritism, making it difficult to fairly reward true engagement.
Link solves this by enabling creators to automatically and fairly distribute tokens based on verifiable proof of engagement, such as subscriptions, comments, and account age. Fans can prove their support without exposing sensitive data thanks to zero-knowledge proofs, ensuring privacy and security.
For creators, Link simplifies audience reward programs by automating ranking, distribution, and token swaps. For fans, it turns engagement into tangible rewards while eliminating the friction of learning blockchain or managing crypto wallets. Essentially, Link makes the process of recognizing and rewarding true fandom easier, fairer, and fully verifiable onchain.
Challenges we ran into
Challenges I Ran Into
One of the biggest challenges was integrating zkPass proofs with YouTube’s OAuth system. YouTube’s API requires secure access tokens, while zkPass generates zero-knowledge proofs that must remain privacy-preserving and verifiable onchain. Balancing these two systems, one centralized and one decentralized, was complex. The hurdle was ensuring that OAuth tokens were handled securely in the backend while allowing the zkPass SDK to generate proofs that could be validated without ever exposing user data.
Another challenge came from coordinating multiple integrations, YouTube API, Coinbase Onramp, Uniswap, IPFS, and Base smart contracts, within a single user flow. Getting these systems to communicate reliably, especially in a hackathon timeframe, required careful architectural planning and async handling between the frontend, backend, and smart contracts.
We overcame these hurdles by modularizing our architecture, isolating each integration into its own layer. For the zkPass issue, we built a temporary local proof verification mock to test the flow before integrating the live SDK. For multi-service coordination, we used event-driven architecture and clearly defined APIs between components, allowing the app to stay stable and debuggable.
These challenges taught us how to bridge Web2 and onchain systems securely and efficiently, reinforcing Link’s core goal: creating a smooth, privacy-preserving user experience for everyone.
Link to the GitHub Repo of your project
Live URL of your project
What is your product’s unique value proposition?
Link transforms Web2 social engagement into verifiable onchain reputation and rewards. Using zkTLS (zkPass), fans can prove their social engagement, like subscriptions, comments, and account age, without revealing private data, enabling creators to fairly and transparently reward their most loyal supporters with tokens.
The alpha build validates this by demonstrating a fully functional flow: fans generate zkPass proofs of YouTube/Instagram/X engagement, submit them onchain, and automatically receive creator token rewards funded through Coinbase Onramp and distributed via smart contracts on Base.
Who is your target customer?
Link is designed for everyone, any YouTube creator and fan can participate. Web2 users can smoothly onboard through familiar OAuth flows (YouTube login) without needing prior Web3 knowledge.
Creators can easily reward their audience with tokens, and fans can prove engagement and receive rewards without managing private keys or learning blockchain mechanics. The alpha build demonstrates this by showing a fully integrated, user-friendly flow that bridges traditional Web2 engagement with onchain rewards.
Who are your closest competitors and how are you different?
Collab.Land - https://collab.land
Focus: Community token gating and Discord/Telegram integrations.
Difference: Collab.Land rewards membership or activity in Web3 communities but does not verify Web2 engagement like YouTube subscriptions or comments. Link uniquely converts actual creator engagement into onchain rewards using zero-knowledge proofs.
What is your distribution strategy and why?
Link will grow primarily through a community-driven approach and strategic creator partnerships. By collaborating with YouTube creators who already have engaged audiences, we can demonstrate immediate value: creators can reward their most loyal fans, and fans are incentivized to participate. This creates a network effect, as early adopters naturally share their experiences and encourage others to join.
A key aspect of our strategy is seamless onboarding for Web2 users. With familiar OAuth flows like YouTube login and abstracted blockchain mechanics, fans can participate without prior crypto knowledge. This minimizes friction, making adoption intuitive and accessible, and allows Link to reach a broader audience beyond traditional Web3 communities.
To supplement organic growth, we will implement targeted campaigns in creator-focused spaces such as YouTube creator forums, Discord communities, and Web3 ecosystems like Base and Zora. This approach ensures we attract creators and fans who are most likely to engage with the platform while building credibility through trusted community channels.
Overall, this distribution strategy aligns with Link’s mission: making tokenized fan rewards accessible to everyone, leveraging existing creator-fan relationships, and creating a self-reinforcing growth loop through community engagement.