Frequently asked questions

Ask us anything

474 questions, answered plainly — including the ones with uncomfortable answers. If something here is unclear or missing, check our work or write to us.

About the Tide

  • What is The Tide?

    The Tide is a global kindness movement built around a simple idea: individual acts of kindness can become something much bigger when we act together. $STARFISH and blockchain technology are tools that help make our collective impact more transparent, measurable, accountable, and open to people around the world.

  • Is The Tide a cryptocurrency project?

    The Tide is a global kindness movement first. $STARFISH and blockchain technology are simply tools that help power certain parts of the ecosystem and make our collective impact more transparent and measurable.

  • What is the mission of The Tide?

    Our mission is to inspire people around the world to perform, recognize, and share acts of kindness while turning individual participation into measurable collective impact.

  • What does “Small Acts of Kindness. Endless Waves.” mean?

    One small act can inspire another. One person creates a ripple, ripples become waves, and together those waves create The Tide.

  • Why is it called The Tide?

    A tide is made up of countless movements of water acting together. The name represents our belief that individual acts of kindness can combine to create something much larger than any one person could accomplish alone.

  • Why does The Tide use a starfish?

    The starfish represents the timeless idea that helping even one individual matters. The Tide expands that idea by asking what could happen if millions of people each chose to pick up their own starfish.

  • What does The Tide's starfish mascot represent?

    Our starfish represents kindness, participation, hope, and the belief that every person has the ability to make a difference.

  • Is The Tide a charity?

    The Tide is a global kindness movement and ecosystem that supports independent Wave Partners. The legal structure and status of The Tide itself should not be confused with the charitable or nonprofit status of individual Wave Partners.

  • Is The Tide only about donating money?

    No. Money is only one way to create impact. Performing an act of kindness, helping another person, nominating a worthy cause, sharing an act that inspires others, voting, volunteering, and spreading kindness can all be part of The Tide.

  • Does an act of kindness have to cost money?

    Absolutely not. Many of the most meaningful acts of kindness cost nothing.

  • Does an act of kindness have to be something huge?

    No. The Tide is built around the opposite idea: seemingly small acts can matter.

  • Why build a movement around something people can already do themselves?

    Because individual acts are powerful, but seeing millions of people acting together can inspire even more participation and demonstrate the collective impact ordinary people can create.

  • Is The Tide only for people who understand cryptocurrency?

    No. We intentionally designed The Tide with crypto newcomers in mind.

  • Do I need to understand blockchain to participate?

    No.

  • Do I need $STARFISH to join The Tide?

    No.

  • Do I need to buy $STARFISH to support The Tide?

    No.

  • What can I do without owning $STARFISH?

    You can upload acts of kindness, nominate future Wave Partners, directly support Wave Partners, share The Tide with others, and participate in the broader movement.

  • What currently requires $STARFISH?

    Voting for the Monthly Wave Partner requires an eligible wallet holding at least 1 $STARFISH.

  • Can I donate to a Wave Partner without owning cryptocurrency?

    Yes.

  • Can I participate without ever opening a crypto wallet?

    Yes. Several major parts of The Tide require no wallet at all.

  • Is The Tide intended to be global?

    Yes. We would love for nearly anyone, anywhere in the world to be able to participate. Availability of certain crypto-related features will always depend on local laws, regulations, sanctions, wallets, exchanges, and third-party service providers.

  • Does The Tide belong to a political party?

    No. The Tide is intended to bring people together around kindness and positive impact rather than partisan politics.

  • Is The Tide affiliated with a particular religion?

    No. The Tide is intended to welcome people from many cultures, backgrounds, beliefs, and walks of life.

  • What does “collective impact” mean?

    It means looking at what happens when millions of individual acts, votes, donations, and other contributions are viewed together instead of as isolated actions.

  • What is the ultimate goal of The Tide?

    To demonstrate what can happen when ordinary people around the world choose to make a difference together.

About $STARFISH

  • What is $STARFISH?

    $STARFISH is the digital token that connects people to The Tide community and helps power participation in the movement.

  • What does $STARFISH stand for?

    $STARFISH is short for Starfish, reflecting the starfish at the heart of The Tide story.

  • What blockchain is $STARFISH built on?

    $STARFISH is built on Base, a public blockchain network built on Ethereum.

  • Why does The Tide have a token?

    $STARFISH provides a digital layer that can connect community participation, voting, public blockchain records, and The Tide's Return to the Sea mechanism within one ecosystem.

  • Is $STARFISH required for everything?

    No. This is an important distinction. Many of the most meaningful ways to participate in The Tide require no cryptocurrency whatsoever.

  • Is $STARFISH a membership fee?

    No.

  • Does $STARFISH represent stock in The Tide?

    No.

  • Does owning $STARFISH give me ownership of The Tide?

    No.

  • Does owning $STARFISH make me an owner or shareholder of a company?

    No.

  • Does $STARFISH pay dividends?

    No.

  • Do $STARFISH holders receive a percentage of The Tide's profits?

    No.

  • Does simply holding $STARFISH earn interest?

    No guaranteed interest or return is associated with simply holding $STARFISH.

  • Is $STARFISH a stablecoin?

    No.

  • Is $STARFISH pegged to the U.S. dollar?

    No.

  • Can $STARFISH's value go up and down?

    Yes. $STARFISH can increase or decrease in market value.

  • Could $STARFISH lose most or all of its value?

    Yes. Anyone acquiring $STARFISH should understand and accept that possibility.

  • Does The Tide guarantee $STARFISH will increase in value?

    No.

  • Does The Tide make $STARFISH price predictions?

    No. The Tide does not promise or predict future $STARFISH prices.

  • Is $STARFISH intended to be an investment?

    $STARFISH is intended as a participation and utility token within The Tide ecosystem and is not offered or promoted as an investment product.

  • Why does The Tide avoid investment language?

    Because $STARFISH is being built around participation, purpose, community, transparency, and positive impact rather than promises of financial returns.

  • What if my only interest is making money from $STARFISH?

    If your only interest is short-term speculation and not the mission or purpose behind The Tide, $STARFISH may not be the right fit for you.

  • Does The Tide want pump-and-dump traders?

    No. The purpose of The Tide is to build something positive and meaningful rather than attract people solely through speculative hype.

  • Can The Tide stop someone from speculating on $STARFISH?

    Once a token is traded on permissionless markets, The Tide cannot control every person's reason for acquiring or selling it. What we can control is how we build, communicate, and operate The Tide.

  • What utility does $STARFISH currently have?

    Current utility includes participation in The Tide's monthly Wave Partner voting process, use within the Return-to-the-Sea Proof of Impact system, and economic participation through the 1.0% IMPACT Fee applied to every $STARFISH buy and sell through The Tide's liquidity pool.

  • Do I need $STARFISH to nominate a Wave Partner?

    No.

  • Do I need $STARFISH to upload an act of kindness?

    No.

  • Do I need $STARFISH to make a community donation?

    No.

  • Do I need $STARFISH to vote?

    Yes. An eligible wallet must hold at least 1 $STARFISH.

  • Does buying $STARFISH automatically count as a charitable donation?

    No. Every $STARFISH buy and sell through The Tide's liquidity pool includes a 1.0% IMPACT Fee that supports the current Wave Partner, but acquiring $STARFISH itself is not a charitable donation.

  • Does simply holding $STARFISH create a donation?

    No. Simply holding $STARFISH does not create a charitable donation or generate an IMPACT Fee. The IMPACT Fee applies when $STARFISH is bought or sold through The Tide's liquidity pool.

$STARFISH Supply and Token Controls

  • What is the maximum supply of $STARFISH?

    1,000,000,000 $STARFISH.

  • How many $STARFISH will be minted?

    All 1,000,000,000 $STARFISH will be minted at launch.

  • Can more than 1 billion $STARFISH ever be created?

    No. All 1 billion $STARFISH are created once, at launch. The token program has no function that can create more, and no owner who could add one.

  • Could the founders decide to mint more $STARFISH later?

    No.

  • Could a future DAO vote to mint additional $STARFISH?

    No. The token program has no way to create more $STARFISH and cannot be changed after it goes live, so no vote, DAO or team can add any.

  • Why build $STARFISH so that more can never be created?

    It makes the 1 billion maximum supply verifiable rather than simply asking the community to trust a promise that additional $STARFISH will not be created.

  • Can $STARFISH be frozen?

    No. The token program has no pause switch and no blacklist, so no one can freeze anyone's $STARFISH.

  • What does having no pause switch or blacklist mean?

    Nobody, including The Tide, can stop ordinary $STARFISH from being moved or single out a holder's $STARFISH.

  • Can The Tide add a freeze later?

    No. The token program has no owner and cannot be changed after it goes live.

  • Why build $STARFISH with no owner, no way to create more and no freeze?

    It reduces centralized control and gives the community additional confidence that the supply cannot be expanded and ordinary $STARFISH cannot later be arbitrarily frozen.

  • Where can I verify these authorities?

    Once $STARFISH is live, The Tide will provide blockchain explorer access through the official website so anyone can independently inspect $STARFISH and relevant Tide blockchain activity.

$STARFISH Tokenomics, Allocations, and Founder Vesting

  • How is the fixed 1 billion $STARFISH supply allocated?

    Liquidity / Public Launch: 50% (500,000,000 $STARFISH)

    Founder & Team: 15% (150,000,000 $STARFISH)

    Tide Operations & Growth: 15% (150,000,000 $STARFISH)

    Community Wallet: 10% (100,000,000 $STARFISH)

    Kindness Wallet: 10% (100,000,000 $STARFISH)

  • Does $STARFISH have an anti-whale or maximum-wallet restriction?

    No. The current $STARFISH structure does not impose a hard maximum-wallet percentage or anti-whale ownership cap.

  • Does the absence of a wallet cap mean large holders receive more voting power?

    No. Wave Partner voting is not token weighted. An eligible wallet receives one vote whether it holds 1 $STARFISH or a much larger amount.

  • What is the Founder & Team allocation?

    15% of the total supply, or 150,000,000 $STARFISH.

  • Is the Founder & Team allocation immediately available at launch?

    No. The Founder & Team allocation is subject to a 12-month cliff beginning at token launch. No scheduled Founder & Team tokens vest during the first 12 months.

  • What happens after the 12-month cliff?

    Following the 12-month cliff, the Founder & Team allocation vests evenly over the next 36 months.

  • What is the overall Founder & Team vesting horizon?

    Approximately four years from launch: a 12-month cliff followed by 36 months of even vesting.

  • Why use a long-term vesting schedule?

    The purpose is long-term alignment rather than immediate access to the Founder & Team allocation.

  • Will Founder & Team vesting be transparent?

    The Tide intends to publish relevant project wallets and vesting information so the community can verify important parts of the token structure.

  • Is the Founder & Team allocation the same as the Tide Operations & Growth allocation?

    No. They are separate 15% allocations with different purposes in the published tokenomics.

Return $STARFISH to the Sea

  • What does “Return $STARFISH to the Sea” mean?

    It is The Tide's name for permanently removing designated $STARFISH from active circulation.

  • Why call it “Return to the Sea” instead of “burning”?

    Because it connects the technical action to the starfish story at the heart of The Tide.

  • Where does $STARFISH go when it is Returned to the Sea?

    It is sent to a publicly identifiable burn address designated by The Tide.

  • Can $STARFISH that has been Returned to the Sea ever come back?

    No. Returned means Returned to the Sea Forever.

  • Can the community verify these transactions?

    Yes. Return-to-the-Sea activity is publicly visible on the Base blockchain and can be inspected through the explorer resources available from The Tide website.

  • Does The Tide keep the $STARFISH that is supposedly Returned?

    No. The purpose of the burn address is to permanently separate those tokens from usable circulation.

  • What is The Tide's overall Return to the Sea goal?

    Up to 200,000,000 $STARFISH.

  • What percentage of the original supply does that represent?

    20% of the original 1 billion $STARFISH.

  • What are the two Return-to-the-Sea categories?

    Up to 100 million $STARFISH can be Returned through verified acts of kindness, and up to another 100 million can be Returned through qualifying contributions benefiting Wave Partners, including verified IMPACT Fee proceeds and community donations.

  • Is The Tide guaranteeing that all 200 million $STARFISH will eventually be Returned?

    No. It is a goal and maximum under the current program, not a guaranteed result.

  • What happens after 200 million $STARFISH have been Returned?

    Under the current program, the Return-to-the-Sea goal would have been achieved.

  • Why connect real-world impact to $STARFISH?

    It creates a measurable connection between community activity and permanent activity inside The Tide's digital ecosystem.

Acts of Kindness and $STARFISH

  • How does an Act of Kindness Return $STARFISH to the Sea?

    Each verified act of kindness causes 1 $STARFISH to be Returned to the Sea Forever, up to the 100 million $STARFISH allocation for verified acts.

  • Does the $STARFISH come from the person who uploaded the act?

    No.

  • Do I receive $STARFISH for performing an act of kindness?

    No.

  • Do I receive $STARFISH for uploading an act?

    No. The token action goes in the opposite direction: $STARFISH is Returned to the Sea.

  • Why not financially reward people for acts of kindness?

    The Tide wants to encourage genuine kindness rather than give people a financial reason to manufacture or exaggerate acts simply to earn tokens.

  • If one million acts are verified, what happens?

    One million $STARFISH would be Returned to the Sea under the acts-of-kindness program, assuming the program limit had not already been reached.

  • What happens once 100 million verified acts have been reached?

    People can continue performing and sharing acts of kindness, but the current 100 million $STARFISH Return allocation for that category would have been completed.

  • Do pre-launch beta-test acts count toward the official public total?

    No. Current beta submissions and test totals will be reset to zero before public launch. Official public act counting and the associated Return-to-the-Sea activity begin from zero when The Tide goes live.

  • Does the market price of $STARFISH affect the “1 act = 1 $STARFISH” formula?

    No.

IMPACT Fees, Donations, and the $1 = 1 $STARFISH Formula

  • What is the IMPACT Fee?

    Every $STARFISH buy and sell through The Tide's liquidity pool includes a 1.0% IMPACT Fee. It creates a direct connection between $STARFISH trading activity and support for the current Wave Partner.

  • Does the whole 1.0% reach the Wave Partner?

    Almost. UNCX, the service that holds The Tide's permanent lock, keeps 2% of the fees each time they are collected. The other 98% of what The Tide's permanently locked position earns is directed to the current Wave Partner.

    On a $1,000 trade through The Tide's pool, the IMPACT Fee is $10.00. While The Tide provides all of the pool's liquidity, its locked position earns all $10.00; UNCX keeps $0.20 when the fees are collected, and $9.80 supports the Wave Partner.

    Trades on pools The Tide did not create do not generate the IMPACT Fee. Uniswap may add a small protocol fee of its own on top; the trader pays it, and it is not part of the IMPACT Fee.

  • Who receives the IMPACT Fee?

    100% of the IMPACT Fees received by The Tide are directed to the current Wave Partner.

  • Does The Tide, the Founder, or the team keep any part of the IMPACT Fee?

    No. Under the published commitment, The Tide, the Founder, and the team retain 0% of the IMPACT Fee.

  • Is the IMPACT Fee the same thing as a community donation?

    No. A $STARFISH trade is not a charitable donation. The IMPACT Fee is an ecosystem-generated fee that The Tide directs to the current Wave Partner.

  • Do third-party exchange, protocol, or Base network fees count as the IMPACT Fee?

    No. Third-party and Base network fees are separate. The Tide can only commit the IMPACT Fees it actually receives or controls.

  • How do financial contributions cause $STARFISH to be Returned to the Sea?

    For every verified $1 USD attributable to qualifying IMPACT Fee proceeds and community donations benefiting Wave Partners, 1 $STARFISH is Returned to the Sea Forever, up to the 100 million $STARFISH allocation for that contribution category.

  • If $100 is verified, are 100 $STARFISH Returned?

    Yes, provided the applicable Return-to-the-Sea limit has not been reached.

  • Does “$1 = 1 $STARFISH Returned” mean $STARFISH is worth $1?

    Absolutely not.

  • Is $STARFISH pegged to $1?

    No.

  • If $STARFISH trades for 10 cents, does a verified $1 still cause 1 $STARFISH to be Returned?

    Yes.

  • If $STARFISH trades for $5, does a verified $1 still cause 1 $STARFISH to be Returned?

    Yes.

  • Why?

    Because this is an impact-accounting formula, not a market-price formula.

  • Does Returning $STARFISH to the Sea guarantee the remaining $STARFISH will become more valuable?

    No.

  • Could $STARFISH decrease in price while $STARFISH is being Returned to the Sea?

    Yes.

  • Is The Tide promising that reducing active supply will increase $STARFISH's price?

    No.

  • What does “100% for good” mean?

    For the IMPACT Fee, The Tide retains 0% and directs 100% of the IMPACT Fees it receives to the current Wave Partner. For community donations, The Tide takes 0%; donations go directly to Wave Partners through their donation systems, subject to any independent third-party processing fees.

Liquidity

  • What is liquidity?

    Liquidity is what allows a token to be exchanged in a market without every transaction requiring a specific buyer and seller to find one another directly.

  • What is a liquidity pool?

    A liquidity pool contains assets that allow a decentralized exchange to facilitate swaps between them.

  • Who is providing The Tide's initial liquidity?

    The Tide's initial liquidity is being funded by the project rather than asking the community to provide the original pool.

  • Can The Tide pull the initial liquidity back out later?

    No. The launch structure is designed so the designated initial liquidity will be permanently locked and non-withdrawable by The Tide.

  • Why permanently lock the initial liquidity?

    It provides stronger assurance that the designated launch liquidity cannot simply be removed later by the project.

  • Does permanently locked liquidity guarantee a particular market price or level of liquidity forever?

    No. Permanent locking of the designated initial liquidity does not guarantee price, trading volume, market depth, or future market conditions.

  • Does The Tide need to withdraw the locked liquidity in order to support Wave Partners?

    No. Wave Partner support generated by $STARFISH trading comes through the 1.0% IMPACT Fee, which is the trading fee the locked liquidity keeps earning. Collecting those fees never withdraws the liquidity itself.

  • How will the community be able to verify the liquidity structure?

    The Tide intends to publish relevant blockchain information and official explorer resources so the designated launch-liquidity structure can be independently inspected after launch.

How IMPACT Fees Reach Wave Partners

  • What is the intended IMPACT Fee flow?

    Every $STARFISH buy and sell through The Tide's liquidity pool includes the 1.0% IMPACT Fee. IMPACT Fees received by The Tide are tracked through the applicable project wallets or technical mechanisms and are then directed to the current Wave Partner.

  • Does The Tide keep a percentage during this process?

    No. 100% of the IMPACT Fees received by The Tide are committed to the current Wave Partner.

  • How will people know the IMPACT Fees were actually collected and distributed?

    The Tide intends to make relevant wallets, blockchain activity, and distribution information publicly inspectable wherever practical.

  • Will people be able to follow the movement of funds?

    Yes. Transparency is a foundational goal of the system.

  • How frequently will IMPACT Fees be distributed?

    The exact operational frequency may depend on practical considerations such as transaction costs and the selected Wave Partner's receiving method, but all IMPACT Fees received by The Tide remain committed to the current Wave Partner.

  • What if IMPACT Fees are received in a crypto asset rather than U.S. dollars?

    They may need to be converted or handled appropriately before reaching a Wave Partner, depending on the organization's capabilities and the final operational process.

  • Will that process be documented?

    Yes. The objective is a transparent chain from IMPACT Fee generation through delivery to the Wave Partner.

  • Do verified IMPACT Fee distributions count toward the $1 = 1 $STARFISH Return-to-the-Sea formula?

    Yes. Each verified $1 of qualifying IMPACT Fee proceeds benefiting Wave Partners counts toward the contribution-based Return-to-the-Sea category, subject to the applicable 100 million $STARFISH program limit.

  • Will the exact technical implementation be published?

    Yes. The exact implementation, relevant addresses, and on-chain components will be published through official Tide channels as they become operational.

Community Donations

  • What is a community donation?

    It is a voluntary contribution made by a community member in support of a current or previous Wave Partner.

  • Do I need $STARFISH to donate?

    No.

  • Do I need a crypto wallet to donate?

    No.

  • Does The Tide ever take possession of my donation?

    No. The Tide is intentionally designed so that community donations do not pass through a Tide-controlled bank account.

  • Does The Tide take a percentage of community donations?

    No. The Tide does not take a penny of its members' community donations.

  • Could a third-party donation or payment processor charge a fee?

    Yes. Independent payment providers may charge processing or service fees.

  • Does The Tide receive those processing fees?

    No.

  • How does The Tide verify a donation if it never receives the money?

    The Tide works with each Wave Partner to use the best practical verification method available, such as transaction-level reporting, secure server-to-server confirmations, payment-processor records, webhooks, campaign attribution, or equivalent verified records.

  • Why not require every Wave Partner to use exactly the same donation system?

    Because worthy organizations vary greatly in size, location, technology, and available payment systems. The Tide does not want to exclude a deserving Wave Partner simply because it does not use one specific provider.

  • Who pays to configure The Tide's donation tracking?

    The Tide intends to handle the required Tide-side technology and integration at The Tide's expense rather than making a Wave Partner pay to participate.

  • Will Wave Partners have to rebuild their donation systems for The Tide?

    The goal is to avoid unnecessary burden on the organizations we are trying to support.

  • What happens when a Wave Partner already has a suitable donation platform?

    The Tide can work with the available system to create the most accurate and transparent attribution method practical.

  • How accurate will donation totals be?

    The Tide intends to count verified donation activity rather than relying simply on a donor saying they donated.

  • Does reaching a “Thank You” page automatically prove a donation occurred?

    No. Where technically possible, The Tide will rely on confirmed transaction records rather than a webpage visit.

  • What happens with refunds or chargebacks?

    Verified accounting should reflect reversals and corrections rather than artificially leaving invalid donations in the impact total.

  • Will The Tide distinguish the amount donated from the amount a charity receives after processor fees?

    Where the available payment system provides both figures, The Tide can transparently distinguish the gross donation from the net amount reaching the Wave Partner.

  • Which amount should determine $STARFISH Returned to the Sea?

    The Tide's goal is to use the most defensible verified contribution data available through the selected Wave Partner's donation system.

  • Can I donate directly to a Wave Partner myself?

    Yes.

  • Can I donate to a previous Wave Partner?

    Yes.

  • What is “Build This Wave”?

    It is The Tide's way of allowing people to continue supporting a current or previous Wave Partner.

  • Does a Wave Partner disappear when its featured month is over?

    No.

Wave Partners

  • What is a Wave Partner?

    A Wave Partner is a legitimate, qualified organization or cause selected by The Tide community to receive featured support.

  • Why call them Wave Partners?

    Each organization represents a wave of positive impact within the larger Tide.

  • How does an organization become a Wave Partner?

    It begins with a community nomination, goes through verification and eligibility, may become one of five monthly finalists, and ultimately must be selected by the community through voting.

  • Can The Tide simply appoint a Wave Partner?

    Under the normal process, no. The community chooses from the finalists.

  • Can anyone nominate an organization?

    Yes.

  • Do I need $STARFISH to nominate?

    No.

  • Are nominations always open?

    Yes.

  • What kinds of causes can be nominated?

    The Tide is designed to consider legitimate causes across a broad range of areas, including humanitarian, health, education, poverty, children, animals, environment, community support, disaster relief, and many other forms of positive impact.

  • Does an organization have to be large or famous?

    No.

  • Can a small local organization become a Wave Partner?

    Yes.

  • Does the organization with the biggest social media following automatically win?

    No.

  • Does the organization with the most nominations automatically become a finalist?

    No. Community Interest is one factor in a broader automated selection process.

  • Can an organization pay to become a finalist?

    No.

  • Can an organization pay to become a Wave Partner?

    No.

  • Can The Tide sell finalist positions?

    No.

  • Are nominated organizations verified?

    Yes. An organization must be legitimate, verified, and qualified before entering the eligible pool.

  • What happens once a nominee is verified?

    It remains in the eligible nomination pool until it is selected as a Wave Partner or otherwise becomes ineligible.

  • Does a nominee disappear if it is not selected that month?

    No.

  • Does a nomination expire after three months?

    No. Eligible nominations remain available for future cycles.

  • Can a Wave Partner be selected again?

    No. Once selected as a Wave Partner, the organization is no longer eligible to be selected again under the current Wave Partner rules.

  • Why?

    The goal is to continually expand the number of worthy causes benefiting from The Tide.

  • Can a Wave Partner decline participation?

    Yes.

  • Does being a Wave Partner mean the organization endorses $STARFISH?

    Not necessarily. Receiving support from The Tide community should not automatically be interpreted as an organization's endorsement of cryptocurrency or $STARFISH.

Monthly Finalist Selection

  • How many Wave Partner finalists are there each month?

    Five.

  • Who selects the finalists?

    Four of the five finalists are determined automatically using The Tide's predefined technology and selection criteria. The fifth position is the Wild Wave.

  • Does a founder personally choose the finalists?

    No.

  • Can a Tide employee secretly move their favorite organization onto the ballot?

    No. The system is designed specifically to eliminate human influence from ordinary finalist selection.

  • What factors are used to determine the first four finalists?

    The Tide's automated selection technology evaluates predefined factors that include Community Interest, Global Representation, Cause Quality, legitimacy, eligibility, and related objective inputs.

  • What is Community Interest?

    It reflects genuine interest shown by The Tide community while using safeguards intended to reduce artificial nominations and manipulation.

  • What is Global Representation?

    It helps The Tide remain a genuinely global movement instead of consistently favoring one geographic area.

  • What is Cause Quality?

    It considers available information relevant to legitimacy, reputation, stewardship, real-world impact, and organizational quality.

  • Does AI simply decide which charity it likes best?

    No. The technology applies predefined criteria and metrics rather than giving an AI system unlimited subjective discretion.

  • Are the underlying metrics hidden?

    No. Relevant metrics and selection records are intended to be publicly verifiable through The Tide's blockchain records.

  • Can people inspect the selection activity?

    Yes. Explorer access is available through The Tide website.

  • Can a human alter the metrics to force a particular finalist?

    The ordinary finalist process is designed so no human interaction is used to influence or manipulate the resulting four automated finalists.

  • Why automate this?

    It reduces favoritism, bias, manipulation, and dependence on any one person's preferences.

  • Can the criteria ever evolve?

    The methodology may be improved over time, but material changes should be publicly disclosed and auditable rather than quietly changed behind the scenes.

The Wild Wave

  • What is the Wild Wave?

    The Wild Wave is the fifth monthly finalist.

  • How is the Wild Wave chosen?

    It is selected randomly from the legitimate, verified, qualified organizations in the applicable eligibility pool.

  • Does every qualified organization have a genuine chance?

    Yes. As long as an organization is legitimate, verified, qualified, and eligible, it has the same opportunity as the other organizations in that Wild Wave pool.

  • Why have the Wild Wave?

    It ensures that a worthy organization does not need to be enormous, famous, wealthy, or heavily promoted to have an opportunity to appear on the ballot.

  • Can a tiny organization become the Wild Wave?

    Yes.

  • Can an organization buy a better chance of becoming the Wild Wave?

    No.

  • Can The Tide secretly choose the Wild Wave?

    No. The Wild Wave process is intended to be random and auditable.

  • Is the Wild Wave automatically the winner?

    No. It simply becomes one of the five finalists. The community still decides the winner.

Voting

  • Who chooses the Monthly Wave Partner?

    The Tide community.

  • Who is eligible to vote?

    A wallet meeting the published $STARFISH eligibility requirement.

  • What is the minimum $STARFISH requirement?

    At least 1 $STARFISH.

  • How many votes does an eligible wallet receive?

    One.

  • Does holding more $STARFISH create more votes?

    No.

  • Does a wallet holding 10,000 $STARFISH have more voting power than one holding 1 $STARFISH?

    No.

  • Why use one wallet, one vote?

    It keeps voting easy to understand and prevents large $STARFISH balances from automatically creating proportionally greater voting power.

  • Why require at least 1 $STARFISH?

    Voting is one of $STARFISH's defined participation utilities and creates a simple connection between the token and community governance of the monthly Wave Partner.

  • Can the same 1 $STARFISH simply be moved through many wallets to create many valid votes?

    The voting system should include an eligibility check that prevents the same token balance from being repeatedly reused to create multiple valid votes. An eligible wallet should still satisfy the minimum $STARFISH requirement at the final voting eligibility check.

  • Are there anti-bot protections?

    Yes. Automated anti-bot and anti-Sybil controls can operate behind the scenes to identify suspicious patterns without making legitimate voting unnecessarily complicated.

  • Do I have to complete complicated crypto steps to vote?

    The goal is no. The normal experience should be as simple as connecting a compatible wallet, verifying eligibility, choosing a finalist, and confirming the vote.

  • Does The Tide want to require KYC just to cast a normal vote?

    The goal is to keep ordinary voting simple and welcoming while using technology to reduce abuse wherever practical.

  • Can I vote more than once from the same eligible wallet?

    No.

  • Can I change my vote?

    No. Once a vote has been submitted, it is final.

  • Why make votes final?

    It keeps the process simple, auditable, and resistant to strategic switching based on later information.

  • Will I be able to see which organization is winning while voting is open?

    No.

  • Will live totals be displayed?

    No.

  • Will percentages be displayed?

    No.

  • Will rankings be displayed?

    No.

  • Why hide them?

    It reduces bandwagon effects and encourages people to choose the cause they genuinely want to support rather than simply following whoever appears to be winning.

  • Does hiding totals make the system less transparent?

    No. The restriction applies during the active voting period. Final results and relevant verification records can still be made publicly auditable after voting closes.

  • Does voting cost $STARFISH?

    The Tide is not charging $STARFISH as the price of casting a vote. Blockchain interactions may still involve ordinary network costs depending on the final technical implementation.

  • Does my $STARFISH leave my wallet when I vote?

    Normal voting eligibility should not require giving ownership of your $STARFISH to The Tide.

What Happens if the Vote Ends in a Tie?

  • What happens if two finalists tie for first place?

    They both win.

  • Is there a tie-breaking vote?

    No.

  • Does The Tide choose between them?

    No.

  • How are IMPACT Fees handled during a tied month?

    The IMPACT Fees received by The Tide for that month are divided equally: 50% to one co-Wave Partner and 50% to the other.

  • Are both organizations featured as Wave Partners of the Month?

    Yes.

  • Can community members donate to either organization?

    Yes.

  • Can people support both?

    Absolutely.

  • What happens after their shared month ends?

    Both become part of Our Waves of Impact Partners and remain available for continued community support.

  • What if more than two finalists somehow share the exact winning total?

    The same philosophy should apply: The Tide should not arbitrarily break a legitimate tie. Any truly equal winning result should be handled transparently and equitably among the tied winners.

The Monthly Tidal Cycle

  • What is the Monthly Tidal Cycle?

    It is the repeating schedule through which nominations, finalist selection, voting, and monthly Wave Partner support operate.

  • Are nominations always open?

    Yes.

  • When is the monthly eligibility pool frozen?

    At 11:59:59 PM Pacific Time on the 24th.

  • What happens to a nomination submitted after that?

    It enters the eligibility pool for the following monthly finalist cycle.

  • When are the five finalists published?

    At 12:00 AM Pacific Time on the 25th.

  • When does voting begin?

    At 12:00 AM Pacific Time on the 25th.

  • When does voting end?

    At 11:59:59 PM Pacific Time on the final day of the month.

  • When does the winner become the new Wave Partner?

    At 12:00 AM Pacific Time on the first day of the new month.

  • Why use Pacific Time?

    One published official time zone provides a consistent global cutoff.

  • Can nominations continue while voting is happening?

    Yes. Nominations never close, but submissions after the monthly cutoff apply to a future cycle.

  • How long is a Wave Partner featured?

    For its designated calendar month.

  • Which IMPACT Fees apply to that Wave Partner?

    IMPACT Fees received by The Tide from $STARFISH trading activity during that Wave Partner's designated calendar month are committed to that Wave Partner.

Emergency Override and System Integrity

  • Does The Tide have an emergency override?

    Yes, but it is intentionally narrow.

  • Why have any override at all?

    No automated system can responsibly ignore confirmed fraud, legal restrictions, sanctions issues, or a major technical failure that threatens the integrity of the process.

  • Can the founder use the override alone?

    No. The emergency mechanism should be controlled through a multisignature structure so that no one individual has unilateral power.

  • What structure does The Tide use?

    The intended structure is a multi-party approval mechanism, such as a 3-of-5 multisig, requiring multiple authorized parties to approve an emergency action.

  • What can trigger an emergency intervention?

    Only exceptional situations such as confirmed fraud, a legal or sanctions prohibition, or a material technical or integrity failure.

  • Can it be used because someone at The Tide does not like a finalist?

    No.

  • Can it be used to put the founder's favorite organization on the ballot?

    No.

  • Can it be used to alter legitimate votes?

    No.

  • Can the override choose a preferred winner?

    No. Its purpose is to protect the integrity and legality of the process, not determine the community's preference.

  • What happens if an emergency action is necessary?

    The action, reason, authorization, and relevant blockchain record should be publicly disclosed.

  • Can The Tide secretly use the override?

    No. The transparency requirement is fundamental to the mechanism.

  • What if a finalist is discovered to be fraudulent before voting begins?

    The invalid organization can be removed under the published eligibility rules and the vacancy filled using the applicable automated process.

  • What if a serious issue is discovered after voting begins?

    The emergency mechanism can protect the integrity of the election, but any action must follow predefined rules, require multisig authorization, and be publicly documented.

  • Why should the community trust an emergency mechanism?

    The goal is not to ask the community for blind trust. The mechanism is intentionally limited, multi-party controlled, publicly visible, and prohibited from being used merely to influence the outcome.

Our Waves of Impact Partners

  • What happens after an organization's featured Wave Partner month ends?

    It becomes part of Our Waves of Impact Partners.

  • What is Our Waves of Impact Partners?

    It is the collection of organizations previously selected by The Tide community that remain active parts of the movement.

  • Can I still support an old Wave Partner?

    Yes.

  • Why keep previous Wave Partners involved?

    Because creating impact should not stop when the calendar changes.

  • Can I use Build This Wave for a previous partner?

    Yes.

  • Can previous partners continue receiving donations?

    Yes.

  • Does The Tide continue recognizing the impact associated with previous partners?

    Yes. Each one remains part of The Tide's ongoing story and collective impact.

Acts of Kindness Submissions

  • What is an Act of Kindness submission?

    It is an authentic act of kindness performed or witnessed by a community member and shared through The Tide.

  • Does the act have to be something I personally did?

    No. You may share an act you performed or one you recently witnessed, subject to the submission rules.

  • How recent does the act have to be?

    The Tide intentionally uses the word “recently” rather than imposing an unnecessarily rigid timeframe.

  • Is a photo required?

    The current submission process includes an image.

  • What else do I submit?

    The planned flow includes a title, image, brief description, country, authenticity confirmation, and permission to display the material.

  • How many acts can I upload?

    Up to three acts per member within a 24-hour period.

  • Why is there a limit?

    To reduce spam, automation, duplicate submissions, and attempts to manipulate impact totals.

  • Can I upload the same image more than once?

    No.

  • How does The Tide detect duplicates?

    The system can use duplicate-image detection and other anti-abuse technology.

  • How does The Tide determine whether an act appears genuine?

    Automated systems can examine authenticity signals, duplication, submission patterns, content, and other available information.

  • Does The Tide use AI?

    Yes. AI and automated technology can assist with verification, moderation, abuse prevention, and other parts of the ecosystem.

  • Is AI assumed to be perfect?

    No. Technology is a tool, and ambiguous situations can require additional review.

  • Why does The Tide ask for a country?

    It allows the community to see how kindness is spreading around the world.

  • Does The Tide need my exact street address?

    No.

  • Do I need to submit my city?

    No. The public Act of Kindness submission flow uses country-level location rather than city or a precise personal location.

  • Can my country be detected automatically?

    The website may use approximate IP-based country detection for convenience and allow the user to confirm or correct it.

  • Can I upload an image containing another person?

    You should only submit material you have the right and appropriate permission to share.

  • Should I include sensitive personal information?

    No. Users should avoid unnecessary private, confidential, or sensitive information.

  • Can I get paid for submitting acts?

    The current model does not pay users for uploading acts.

Why Base?

  • What is Base?

    Base is a public blockchain network, built on Ethereum, on which digital assets and blockchain applications can operate.

  • Why did The Tide choose Base?

    Base lets $STARFISH trade on Uniswap, which people in the United States can use, while keeping network fees to a few cents, making it suitable for an ecosystem intended for broad participation.

  • What is a blockchain?

    A blockchain is a shared digital ledger that records transactions in a way that can be independently inspected and verified.

  • Why use blockchain at all?

    Because trust matters more than ever.

  • How does blockchain help The Tide?

    It gives The Tide a public, verifiable record that can help show what happens, how $STARFISH moves, what is Returned to the Sea, how voting and selection activity is recorded, and how our collective impact grows over time.

  • Couldn't The Tide simply use a private database?

    Yes, but then the public would largely have to trust The Tide's own database and reporting. Blockchain allows important records to be independently verified.

  • Does blockchain eliminate the need for trust?

    No. It reduces the amount of blind trust required for certain claims.

  • Does blockchain guarantee that every real-world statement is true?

    No. A blockchain can verify what occurred on-chain. Real-world verification still requires reliable processes.

  • Is every part of The Tide stored on the blockchain?

    No. Some information is more appropriately kept off-chain, especially photographs, personal data, and other information that should not be permanently public.

  • Can important off-chain records still be connected to blockchain verification?

    Yes. Verification records or cryptographic proofs can be anchored on-chain without necessarily putting private content itself on-chain.

  • Can The Tide erase a finalized Base transaction?

    No. The point of using a public blockchain is that finalized activity cannot simply be rewritten inside a private Tide database.

  • Can people inspect The Tide's blockchain activity without asking The Tide for permission?

    Yes. Explorer access is provided from the official website.

ETH, $STARFISH, and Network Fees

  • Is ETH the same thing as $STARFISH?

    No.

  • What is ETH?

    ETH is the native asset used to pay network fees on Base.

  • What is $STARFISH?

    $STARFISH is The Tide's token operating on Base.

  • Why might I need ETH?

    Certain blockchain transactions may require a small amount of ETH to pay the Base network fee.

  • Does The Tide receive Base network fees?

    No.

  • Are network fees donations?

    No.

  • Does The Tide control Base?

    No.

  • Can Base experience technical issues?

    Yes. No blockchain or technology platform should be treated as incapable of congestion, outages, software problems, or other technical risks.

Crypto Wallets

  • What is a crypto wallet?

    A wallet is software or hardware that lets you control blockchain assets and authorize transactions.

  • Are $STARFISH tokens literally stored inside my phone?

    No. $STARFISH exists on the blockchain. Your wallet provides the credentials that allow you to control the assets associated with your blockchain address.

  • What is a wallet address?

    It is the public blockchain address associated with a wallet.

  • Is my wallet address secret?

    No.

  • Can other people see a public wallet's $STARFISH balance?

    Generally, yes.

  • Can they automatically know my real name?

    Not necessarily. Blockchain addresses are public, but an address does not inherently display a person's legal identity.

  • What is a private key?

    It is extremely sensitive cryptographic information that can provide control over blockchain assets.

  • What is a seed phrase?

    A seed phrase is sensitive recovery information that may provide complete control over a wallet.

  • Should I ever share my seed phrase?

    No.

  • Will The Tide ever ask for my seed phrase?

    No legitimate Tide representative should ever need your seed phrase.

  • Will The Tide ever ask for my private key?

    No.

  • What wallet can hold $STARFISH?

    A wallet that supports the Base network.

  • Is MetaMask one option?

    Yes. MetaMask is one example of a wallet that supports Base, but The Tide does not require everyone to use one particular wallet provider.

  • Is MetaMask owned by The Tide?

    No.

  • Does The Tide control my self-custody wallet?

    No.

  • What happens if I lose my seed phrase?

    The Tide generally cannot recover a self-custody wallet for you.

  • What happens if someone steals my wallet credentials?

    They may be able to take control of assets in the wallet. Protecting private keys and recovery information is extremely important.

Buying $STARFISH

  • Where can I acquire $STARFISH?

    The official Token page will provide current information about legitimate ways to acquire $STARFISH once trading is live.

  • How do I know I am buying the real $STARFISH?

    Verify the official $STARFISH mint address through The Tide's official website.

  • Why is the mint address so important?

    Anyone can potentially create a token using a similar name, symbol, or logo. The mint address uniquely identifies the actual $STARFISH token.

  • Will The Tide publish the official mint address?

    Yes.

  • Could someone create a fake token called $STARFISH?

    Yes.

  • Could someone copy The Tide's logo?

    Yes.

  • Is a logo enough to prove a token is legitimate?

    No.

  • Can I buy $STARFISH with U.S. dollars?

    That depends on the wallets, exchanges, on-ramp providers, payment methods, jurisdiction, and services available to you.

  • Can I use a credit card?

    Some third-party providers may offer card or fiat on-ramp services, but The Tide cannot guarantee availability in every location.

  • Does The Tide decide $STARFISH's market price?

    No.

  • Does The Tide guarantee that I will always be able to buy or sell $STARFISH?

    No.

Trading $STARFISH

  • Can $STARFISH be bought and sold?

    Once it is available on open cryptocurrency markets, $STARFISH may be exchanged through supported markets and liquidity pools.

  • Is there a Tide fee when $STARFISH is bought or sold?

    Yes. Every $STARFISH buy and sell through The Tide's liquidity pool includes a 1.0% IMPACT Fee.

  • Where does that 1.0% IMPACT Fee go?

    100% of the IMPACT Fees received by The Tide are directed to the current Wave Partner. The Tide, Founder, and team retain 0% of the IMPACT Fee.

  • Is the IMPACT Fee a charitable donation made by the trader?

    No. Buying or selling $STARFISH should not be treated as a charitable donation, even though the IMPACT Fee generated by the trade supports the current Wave Partner.

  • Does The Tide prevent people from selling $STARFISH?

    No.

  • Does The Tide pressure people never to sell?

    No. People should make their own decisions rather than being pressured by The Tide.

  • What determines $STARFISH's market price?

    Market activity, buyers, sellers, available liquidity, and broader market conditions.

  • What is liquidity?

    Liquidity describes how easily an asset can be exchanged without causing unusually large price movement.

  • What is price impact?

    It is the effect a particular trade can have on market price, especially if the trade is large relative to available liquidity.

  • What is slippage?

    Slippage is the difference between the expected trade price and the price at which the transaction actually executes.

  • Can a large trade move $STARFISH's price?

    Yes.

  • What is market capitalization?

    It is a valuation calculation based on token price and an applicable supply figure.

  • Does a $100 million market cap mean $100 million in cash is sitting somewhere?

    No. Market capitalization is not the same thing as cash reserves or liquidity.

  • Does reducing active supply automatically increase price?

    No.

  • Could $STARFISH's price fall even as more $STARFISH is Returned to the Sea?

    Yes.

The IMPACT Fee, Founders, and Team Benefit

  • Does $STARFISH have a transaction fee?

    Yes. Every $STARFISH buy and sell through The Tide's liquidity pool includes a 1.0% IMPACT Fee.

  • Does a founder or team member receive part of the IMPACT Fee every time somebody buys or sells $STARFISH?

    No. 100% of the IMPACT Fees received by The Tide are directed to the current Wave Partner. The Tide, Founder, and team retain 0% of the IMPACT Fee.

  • Can the project redirect part of the IMPACT Fee to operating expenses?

    Not under the published 100%-to-Wave-Partner commitment.

  • How is the Tide Operations & Growth allocation different from the IMPACT Fee?

    Tide Operations & Growth is a separate 15% token allocation in the published tokenomics. Under the current model, The Tide does not fund operations by retaining a percentage of the IMPACT Fee.

  • Can founders or team members benefit financially from owning $STARFISH themselves?

    The Founder & Team allocation is 15% of total supply, or 150,000,000 $STARFISH. Its market value is not guaranteed, and the allocation is subject to the published vesting schedule.

  • What is the Founder & Team vesting schedule?

    A 12-month cliff beginning at launch, followed by even vesting over the next 36 months.

  • Are Founder & Team tokens immediately available at launch?

    No. No scheduled Founder & Team tokens vest during the first 12 months.

  • Will the Founder & Team allocation and vesting be publicly disclosed?

    Yes. The Tide intends to publish relevant project wallets and vesting information so the community can independently inspect important parts of the structure.

Blockchain Transparency

  • What does The Tide mean by transparency?

    It means making important information visible and independently verifiable rather than simply asking people to trust what The Tide says.

  • What kinds of things should I be able to verify?

    Examples include $STARFISH supply information, token authorities, Return-to-the-Sea activity, Founder & Team vesting, relevant project wallets, IMPACT Fee distributions, designated launch-liquidity information, voting and finalist-selection records where applicable, and other on-chain records used by The Tide.

  • Where can I inspect this information?

    The footer of the official Tide website provides explorer access to relevant blockchain information.

  • Is the explorer information updated in real time?

    Blockchain explorers allow users to inspect current public blockchain activity as it is recorded and finalized by the network.

  • Do I need special permission from The Tide to inspect it?

    No.

  • Can The Tide change what the blockchain says afterward?

    The Tide cannot simply rewrite finalized public blockchain history the way an administrator might edit a private database.

  • Why is that important?

    Because transparency is strongest when people can verify important claims independently.

  • Does transparency mean The Tide will never make a mistake?

    No. It means mistakes should be acknowledged, corrected appropriately, and documented rather than hidden.

  • What if The Tide needs to correct off-chain information?

    Corrections should be made transparently while preserving any blockchain records that cannot or should not be altered.

Security and Scam Prevention

  • Can scammers create fake Tide accounts?

    Yes.

  • Can scammers create fake $STARFISH tokens?

    Yes.

  • Can scammers create fake Tide websites?

    Yes.

  • How can I protect myself?

    Use The Tide's official website and official channels, verify the $STARFISH mint address, carefully review transactions, and never share your seed phrase or private key.

  • Will Tide support ever need my seed phrase?

    No.

  • What if someone claiming to represent The Tide asks for it?

    Do not provide it.

  • Will The Tide DM me asking me to send $STARFISH to verify my wallet?

    Legitimate wallet verification should never require blindly sending tokens to a stranger who contacts you.

  • Are fake crypto support accounts common?

    Yes.

  • Should I trust a Tide logo on social media?

    A logo alone does not prove an account is official.

  • What should I do with an unexpected “free $STARFISH” link?

    Be extremely cautious. Fake giveaways and wallet-draining websites are common crypto scams.

  • Should I click wallet links sent by strangers?

    It is safer to navigate independently through verified official resources.

  • Can The Tide guarantee that nobody will impersonate the project?

    No. The Tide can provide official channels, verification information, education, and reporting procedures, but it cannot prevent every third party from attempting fraud.

  • What is the single most important wallet-security rule for beginners?

    Never share your seed phrase or private key.

Privacy

  • Is blockchain completely anonymous?

    Not necessarily. Wallet addresses are public even when the real-world identity behind them is not immediately apparent.

  • Can someone view transactions associated with my public wallet?

    Yes.

  • Does The Tide need my legal name simply because I own $STARFISH?

    Not inherently. Third-party exchanges, payment providers, or local laws may impose their own requirements.

  • Does The Tide collect my private key?

    No.

  • Does The Tide collect my seed phrase?

    No.

  • Why might The Tide use IP or device information?

    Anti-spam and anti-abuse technology may use signals such as IP, device information, or submission patterns to reduce bots, duplicate submissions, fraudulent votes, and manipulation.

  • Does The Tide publicly need my exact location for an act of kindness?

    No.

  • What geographic information is intended to be displayed?

    Country-level information can help illustrate the global reach of The Tide without unnecessarily exposing a precise personal location.

  • Should I post private information about someone else?

    No. Only submit information appropriate for public display and for which you have appropriate permission.

Tough Questions

  • Is The Tide just another meme coin with a charity story attached?

    That is not how The Tide is being built. The movement, acts of kindness, Wave Partners, community participation, measurable impact, and transparency form the ecosystem. $STARFISH is a tool designed to help power that ecosystem.

  • Why not just create a charity and forget $STARFISH?

    Because The Tide is not simply a donation platform. $STARFISH and blockchain allow the movement to connect voting, participation, public records, token activity, and measurable impact in ways that a conventional charity website does not.

  • Why should I buy $STARFISH instead of simply donating to a charity?

    You do not have to. If your goal is simply to support a Wave Partner, you can donate directly without purchasing $STARFISH.

  • Does buying $STARFISH automatically help a Wave Partner?

    Yes, through the current fee design. Every $STARFISH buy through The Tide's liquidity pool includes a 1.0% IMPACT Fee that supports the current Wave Partner. The purchase itself, however, should not be confused with a charitable donation.

  • Is The Tide trying to make people feel guilty if they do not buy $STARFISH?

    No.

  • Why let people participate without owning $STARFISH?

    Because the mission is bigger than the token.

  • If someone only wants to perform acts of kindness, are they still part of The Tide?

    Absolutely.

  • If cryptocurrency disappeared tomorrow, would kindness still be the point?

    Yes.

  • Is The Tide using charity to promise that $STARFISH will increase in value?

    No.

  • Is Return to the Sea designed as a promise to pump $STARFISH's price?

    No. No price outcome is guaranteed or promised.

  • Why permanently Return $STARFISH to the Sea at all?

    It creates a permanent and measurable representation inside the $STARFISH ecosystem of the community's growing collective impact.

  • Why should I trust The Tide?

    The goal is not for you to rely solely on personal trust. Blockchain records, a token with no owner and no way to create more, public explorer access, Founder & Team vesting disclosures, IMPACT Fee transparency, automated selection processes, published rules, public Return-to-the-Sea activity, and auditable voting are intended to let people verify important claims for themselves.

  • Is The Tide completely decentralized?

    No. The Tide should not claim to be completely decentralized while real-world administration, technology, legal responsibilities, verification, and limited emergency safeguards still exist.

  • Is that a problem?

    Not necessarily. The goal is to remove unnecessary human control and make the remaining areas of responsibility clear, limited, and transparent.

  • What prevents founders from secretly choosing the Wave Partner?

    The normal process requires automated finalist selection followed by community voting. No human simply appoints the winner.

  • What prevents The Tide from manipulating the first four finalists?

    They are determined by predefined automated criteria, with relevant metrics and records made publicly verifiable.

  • What gives small organizations a chance?

    The Wild Wave gives every legitimate, verified, qualified organization in the applicable pool a genuine chance at one finalist position.

  • What keeps a huge token holder from simply buying the vote?

    $STARFISH holdings do not determine the number of votes. One eligible wallet receives one vote.

  • Can any system completely eliminate manipulation?

    No. The Tide uses anti-abuse technology, transparent rules, blockchain records, and a narrowly limited emergency mechanism to make manipulation more difficult and detectable.

Financial Risk

  • Is any financial return from $STARFISH guaranteed?

    No.

  • Is there a guaranteed minimum $STARFISH price?

    No.

  • Can $STARFISH go to zero?

    Yes.

  • Can I lose everything I spend acquiring $STARFISH?

    Yes.

  • Does The Tide promise to buy my $STARFISH back?

    No.

  • Can I redeem $STARFISH directly from The Tide for a guaranteed amount of cash?

    No.

  • Is liquidity guaranteed forever at a particular level?

    No.

  • Is a major exchange listing guaranteed?

    No.

  • Is future $STARFISH utility guaranteed?

    No.

  • Does The Tide recommend how much $STARFISH I should acquire?

    No.

  • Should I borrow money to acquire $STARFISH?

    The Tide does not encourage people to borrow money, overextend themselves, or take financial risks they do not understand in order to acquire $STARFISH.

  • Is information on The Tide website financial advice?

    No. Information about The Tide and $STARFISH is provided to explain the ecosystem and should not be treated as personalized investment, financial, legal, or tax advice.

Tax Questions

  • Is buying $STARFISH a tax-deductible charitable contribution?

    No. Acquiring $STARFISH should not be treated as a charitable donation.

  • Are donations to Wave Partners tax deductible?

    That depends on the recipient organization, donation method, donor's jurisdiction, and applicable tax law.

  • Will The Tide promise that my donation is deductible?

    No. Donors should rely on information and receipts provided by the applicable organization or payment provider and consult an appropriate tax professional when necessary.

  • Could buying, selling, transferring, or using cryptocurrency have tax consequences?

    Potentially. Tax treatment varies by jurisdiction and circumstances.

  • Does The Tide provide personal tax advice?

    No.

Questions for People New to Crypto

  • I have never owned crypto. Can I still be part of The Tide?

    Absolutely.

  • Do I need to become a crypto expert?

    No.

  • What is the easiest way to think about $STARFISH?

    $STARFISH is the digital token connected to The Tide ecosystem. You do not need it for many forms of participation, but it powers certain functions such as monthly Wave Partner voting.

  • What is the easiest way to think about Base?

    It is the public digital network on which $STARFISH operates.

  • What is the easiest way to think about a wallet?

    It is the tool that lets you control your blockchain assets and demonstrate control of your public wallet address.

  • What is the easiest way to think about blockchain?

    It is a public digital record that can be independently verified.

  • What is the easiest way to think about Return to the Sea?

    When qualifying measurable impact happens, designated $STARFISH is permanently removed from active circulation.

  • What is the easiest way to think about the IMPACT Fee?

    It is the 1.0% fee included in every $STARFISH buy and sell through The Tide's liquidity pool. 100% of the IMPACT Fees received by The Tide are directed to the current Wave Partner.

  • Do I need to understand any of this to perform an act of kindness?

    No.

  • Do I need to understand any of this to nominate a Wave Partner?

    No.

  • Do I need cryptocurrency to donate to a Wave Partner?

    No.

  • What should a beginner learn before acquiring $STARFISH?

    At a minimum, understand how to protect your wallet, never share your seed phrase, verify the official $STARFISH mint address, understand that $STARFISH can rise or fall in value, and never acquire more than you are comfortable risking.

Questions From Experienced Crypto Users

  • What chain is $STARFISH on?

    Base.

  • What is the maximum $STARFISH supply?

    1,000,000,000.

  • Are all tokens minted at launch?

    Yes.

  • Does the token have an owner or a mint function?

    No. All 1 billion $STARFISH are created once, at launch; the token program has no owner and no function that can create more.

  • Can the token be paused, or holders blacklisted?

    No. The token program has no pause switch and no blacklist.

  • Can the supply later be inflated?

    No. The token program has no way to create more $STARFISH, and it cannot be changed after it goes live.

  • What are the published token allocations?

    Liquidity / Public Launch 50%; Founder & Team 15%; Tide Operations & Growth 15%; Community Wallet 10%; Kindness Wallet 10%.

  • Is there a maximum-wallet or anti-whale cap?

    No. The current token structure does not impose a hard maximum-wallet percentage or anti-whale ownership cap.

  • Does $STARFISH have a transaction fee?

    Yes. Every buy and sell through The Tide's liquidity pool includes a 1.0% IMPACT Fee.

  • Where do IMPACT Fees go?

    100% of the IMPACT Fees received by The Tide are directed to the current Wave Partner. The Tide, Founder, and team retain 0%.

  • What is the Founder & Team vesting schedule?

    A 12-month cliff beginning at launch followed by 36 months of even vesting.

  • Is the initial liquidity withdrawable by The Tide?

    No. The designated initial launch liquidity is designed to be permanently locked and non-withdrawable by The Tide.

  • Is Return-to-the-Sea activity verifiable?

    Yes. The designated burn address and associated blockchain activity are publicly inspectable.

  • Is voting token weighted?

    No. One eligible wallet receives one vote regardless of $STARFISH balance above the minimum requirement.

  • What is the voting threshold?

    At least 1 $STARFISH in an eligible wallet.

  • Are live voting totals visible?

    No.

  • Are final results auditable?

    Yes. The objective is for relevant verification information to be publicly auditable.

  • Is finalist selection manual?

    No. Four finalists are determined automatically from the eligible pool using predefined criteria, while the fifth is the randomized Wild Wave.

  • Can founders override the algorithm because they prefer another cause?

    No.

  • Is there any administrative override?

    Only a narrowly defined, multisig-controlled emergency mechanism for exceptional fraud, legal, sanctions, or major technical/integrity issues.

  • Is $STARFISH designed to provide guaranteed yield?

    No.

  • Does holding $STARFISH guarantee rewards?

    No.

Community Guidelines and Independent Communities

  • Why does The Tide need Community Guidelines?

    A global community needs clear expectations concerning scams, impersonation, harassment, misleading financial claims, fundraising, independent events, and use of The Tide brand.

  • Can a community member tell people $STARFISH is guaranteed to increase?

    No.

  • Can someone promise guaranteed returns using The Tide name?

    No.

  • Can people pressure others to buy $STARFISH?

    That is inconsistent with The Tide's mission and messaging.

  • Can someone run an independent Tide community or event?

    Potentially, subject to the applicable Community Guidelines.

  • Does an independent Tide group automatically speak for The Tide?

    No.

  • Should independent communities clearly identify themselves as independent?

    Yes.

  • Can someone use The Tide brand to run an unauthorized fundraiser?

    No.

  • Can someone impersonate an official Tide representative?

    No.

  • What should I do if I see a Tide impersonation account or scam?

    Report it through the applicable platform and through The Tide's official reporting process.

Important $STARFISH Notice

  • What should I understand before acquiring $STARFISH?

    $STARFISH is intended for participation and utility within The Tide ecosystem and is not offered or promoted as an investment product. Nothing in these FAQs is intended to assign $STARFISH a particular legal classification. Its market value may rise or fall significantly and could lose most or all of its value. There are no guarantees of price appreciation, liquidity, returns, future utility, or regulatory treatment. If your only interest is short-term speculation and not the mission or purpose behind The Tide, $STARFISH may not be the right fit for you.

The Most Important Question

  • What is The Tide ultimately trying to accomplish?

    To show what can happen when ordinary people around the world choose to make a difference together.

    One person creates a ripple. Ripples become waves.

Together, we create The Tide — rising together and creating positive impact around the world.