Camino Token Currency of the Camino de Santiago

Yes. Upon the official launch Camino Token will be available on cryptocurrency exchanges and listed on Coin Market Cap, Coin Gecko and other currency listing sites. As the tokens popularity grows we will be eligible to list on other major exchanges. Initially Camino Token (CAMINO) will be available on Uniswap. Camino Token has the ticker symbol “CAMINO” and is what’s known as an ERC20 Smart Contract Token which has been developed on the Ethereum Blockchain Network.

When the initial pre-sale fundraising has been completed we will complete the development of the Pilgrims Wallet. After thorough testing and verification on the various app stores we will release it publicly. We hope to release the wallet app with the official public release of the Camino Token worldwide.

NFT (Non-fungible Token); an NFT is a unique unit of data, typically a digital file or image, stored on a digital ledger, called a blockchain, which can be sold and traded.

A major feature we are excited to develop and release is the Camino Stamp NFT Generator. Traditionally, each pilgrim on the Camino collects stamps (rubber ink on paper stamps) along the way in what’s known as a Pilgrims Passport (a folded card with squares for stamps). Stamps are issued by Albergues as a proof of stay, or by cafes and stops along the way as proof of visit. In the Camino Token ecosystem we are introducing digitally generated NFT Camino stamps which operate in a similar way. Each stamp is completely unique with a record of the date, time and location encoded into the stamp. These can be kept as a digital record of one’s pilgrimage, or traded with other pilgrims keen on collecting a full set of Camino stamps.

An Albergue or store along the Camino is granted the ability within their Camino app to generate non fungible tokens (NFTs) as Camino Stamps. Each stamp is unique and follows the traditional system of one stamp per pilgrim per nights stay. They are timestamped and dated and match the design of the traditional ink on paper stamps used in the real world. Additionally, the stamp generator is GPS locked, meaning that the function can only be used and stamps can only be generated from an exact GPS location. This ensures the authenticity of visit. For Albergues and additional authenticity step is included within the generator algorithm which only allows the generation of stamps corresponding to the number of beds in the Albergue. This makes each NFT 100% unique and very rare as there is a very limited supply. To get a full set one will need to trade with other pilgrims or walk the Camino many times over, thus making each Camino Stamp NFT very valuable and increase in value over time.

To properly implement the Camino Stamp NFT generation feature we want to have at least 80% of Albergues along the Camino Frances (or the French Way) accepting payment with Camino Token. We will be providing Albergues their own unique app which will allow them to generate NFT tokens securely which is locked to GPS coordinates. We see Camino Stamps NFTs becoming very valuable due their limited and collectable nature.

To succeed at getting 80% of Albergues on board we have donated 1,000,000 Camino Tokens to 1000 Albergues along the Camino who need to agree to be a Camino Token accepted business and be verified to claim their tokens. As the Camino Token becomes more valuable the adoption rate will increase to reach this goal.

We are in the process of developing the “Donativo” (donation) section of our website which will include a database of over 1000 Albergues on the Camino. We have generated a blockchain wallet address (public address) for each Albergue and will list this publicly on their public profile. Your donations will go directly to the Albergue of your choice instantly and will show up in their wallet immediately. You will be able to do this from any cryptocurrency wallet which can send tokens on the ERC20 (Ethereum) network.

Support a pilgrim – a system where someone can sponsor a pilgrim on their journey to Santiago.

Supporting a pilgrim is a great way to help the Camino. We have created a unique way for pilgrims to crowd fund their journey with Camino Token sponsorship. A pilgrim looking to venture on the Camino can register themselves in the Support a Pilgrim section of the website and have their friends and family sponsor their pilgrimage. Sponsors are known as “Camino Angels”, a term which has evolved as one who helps others on the Camino.

Unlike many crowdfunding services around, the Support a Pilgrim system of sponsorship is unique. When their sponsored pilgrim arrives on the Camino the funds are released daily based on the amount of Camino Token provided. This is what we call an “accountability” system of sponsorship which requires a pilgrim to actually be on the Camino and walking the path to receive their donated support. The tokens are only released to pilgrims located on the Camino by a GPS verification algorithm in a similar way to how Walk Rewards are tracked and calculated. It gives the Camino Angel of the pilgrim peace of mind that their contributions are being used to help the pilgrim on their journey.

Walk Rewards – a system where pilgrims are rewarded for walking along the camino. 

One of the biggest hurdles to starting on a pilgrimage is handling one’s finances to be able to survive comfortably while walking. Not only does this delay starting on a pilgrimage, but it can also hinder the experience and sometimes even force a pilgrim to leave the walk to go home and make more money. With the Walk Rewards system we are giving pilgrims the ability to earn Camino Tokens while they walk and reward them for distances walked. A pilgrim will be able to afford basic accommodations at a donativo (by donation) style Albergue with rewards they have earned by walking a full day.

How it works: 

When a pilgrim starts their journey along the Camino they activate the Walk Rewards feature within the Pilgrims Wallet app. As they walk from town to town their distance is tracked using a unique algorithm which combines GPS data, number of steps and time walked. The rewards are based on the distance one has walked within the day and are based on the average cost of a night’s stay at a donativo style Albergue and pilgrims meal for that day. The rewards are given as Camino Tokens and can be donated to the Albergue they are staying at for that night. 

The algorithm used to track pilgrims along the camino is GPS locked to Camino path coordinates, which means that one can only earn Camino Token rewards while on the way to Santiago. This encourages pilgrims to get on the path and continue on their journey and restricts non-pilgrims in other parts of the world from earning rewards. 

We created this feature because while our lead dev was walking the Camino in 2018 himself he ran out of money half way through and had to take on a development project to support himself. This almost ruined the experience for him personally due to while having to work, he had to constantly be finding accommodation with wifi, only walking half days so he had time to code and wasn’t able to keep up with his Camino Family. What was supposed to be a spiritual journey turned into a burden. He ended up taking a week off the Camino to complete the project and by that time had missed out on completing the Camino with his Father as planned. 

To solve this problem the question was asked “how can one do the Camino without having to worry about making money” and Camino Token Walk Rewards was the answer. Any pilgrim can earn Camino Token while walking on the Camino and have the ability to support themselves without the need to work, borrow or find money.

Pilgrims Wallet – a digital wallet where one can store their Camino Token for use on the camino.

A pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago is a challenging and rewarding experience. Along the way, one learns how to live on very little in terms of what you carry and what is available in terms of life’s luxuries. Everything one needs along the Camino needs to be carried in your luggage, be it on your back or in your suitcase. Security is something every pilgrim needs to be aware of as it is very easy to misplace valuables. 

We have designed the Pilgrims Wallet to help pilgrims along the Camino by saving the hassle of carrying cash. The Pilgrims Wallet is the native application of the Camino Token and allows travellers to send and receive Camino Tokens to and from other Pilgrims as well as pay for accommodation and meals. All a pilgrim needs to do is add Camino Token to their wallet and it is kept safe in an encrypted wallet to use along the Camino. 

As we continue development of the Pilgrims Wallet we will be including features such as:

• ValDocs: securely store all of your travel and other valuable documents within the encrypted wallet. Even in the unfortunate event of losing ones phone, Pilgrims will have access to their ValDocs within their online wallet and can retrieve them at any time.
• TravelTrack: as a pilgrim walks along the Camino they can see where they have walked and visited along the way. This is based on the virtual camino features developed in the Camino for Good app. A complete digital record of one’s journey along the Camino. 
• Pilgrims Passport: as one checks in at various locations along the Camino pilgrims have the chance to collect stamps to keep a record of places visited. These stamps (known as NFTs) are digitally encoded with exact times and dates of one’s visit and can be collected as valuable digital keepsakes.  
• PilgrimPay: this is a feature where a pilgrim and Camino business alike can confirm the current price of products and services in the local currency of the Camino. Using a sophisticated algorithm, PilgrimPay calculates the local currency price (for example EURO) and converts it into Camino Token value. This allows Camino businesses the ability to receive Camino Token to the value of their regular priced services and saves having to keep track of exchange rates and digital currency values. 
• Digital Scallop: a long standing tradition with Pilgrims of the Camino de Santiago is the carrying of a scallop shell. It symbolically represents one being a pilgrim and is an important part of the Camino de Santiago mythology. We are in development of a 3D printed digital shell which contains a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag inserted within the casing. This then allows pilgrims to be able to track their luggage as well as the ability to let friends and family know their whereabouts. The shell is tracked using LongFi hotspots installed along the Camino. If one were to lose their phone or it were to get damaged or run out of battery, the Pilgrim and their luggage can still be located anywhere in the world within their Pilgrims Wallet.