😳bonuz Engagement Protocol (DNFT)
The bonuz Engagement Protocol is the programmable engagement layer of the bonuz Human Layer. It uses Dynamic NFTs (DNFTs) — stateful on-chain assets that change based on real-world and digital actions — to replace fragile, siloed engagement systems (paper stamps, plastic cards, QR PDFs, centralized loyalty databases) with verifiable, owned, and composable on-chain assets.
DNFTs are not collectibles. They are functional assets with built-in rules, states, and anti-fraud mechanics. They represent the relationship between a brand and a user — encoded on-chain, held in the user's self-custodial wallet, and portable across the bonuz ecosystem.
The bonuz Engagement Protocol is operated by Bonuz Inc. as part of the bonuz Protocol Suite.
DNFT Types
Brands and partners configure DNFTs through the Brand Dashboard (app.bonuz.market) using templates. Each type serves a distinct engagement purpose:
Passes — Access passes (single-use or season), event entry, VIP access, backstage passes. Can be time-bound or unlimited.
Vouchers / Coupons — Redeemable offers: discounts, free items, buy-one-get-one. Single-use or multi-use with a defined redemption count. Expire after a set date or number of uses.
Loyalty Tiers / Punchcards — Progressive engagement tracking. A user's DNFT state updates with each qualifying action (visit, purchase, scan) until a reward threshold is reached. Think digital stamp cards — but on-chain, fraud-proof, and portable.
Memberships / Subscriptions — Ongoing access to benefits, communities, or content. Can be time-bound (monthly, annual) or perpetual. State reflects active/expired/renewed.
Tickets — Event entry with date, time, and venue metadata. Scannable at the door via QR or NFC. State transitions from issued → scanned → attended.
Certificates / Badges — Completion markers for courses, training, achievements. Typically configured as soul-bound (non-transferable) to preserve meaning.
Proof of Visit (PoV) / Proof of Participation (PoP) — Attestations that a user was physically present at a location or participated in an activity. Issued via geo-fenced check-in, QR/NFC scan at a venue, or action verification. These are the building blocks of on-chain reputation within the bonuz graph.
Any DNFT type can be configured as soul-bound (non-transferable) by the issuing partner. Certificates, PoV/PoP, and memberships are soul-bound by default in most templates. Vouchers and passes are typically transferable unless the partner restricts it.
How DNFTs Work — The State Machine
Every DNFT follows a lifecycle managed by the bonuz Engagement Protocol smart contracts. The core states are:
Issued → The DNFT is created by the brand and either distributed directly to a user's wallet or made available for claiming (via QR code, NFC tap, link, or campaign rule).
Active → The user holds the DNFT in their wallet. For loyalty punchcards, the state updates incrementally with each qualifying action. For passes and tickets, active means valid and ready for use.
Redeemed → The user presents the DNFT (via QR scan in the bonuz Lifestyle Wallet) and the brand verifies and processes it. The DNFT state transitions to redeemed. For multi-use vouchers, a redemption counter increments until the limit is reached.
Expired → Time-bound DNFTs that pass their expiry date transition automatically. Expired DNFTs remain in the user's wallet as historical records but cannot be used.
Archived → Fully consumed or expired DNFTs move to an archived state. They remain on-chain as part of the user's engagement history and contribute attestations to their bonuz ID.
State transitions are enforced on-chain. The DNFT's metadata updates to reflect its current state, and the bonuz Lifestyle Wallet renders it accordingly — showing active passes prominently, greying out expired ones, and displaying redemption progress for loyalty cards.
Anti-Fraud & Verification
Traditional engagement systems are plagued by fraud: photocopied vouchers, shared QR codes, fake stamps, duplicate redemptions. The bonuz Engagement Protocol addresses this at the protocol level:
Signature-gated redemption — Redemption requires a cryptographic signature from the brand's authorized address. A user can't self-redeem a voucher; the brand (or their staff via the dashboard/scanner) must co-sign the state transition.
Single-use and multi-use QR/NFC codes — Distribution and redemption codes can be configured as single-scan (one user claims, code expires) or multi-scan with a cap. Each scan is logged on-chain.
Server-verified state updates — For operations requiring real-time validation (e.g., checking if a voucher is still valid before redemption), the bonuz backend verifies the DNFT's on-chain state before authorizing the transition. This prevents race conditions and double-redemptions.
On-chain state as source of truth — Because DNFT states live on-chain, there's no central database to manipulate. A redeemed voucher is redeemed permanently. A scanned ticket can't be scanned again. The blockchain serves as the tamper-proof audit log.
Geo-fencing (for PoV/PoP) — Proof-of-Visit attestations can require the user to be within a defined geographic radius, verified via the bonuz Lifestyle Wallet's location services, before the DNFT is issued.
On-Chain Mechanics
The bonuz Engagement Protocol emits protocol-level events for each state transition. These events are indexed and used across the ecosystem:
DNFTIssued — A new DNFT is created and assigned to a user or made claimable
DNFTClaimed — A user claims an available DNFT
DNFTStateUpdated — The DNFT's state changes (e.g., loyalty counter increments, membership renewed)
DNFTRedeemed — The DNFT is successfully redeemed at a point of interaction
DNFTExpired — The DNFT reaches its expiry condition
DNFTArchived — The DNFT moves to permanent archival
Gas is sponsored on all core DNFT actions — claiming, redeeming, state updates, and quest completions — so users never need to hold native tokens or think about transaction fees for engagement flows.
Connection to bonuz ID
Every DNFT interaction contributes to the user's on-chain history. When a user has an active bonuz ID, these interactions become attestations — verifiable records of engagement, visits, achievements, and loyalty that build portable reputation within the bonuz graph.
For example: a user who holds 15 redeemed PoV attestations from a restaurant chain, a Gold-tier loyalty DNFT, and 3 event attendance badges carries a verifiable engagement history that any permissioned app or brand in the ecosystem can read (with the user's consent via the bonuz ID permission model).
This is what turns individual brand campaigns into network effects. DNFTs don't just serve the issuing brand — they enrich the shared bonuz graph.
How Brands Create DNFTs
Brands don't write smart contracts. They use the Brand Dashboard (app.bonuz.market) to create DNFT-based campaigns through a no-code interface:
Choose a template — Select from pre-built templates for the target vertical: Events, F&B, Retail, Entertainment, Education, and more.
Configure the DNFT — Set the type (pass, voucher, loyalty, membership, ticket, certificate, PoV/PoP), define rules (expiry, redemption limits, soul-bound toggle, supply cap), and upload creative assets (images, descriptions).
Set distribution method — Choose how users receive the DNFT: QR code (printed or digital), NFC tag, shareable link, in-app campaign, or automatic distribution based on quest completion.
Launch and monitor — Distribute the campaign and track engagement in real-time: claims, redemptions, active holders, conversion rates, and geographic distribution.
No development team required. The dashboard abstracts the protocol complexity into a familiar campaign-builder interface.
Real-World Examples
Restaurant loyalty punchcard — A café issues a loyalty DNFT: buy 9 coffees, get the 10th free. Each purchase is verified by a staff QR scan. The DNFT state updates on-chain with each scan. At 9 stamps, the DNFT becomes redeemable for the free coffee. No paper cards to lose, no stamps to fake.
Music festival pass + PoV — A festival distributes access pass DNFTs to ticket holders. At each stage and activation zone, attendees scan NFC tags to collect Proof-of-Visit attestations. After the event, attendees with 5+ PoVs unlock an exclusive merch voucher DNFT. All verifiable, all owned by the user.
Brand membership — A retail brand issues a membership DNFT with tiered benefits (Silver → Gold → Platinum). The DNFT state evolves based on cumulative spend or engagement actions. Members carry their status across the bonuz ecosystem — a Gold member at Brand A has verifiable reputation visible (with permission) to Brand B.
Education certificate — A training provider issues soul-bound certificate DNFTs upon course completion. The certificate lives permanently in the user's wallet and is verifiable on-chain by any employer or institution. No PDFs to forge, no centralized database to query.
Design Philosophy
DNFTs in the bonuz ecosystem are not meant for speculation or resale. They are engagement assets — their value comes from the utility they unlock, the reputation they build, and the relationships they represent. This is a deliberate design choice: bonuz DNFTs serve real-world purposes, not secondary market trading.
The purpose of each DNFT is defined by the issuing partner. bonuz provides the protocol rails, the anti-fraud infrastructure, and the distribution tools. What brands build on top of those rails is limited only by creativity, logic, and feasibility.
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