Overconsumption has become routine and dangerous. Most of what we buy ends up sitting idle or tossed aside, contributing to rising waste and environmental damage. Arman Sarhaddar, founder and CEO of ivault, believes the way out is simple: we need to stop buying things we don’t use and start sharing the things we already own.
ivault is an app designed to make that easy. During a recent AMA with Jack Niewold, the host and founder of Decypher Podcast, Sarhaddar explained how blockchain and crypto fit into that vision.
A Marketplace Where Less Is More
The idea behind ivault is clear: give people a secure and simple way to rent, sell, or donate items they aren’t using. A neighbor wants to borrow your lawnmower? List it for $10. Someone needs a drill just once? Rent it instead of buying one. Users earn eco-points for these actions, points that can be exchanged for $iVAULT tokens or used to cover listing fees.
“It’s an app made for the community, with the community, and for the community,” Sarhaddar said during the podcast. “We tell people how much they can earn from lending, and they get rewarded for sustainable behavior”.
Unlike typical marketplaces, ivault charges a flat $1 fee to list an item and takes no commission. There’s no middleman eating into your earnings.
Why Blockchain?
For Sarhaddar, using blockchain wasn’t about hype; it was about solving specific problems: trust, privacy, and cost. “Imagine any blockchain being hacked and someone walking away with data,” he said. “Never happened.”
The blockchain infrastructure gives users ownership of their data and transactions. Smart contracts handle payments behind the scenes. The app itself doesn’t feel like a crypto product; it feels like a normal marketplace.
“If the consumer doesn’t even notice a smart contract is behind it, then it’s built right,” Sarhaddar said.
A System Born from Personal Loss
The project has roots in Sarhaddar’s own experience. Years ago, while moving from Miami to Switzerland, he discovered his storage unit had been emptied. “It was a production studio. Everything was gone,” he recalled. “That’s when I thought, why didn’t I record all of it, take photos, serial numbers, something?”
That idea led to the patented system behind ivault, where users register items as digital twins on-chain for proof of ownership.
Making Sustainability Rewarding
While most people agree that we need to cut back, habits are hard to break. Sarhaddar knows financial incentives matter. “Crypto is money-driven,” he said. “If you tell someone, rent out your stuff and make $10, they’ll do it. If you also reward them for it, they’ll keep doing it.”
That reward loop is central to the app’s tokenomics. 25% of token supply is reserved for user rewards. And unlike legacy companies with billions in reserves to fund loyalty programs, ivault uses token design to build its own.
Built for the Real World
As of today, ivault has over 100,000 installs and thousands of active users. The app is especially popular in Southeast Asia, parts of Africa, and South America, places where inflation, poverty, and rising costs have made borrowing more practical than buying.
Sarhaddar sees growth potential in university cities, where Gen Z users are already used to sharing and value-conscious living. “They’re more emotionally warm, more open,” he said. “They help their neighbors. That’s where we start.”
A Fairer System
ivault’s approach is deliberately unflashy. No complicated crypto jargon. No promises to change the world. Just a better way to access what we need securely, affordably, and with lower impact.
“You don’t need to buy an electric drill if you use it once in your life,” Sarhaddar said. “Rent it. Save money. Avoid waste. Feel good about it.”
That’s the offer: simple transactions, full control over your data, and real-world rewards for doing the right thing. Nothing more. Nothing less.
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