A donation chain is a sequence of peer-to-peer gifts where each recipient passes forward at least as much as they received. The platform tracks every step, and you control every cent.
A chain creator sets an initial donation amount and invites the first recipient by email. There's no public listing, and every invitation is personal and direct.
The creator chooses how much to send, writes a personal message, and nominates the first recipient. The platform generates a unique invitation link sent via email.
The invited person receives an email with a unique link. They create an account (or log in) and formally accept their place in the chain.
Acceptance is intentional. No one is added to a chain without their knowledge. The platform records the acceptance timestamp and makes it visible on the public chain page.
The sender transfers the donation directly to the recipient via any payment method they agree on, such as bank transfer, PayPal, cash, or anything else. The platform never handles money.
Once the sender has sent the payment, they mark it as 'sent' on the platform. The recipient then independently confirms they received it. Both confirmations are required before the chain advances.
After confirming receipt, the recipient decides how much to pass forward. They must send at least as much as they received. Generosity compounds.
The platform enforces the 'equal or more' rule when setting up the next link. The recipient chooses an amount ≥ what they received, then invites the next person in the chain by email.
The full chain timeline, including who participated, how much moved, and when confirmations happened, is publicly visible on the chain's page. Names are shown as first name + last initial.
Transparency is a core feature, not an afterthought. Anyone with the chain link can see the full history. This accountability is what makes the system trustworthy.
Chain of Happiness is a tracking and coordination platform only. We have no payment processor, no escrow, no wallet. You control your own money at every step.
This means there are no fees, no chargebacks, and no financial risk from the platform side. The trade-off is that we rely on mutual trust and transparent confirmation to keep chains honest.
The amount passed forward must be equal to or greater than the amount received.
Both the sender and receiver must independently confirm each payment.
A new link can only be invited after the current payment is fully confirmed.
The platform is invite-only. No one can join a chain uninvited.
All chain activity is publicly logged and visible to anyone with the link.