- Over 27,000 drivers pledged to participate in TADA’s S$1 Million pilot ‘Hotpot’ initiative, aimed at a new economic model of value sharing, rejecting high-commission models
- Singapore’s first zero-commission platform also leverages blockchain for Verifiable Driver Rewards to challenge legacy models
TADA, Singapore’s first zero-commission ride-hailing platform, launched ‘Hotpot’, a new pilot initiative, backed by an initial S$1 Million of TADA’s investment. This initiative is designed to support and stand behind drivers in rejecting high-commission platforms, while simultaneously rewarding them based on a transparent, verified record of their trips and efforts.
The ‘Hotpot’ initiative addresses the market failure where high commissions and opaque algorithms squeeze earnings from drivers. This forces drivers to work longer hours to maintain their income, contributing to a driver shortage.
Consequently, commuters face high, fluctuating fares that can sometimes exceed S$40 on high-demand routes. These high-commission models allocate most of the financial strain to drivers.
Built on the MVL blockchain’s transparent public ledger, ‘Hotpot’ records driver activity openly and transparently, rewarding them fairly for their work on the platform. This system fundamentally departs from proprietary loyalty schemes, which are controlled and can be devalued by the platform, to establish a true, community-driven mobility ecosystem.
A New Economic Model of Value Sharing
On the financial front, drivers are navigating a new landscape of rising operational costs, like high COEs, and new mandatory long-term financial contributions. While rigid high-commission models leave drivers to absorb these pressures alone, TADA is creating a new system for drivers to benefit from the platform that they power.
“There is a major disconnect in the ride-hailing industry with rigid business models that have gone unchallenged for far too long. Traditional ride-hailing platforms are engineered to make a profit by squeezing value from both drivers and riders through opaque algorithms and high commissions,” said Kay Woo, Founder of TADA and MVL.
Founder and Group CEO of MVLLABS
“Drivers shouldn’t be paying away their earnings in commissions, and riders shouldn’t be accepting cost-climbing fares as ‘the norm’. This is an opportunity to make a stand to Say No to Commission and build a fairer system, where everyone will share the value they create”.
‘Hotpot’ is the ethical mechanism for value distribution in the ride-hailing sector, giving drivers a transparent, verifiable, and long-term stake in the ecosystem. Early indicators also show strong traction and support for ‘Hotpot’ from drivers as participation and earnings have risen steadily, with more drivers joining the pilot initiative. Here are the results from the very first Friday, 12 December, of this movement.
How ‘Hotpot’ Works
‘Hotpot’ is a community-driven reward system that gives drivers TADA points for every trip they complete. There are significant benefits for drivers to participate in ‘Hotpot’:
- Drivers earn TADA Points for every trip they complete. The number of TADA points a driver accumulates determines their eligibility for Group Rewards, which provide additional cash incentives every Friday from 5 PM to 10 PM.
- Drivers are grouped based on their ranking: Gold for the top 20%, Silver for ranks 21–50%, and Bronze for ranks 51–100%.
- When all drivers collectively reach a target, e.g. 10,000 trips, participating drivers enjoy an Upsized Hotpot, receiving a 2× multiplier on their Group Rewards.
- This mechanism shifts earnings from short-term, individual bonuses to a verifiable system where collective effort directly enhances every driver’s income, ensuring they share in the value they create.
To make these rewards fully transparent, all contributions are recorded on the MVL blockchain, creating a tamper-proof record of each driver’s impact. This system gives drivers a long-term, verifiable stake in the ecosystem, preparing them to become future owners of mobility data and next-generation services like autonomous vehicles.
“This isn’t a promotion or marketing gimmick,” Woo clarified, “We named this ‘Hotpot’ because in Asian culture, a hotpot is a meal where everyone contributes to the central pot and shares its flavour. This is our call for a more open, more equitable mobility future for Singapore. We are here to show that mobility can be built on fairness, and that the people who move the city deserve to benefit from it.”
‘Hotpot’ is the first step in TADA and MVL’s long-term vision. Their next tangible phase, scheduled for early next year, is to introduce community decision making, dedicate enhanced capital and resources to scale this initiative in the region. Their ultimate goal is to build a system that gives drivers a verifiable voice in shaping future decisions in the ride-hailing sector as well as TADA’s business.
About TADA
TADA is the world’s first zero-commission ride-hailing platform founded on the belief that mobility should be fair, transparent, and collectively rewarding. Established in Singapore in 2018, TADA is part of MVLLABS Pte. Ltd., a Web3 mobility network building an onchain, transparent, and participatory transportation ecosystem. With operations across Cambodia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, TADA is creating a model where both drivers and riders directly benefit from the value they help generate. Through its people-first approach, TADA advances a fairer way for cities to move — one built on trust, shared success, and genuine participation. For more information, visit tada.global.
About MVL Foundation Pte. Ltd. (“MVL”)
Founded in 2018, MVL (Mass Vehicle Ledger) is a Web3 mobility ecosystem integrating ride-hailing, electric vehicles, and on-chain services. The MVL blockchain records real-world mobility data to power transparent incentives and fair value sharing.
Its flagship platform, TADA, is one of Asia’s leading zero-commission ride-hailing apps. MVL is also expanding internationally, providing its technology to driver-owned platforms in the United States. MVL’s mission is to build a fair, transparent, and decentralized mobility infrastructure, allowing all participants to share in the value they create. For more information, visit www.mvlchain.io.
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