LOS ANGELES, Dec. 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Giftz™, a blockchain rewards network, and BLOCKv, a dynamic visual interface layer for blockchain, announced today that they are initiating an alliance. Together, they will enhance customer loyalty and rewards by utilizing blockchain, crypto-points and augmented reality technology. This promising alliance may produce the first blockchain program to get mainstream adoption.



Giftz and BLOCKv aim to dramatically improve how consumers shop and earn rewards. Using blockchain as the underlying technology, Giftz eliminates the need for costly loyalty systems, management personnel, and point of sale infrastructure. Customers earn loyalty tokens via GPS Airdrops, Beacons or QR codes and redeem to a value-based Giftz Card (and app).

BLOCKv provides a much-needed visual display layer for blockchain that includes augmented reality, or virtual objects, called vAtoms.

“I am very excited to work with the BLOCKv team,” said Giftz Founder John Paukulis. "We share the goal of helping drive foot traffic back to local merchants -- and envision a day when you can hold your smartphone up in a mall and walk toward deals floating on your screen displaying price and corresponding rewards value.”

Together these two innovative companies offer any size business a simple and cost-effective way to participate in an enterprise-level loyalty rewards program. Traditional loyalty programs can cost millions of dollars to develop and maintain -- an investment only large corporations can afford. Blockchain solutions, like those offered in the Giftz Network, can disrupt the industry, by dramatically cutting costs and allowing smaller stores to get involved.

This Alliance is significant because large companies, such as Starbucks, have budgets to build and maintain their own mobile apps, but consumers don’t want a myriad of loyalty apps for every store they frequent. Customers want one loyalty currency they can earn everywhere and spend anywhere. Collecting crypto-rewards will be the future of loyalty. According to a TrustNodes survey, 57 percent of shoppers would switch to a competitor that offers cryptocurrency rewards.

The Giftz Network offers tiered rewards tokens called itCoin Silver, itCoin Gold and itCoin Black, their premier token for sale now at giftz.io.

About Giftz

Giftz.io, by Rewards Media, Inc., provides a cost-effective, omnichannel solution for any business to “gift" crypto-rewards called itCoin® (ITC) for customer acquisition, retention and engagement. Giftz is currently rewarding buyers at their TokenSale, which has been rated as one of the top 10 ICOs of 2018 by Inc. Magazine.

About BLOCKv

BLOCKv provides a platform for the developer community to create and distribute vAtoms, which are dynamic, compelling digital goods that provide new models of blockchain utility and commerce potential. The BLOCKv platform provides a trust layer for consumers and businesses to transact with virtual objects in Augmented Reality. During their ICO, BLOCKv raised almost 72,000 Ethereum (ETH).

Contact: Frank Tortorici (908) 875-8908