Ngā pātai · The ones people actually ask
Before you ask.
No corporate slop, no legal disclaimers buried in a footer, no chatbot pretending to be a human.
The basics
Is this gambling?
No — legally and structurally. Zero chance is involved. Your outcome is 100% determined by your own savings behaviour. The prize pool is company-funded — you never stake your own money. We obtained written confirmation from the Department of Internal Affairs before launch. If you save consistently — you win. If you don't — you don't. No dice. No luck. Just discipline.
Does EKKO hold my money?
Never. Your pūtea stays in your bank accounts. EKKO reads your balance via Akahu open banking and compares it to your target. EKKO never receives your funds. Not at any point.
Why Friday at 5:30pm specifically?
Because that's when everyone is financially awake. Payday for most. End of the work week. Right before the weekend spending begins. Every other financial system waits for that moment to take from you. EKKO flips it. At 5:30pm, the question isn't "where did it go?" It's "did I make it?"
The game
What if I miss a week?
You use an echo. You get three. One miss — echo gone. Two misses — two gone. Third miss — you sit out the rest of the round. You keep every dollar you saved. You can start a new game the same day.
What if everyone in the lobby survives?
Everyone splits it equally. All 20 players survive 12 weeks — all 20 split the pool. The house never keeps a portion. Under any outcome. Enforced in code. Verified by the immutable audit log.
Pricing
What if I can't afford $20 a week?
Start with the free tools — they replace $1,800/year of paid apps. When you're ready, Utility is $10/wk with a mini-Arena ($720 pool). Week 1 targets start at 5% of your uncommitted income — deliberately small.
How does cancelling work?
Cancel anytime. One button, 30 seconds — no retention modal, no guilt copy. If you cancel mid-game you forfeit your seat in that round. Every dollar you saved stays exactly where it was: in your own bank account.
Privacy & security
Is my data safe?
Akahu tokens encrypted with AES-256-GCM. Row Level Security on all database tables — only you can access your data. External penetration test required before any real bank connections go live.
Hit me up.
No ticket system. No bots. No 3-day wait. chow@ekko.nz — or just hit the button.