FORUS is an acronym that stands for Free, Open, Realtime, Ubiquitous and Secure.
FORUS represents a new paradigm that allows anyone to transact and do business anywhere and we are proud of the role this can play in both developed and undeveloped markets.
Collaboration, cooperatives, and community and worker-owned enterprise are a route to a strong economy. Cooperatives have turned countries around and are a proven model. Capitalism is failing, now is not the time to look at the scoreboard, inequality is growing, and we need to turn it around fast. The 4th Industrial Revolution will not be achieved in meetings but by platforms. Collectively we can address these issues. People need money, they need training and they need access to markets – they need all of those things, not one.
“We have combined the power of social networks, cloud computing, blockchain and smartphones to create an integrated platform.”
SO HOW DOES THIS ALL WORK?
1) FEES
FORUS is free. There are no monthly charges, no transaction fees for customers nor for merchants who accept payment via FORUS. FORUS earns revenue by charging a 3% administration fee for administering interest-free working capital and production finance.
2) DEPOSITING CASH
For someone who is paid in cash, a bank account is difficult to deposit into. One has to go to a physical branch or find one of the few cash machines that accept cash deposits. With FORUS, you can make a deposit at any participating retail store, vendor or link an existing bank card and transfer money directly. No one wants to walk around with cash. Thousands of vulnerable people get mugged and lose cash in fires and floods. The FORUS card replaces physical cash, as the user can load money onto the card and even spend it in areas without internet connectivity, unlike Visa/Mastercard.
3) DEBIT ORDERS & BOUNCE FEES
All money taken out of a FORUS account requires the user to authorise the transaction. Even standing monthly recurring payments require user approval. No money can be taken out of your account, without your specific approval and authorization. That includes FORUS. No one can access your account, but you.
4) FINANCIAL SECURITY
One of the reasons bank accounts are not used is that one does not have control of ones money. Now, if you had R100 in your account last week, will it still reflect R100, or could a charge have gone through. With fees for bounced transactions exceeding R100 per transaction, this has become a real problem for people who live hand to mouth.
5) BUSINESS MODEL & INNOVATION
The move to an open blockchain-based sovereign backed digital currency will revolutionise commerce and finance in Africa. By providing open API integration for Fintech companies and software developers to use digital money, innovation and growth will run rampant. It will lead to an explosion of businesses and industries that will be able to remove friction around payments and embed seamless payments into the Internet of Things.
By freeing us of banks, we also free ourselves of the antiquated notion of interest-based poverty created and consumption lending model that has driven the industry growth for the last ten years. We can now unleash the power of cloud computing, artificial intelligence and block-chain, to solve the challenges of financial growth, eliminating corruption, and providing capital to the millions of unemployed to co-invest in business opportunities in their communities and across Africa.