What if you could use your money to do something good for the world without having to spend it, lock it up or put it at risk?

rTrees allows you to do just that, powered by Ethereum and decentralized finance (DeFi) smart contracts.

It works by activating otherwise idle money — the USD-pegged stablecoin DAI — to generate interest from liquid lending pools (currently about 5.9%), and then donating the accrued interest to Trees for the Future, who use it to plant real trees. (Our friends at The Giving Block help with that final crypto -> charity step.)

For every 1 DAI of interest donated, 10 trees are planted. Users keep control of their DAI at all times and can stop donating at any time they wish.

A new DeFi donation model

This is a brand new way to support causes you value without the sting of seeing your account balance go down. It’s made possible by three permissionless money protocols built on Ethereum — DAI, liquid lending pools, and rDai, the protocol that puts the “r” in rTrees.

rDai allows users to not only earn interest on their DAI, but to redirect that interest to different Ethereum addresses, such as the one supporting rTrees donations.

DAI holders that use rTrees will see no decrease in their financial position, while Trees for the Future will receive real financial contributions that help them accomplish their mission. The experience can feel a bit like conjuring magic money but we assure you it is very real.

These money protocols feel like magic because they change the psychological calculus of supporting the causes you value, and open up a wide expanse of new terrain for innovative financial tools that can more closely align your money and your affinities. rTrees is a cutting-edge project, but it is only the beginning.

Try it out

rTrees is live on Ethereum mainnet at: https://rtrees.dappy.dev

Come check it out! Here’s what you’ll see on the landing page: