TADA, Singapore’s first zero-commission ride-hailing platform, has announced a bold new pilot programme aimed at reshaping the economics of ride-hailing. Called ‘Hotpot’, the initiative is backed by S$1 million in company investment and seeks to empower drivers while challenging the high-commission models that continue to drive up fares across the country.
The pilot arrives amid mounting concerns over shrinking driver earnings and surging commuter prices. With many drivers facing longer working hours due to high commissions and opaque pricing algorithms, shortages have begun to emerge, leading to fluctuating fares that can soar beyond S$40 on high-demand routes.
TADA’s solution is a complete rethink of how value is shared in the industry.
A New Driver-First Economic Model
Built on MVL blockchain technology, ‘Hotpot’ openly records driver trips on a public, tamper-proof ledger. This transparency allows drivers to be rewarded fairly based on actual work completed, moving away from traditional loyalty schemes that rely on proprietary rules and internal point systems controlled by platforms.
With rising operational pressures, from higher COEs to long-term financial commitments, TADA says the new model gives drivers a genuine stake in the ecosystem they power, instead of leaving them to shoulder industry costs alone. Early adoption signals strong momentum: participation and earnings have been rising steadily since launch, with more drivers joining the movement.
How ‘Hotpot’ Rewards Work
Under the pilot, every completed trip earns a driver TADA Points, which determine access to weekly cash rewards:
- Group Rewards every Friday, 5PM – 10PM
- Drivers ranked within performance tiers:
- Gold: Top 20%
- Silver: Next 30%
- Bronze: Next 50%
Once all participating drivers hit a milestone, for example, 10,000 trips, rewards are doubled through an Upsized Hotpot, multiplying payouts across the entire group.
The shift from individual bonuses to collective milestones is a deliberate step to build a community-powered mobility system where a driver’s income improves alongside the success of peers, not competition between them.
All activities are recorded on the MVL blockchain, giving each driver a verified, long-term data footprint and paving the way for future ownership opportunities in mobility datasets and next-generation technologies, including autonomous vehicles.
Looking Ahead
‘Hotpot’ marks the first phase of a long-term road map by TADA and MVL to transform ride-hailing economics. Coming early next year, the company plans to:
- introduce community voting and decision-making structures,
- scale the programme across the region, and
- expand resources to support the growing driver base.
The overarching goal: build a future where drivers hold a verifiable voice in platform development and sector evolution, overturning decades of top-down control in the ride-hailing industry.
