Hey everyone. I’m Alex, a developer and absolute ICP enthusiast. I’ve been building something that solves one of the biggest blockers in crypto adoption: the technical barrier to entry
It’s called Claino, and it lets you send and receive crypto without wallets, logins, or seed phrases - just by scanning a voucher.
Each voucher is a secure claim on funds stored in a Canister. You scan it in a browser, hit redeem, and the crypto is transferred to your wallet. Or you don’t redeem it - you just pass it on.
It’s like handing someone cash. But programmable. And decentralized.
Why I’m Building This
Crypto has so much potential - but most people I talk to feel like they’re locked out of it. There’s too much setup, too many things to understand just to try it out.
I wanted to build something that gets out of the way - something people can use without needing to learn how it all works first.
With Claino, you can:
• Send someone crypto as a birthday gift with a link or QR code
• Get paid for a service with a voucher you can redeem later
• Print a reward and hand it out at a meetup
• Trade vouchers for cash or goods in person, peer-to-peer
It’s crypto you can hold - and hand over - like a physical object.
How Does It Work?
When you send crypto (ICP, ckBTC, or any ICRC-1 token) to the Claino canister, you get a voucher in return. This is just a hash that represents the right to redeem, but a Web Interface will embed it something more user-friendly like a QR code.
That voucher:
• Isn’t tied to a wallet
• Can be a QR code or a link, and even printed on paper
• Can be redeemed later, or passed on again
Whoever holds the voucher, holds the value.
When you send crypto (ICP, ckBTC, or any ICRC-1 token) to the Claino canister, you get a voucher in return.
That voucher:
• Isn’t tied to a wallet
• Can be a QR code, a link, a word - even printed on paper
• Can be redeemed later, or passed on again
Whoever holds the voucher, holds the value.
When they’re ready, they can scan it, connect a wallet, and redeem the funds. No setup was needed to hold the value - just to claim it.
I’m also building a simple UI that works for both ends of the spectrum - whether you’re crypto-native and just want to plug in Plug or Bitfinity, or brand new and need clear, step-by-step guidance. The goal is to make the whole experience feel easy and familiar, no matter who’s using it.
What You Can Do With Vouchers
Vouchers aren’t just blank checks. They’re programmable - you can set rules and conditions like:
• Expiration - Auto-refund if unused by a set date
• Unlock Time - Only redeemable after a future date
• Password Protection - Add a secret to unlock
• Identity Lock - Redeemable only by a specific principal
• Multi-Approval - Require 2-of-3 or similar before release
• Designated Beneficiary - Locked to someone from the start
• Fragmentable (and Private) - Split into new vouchers without touching a wallet
That last one is really exciting: it lets you transfer value privately, without ever showing who held it before. It’s like passing an envelope of cash - except it’s on-chain and secure.
A Quick Example
Let’s say Alice wants to send Bob 0.01 ckBTC for his birthday.
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She sends ckBTC to the Claino canister.
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She gets a QR code and sends it to Bob.
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Bob scans it and redeems the ckBTC - done.
No wallet needed to receive. No extension needed to hold it. Just value, handed over.
Another Example: Privacy in Practice
Imagine you’re using a crypto-enabled app that knows your identity - maybe due to KYC - and it can see your wallet balance. If you’re holding large amounts, that can become a personal security risk.
Instead of transferring tokens directly, you create a voucher worth 100 ICP. When you want to pay someone - say, Bob - you don’t make a direct transfer. You just “redeem part” of the voucher, telling the system to transfer 50 ICP to Bob’s principal.
Bob gets the funds, but there’s no way to link the payment back to your personal wallet or full balance. Your exposure is limited. Your privacy is preserved.
This isn’t just a feature - it’s a different way to think about holding and sending value.
Why I Think This Matters
This makes crypto feel real - like something you can use, gift, or trade without explaining Metamask or what a seed phrase is.
It opens up:
• Gifting and promotions with built-in conditions
• Peer-to-peer payments, no apps or accounts
• Escrow and team-based approvals with no third party
• Fully anonymous crypto transfer
• In-person exchange - without phones or logins
And most importantly - it’s usable even if you know nothing about crypto. That’s the whole point.
What’s Working Now, and What’s Next
Right now, I’m actively building support for ICP and all ICRC-1 tokens (like ckBTC, ckETH, etc.). The core system - issuing, redeeming, and managing vouchers - is under development and being tested in parts.
Next, I’ll focus on:
• Polishing the UX so non-technical users can get it immediately
• Adding native support for Bitcoin and Ethereum using Chain Fusion
• Building a decentralized marketplace where people can trade crypto for fiat leveraging Claino safety features like confirmations.
A Few Technical Things I’m Still Working Out
• Canister Memory
Vouchers live in stable memory, but volume adds up. I’m exploring data partitioning and archiving to stay under the heap memory limit.
• USD Pricing
I use the Exchange Rate Canister to get token prices in USD - but it costs around 1B cycles per request. If you’ve got ideas for making that cheaper or more efficient, I’d love to hear them.
Looking for Feedback
• What features would be useful in a system like this?
• Are there redemption conditions or edge cases I haven’t thought of?
• Got any creative use cases you’d like to see supported?
• Tips for scaling or pricing are also very welcome.
I’m especially curious what other IC builders think - or anyone trying to make crypto easier for everyday people.
Feel free to comment here or DM me - and I’d love to talk more on Discord too.
Let’s make crypto something you can actually hand someone.
Let’s make it real.