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1/24/26
Honoring my biggest RWN and Life Supporter!
A year ago today, my mom crossed over after a 4-month battle with critical health issues (strokes, internal bleeding, COPD, lung cancer). She fought to live in the same way she fought for me, my siblings, my dad, and those she loved her entire life.
Today, my family and I celebrated and honored Mom. My dad and brother came up from out of town, and we made a new memory together by touring a Naval Destroyer Museum Ship, and then returned to a local restaurant where we last took Mom when she was alive.
Today was a day of being grateful. Grateful for my mom's support in and out of Referral World. She was my biggest supporter, and I miss her. And we all felt her with us today. I know she's proud of all of us, and she made her presence known as the sun set behind us on the dock we took the photos from tonight (the same spot where we took photos with her last time), and also as some of her favorite songs played on the overhead as we dined.
Mom, thank you for raising me right and making me the person I am today. I love you with my whole heart, and I miss you always.
1/23/26
Final Days to Score $10-$60 Bonuses From MoneyLion! [US]
https://www.referralworldnews.com/go/moneylion - code $55BONUS
If you haven't signed up yet, MoneyLion's quick $10 Referral Rush bonus promotion ends 1/27 at 9PM PST, which means you’ve got just a few days left to get in on one of the most rewarding referral programs in Referral World right now.
To put its potential in perspective: I’ve brought in $1,100 in referral bonuses this month, $6,840 last month, $32.2K in 2025, and over $45.3K total since I joined MoneyLion.
New users earn $10 instantly just for linking an existing bank account (no deposit or spending required), plus another $50 bonus when you transfer at least $100 into your MoneyLion account, either via direct deposit or a quick ACH from apps like Current or Found (within 60 days). You can also refer others and earn $10–$60 per referral, with bonuses paying out nightly (so you’re not stuck waiting weeks!).
Quick Tip: If you already joined MoneyLion but haven’t made the $100 deposit yet, do it before the deadline to secure your extra $50!
Full details are available on my MoneyLion featured post here. And for more high-value banking signup and referral bonuses, see my curated list here.
1/21/26
Brandclub's New $5-$42 Signup Bonus Promo! [US]
https://www.referralworldnews.com/go/brandclub
I've got great news to report from Brandclub: The mobile loyalty rewards/cash back app increased its signup and referral bonuses to $5. The once-viral app mostly fell off the radar a couple of years ago after Brandclub lowered its bonuses to $2. This means there's renewed opportunity for new folks who've joined Referral World, who have likely never heard of Brandclub.
If you are unfamiliar with Brandclub, it's a cash back app, but it is different in that it rewards brand loyalty. Simply connect your email and log in to various apps Brandclub supports (Amazon, Costco, Kroger, Albertsons, Target, Best Buy, and several others). The app gives you locked rewards for purchases from certain brands, and the next time you buy products from those brands, the rewards unlock. The bonuses hit your Brandclub account instantly, and once you cash out to your choice of PayPal or Venmo, you'll receive your bonus within 24 business hours (often same-day)!
In addition to the $5 signup bonus, you can earn up to $37 more by joining various brand clubs (up to $3 extra) and connecting various retailers (up to $34 extra). $2 for Home Depot, $5 for Sephora, etc. Easily turn your $5 signup bonus into $42! For more info on Brandclub and this promo, see my featured post here.
Congrats to Yesterday's $2.6K Winners! Another Free Cash Game Tonight! [Worldwide]
https://www.referralworldnews.com/go/gotgame
Two days ago, several folks complained that there were too many winners, making each winner's earnings quite small ($15 each from the $10K prize pool). GotGame got the memo and made yesterday's $2.6K game much more difficult. In the end, 14 winners took home $186 each! Congrats to all the winners.
GotGame will be hosting another game today. Same time: 8 PM EST (5 PM PST). Like last night, today's prize and the number of questions are a surprise, though I expect the prize pool will be $2K-$3K, and there will either be 6 questions, as that's been the norm for over a week now. All you need to do is correctly guess whether each image/audio clip/video was created by a human or an AI. To play, simply click this link, enter your phone number, and be online and ready to play come tonight! Congratulations to all RWN readers who have already won the past week (I've won five of the games myself)!
Once signed up, you can choose how you want to be paid for your winnings. Just add your PayPal/Venmo/Zelle email or phone number to your wallet. When you win, payments are typically sent within 12-24 hours. More info here.
OKX's Renewed $200 Signup, $200 Refs Promo! [Ends 2/3; US]
https://www.referralworldnews.com/go/okx
OKX just renewed its latest promo, which ended 1/20 (now ends 2/3). You can earn a $200 signup bonus and up to $1K in referral bonuses through 1/20. To earn the deposit bonus, just sign up, complete the KYC verification, deposit $200 or more, use it to buy USDG (stablecoin), and hold for 30 days. And you can earn a $200 referral bonus for the first five people who sign up using your link and do the same.
Additionally, OKX is running a crypto drop promo where you earn extra crypto simply by holding crypto in your account (note that USDG is excluded from this drop promo).
More info in my featured post here.
1/19/26
Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day! #MLKDAY
Hope you had a great weekend. RWN wishes you a meaningful Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service today. MLK Day is the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service, encouraging all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities.
Here are current links with more information on how you can celebrate MLK Day and get involved:
Official national service information
MLK Jr. Day of Service, Points of Light (learn about service opportunities and how to volunteer)
Volunteer ideas and resources
19 Resources and Ideas to Celebrate the MLK Day of Service, Teach For America (tips and ways to honor the day)
Local and national volunteer listings
MLK Day service and volunteer opportunities (search for events and projects near you)
Additional opportunities and ways to help
Google search: MLK events today near me
Learn about MLK Day history
What you should know about MLK Jr. Day of Service, DoSomething.org (holiday background and context)
Congrats to Yesterday's $10K Winners! Another Free Game Tonight! [Worldwide]
https://www.referralworldnews.com/go/gotgame
If you played GotGame last night, you were likely as giddy as I was when the host spun the wheel and it doubled the prize pool from $5K to $10K! Congrats to all the winners who each won over $40 The popular free live game, GotGameAI, is running a special game tonight (Monday) at 8 PM EST (5 PM PST). The host wanted to keep tonight's details a surprise. Based on the weekday games last week, I expect the prize pool will be $2K-$3K, and there will either be 6 or 12 questions. All you need to do is correctly guess whether each image/audio clip/video was created by a human or an AI. To play, simply click this link, enter your phone number, and be online and ready to play come tonight! Congratulations to all RWN readers who have already won the past week (I've won five of the games myself)!
Once signed up, you can choose how you want to be paid for your winnings. Just add your PayPal/Venmo/Zelle email or phone number to your wallet. When you win, payments are typically sent within 12-24 hours. More info here.
1/18/26
Tonight's $5K Free Cash Game! [Worldwide]
https://www.referralworldnews.com/go/gotgame
The popular free live game, GotGameAI, is running a special $5,000 game tonight (Sunday) at 8 PM EST (5 PM PST). There will be 6 questions, and all you need to do is correctly guess whether each image/audio clip/video was created by a human or an AI. To play, simply click this link, enter your phone number, and be online and ready to play come tonight! Congratulations to all RWN readers who have already won this week (I've won five of the games myself)!
Once signed up, you can choose how you want to be paid for your winnings. Just add your PayPal/Venmo/Zelle email or phone number to your wallet. When you win, payments are typically sent within 12-24 hours. More info here.
Congrats to Jada and Karissa! More Cash Giveaways From Me This Month!
https://www.referralworldnews.com/giveaways
It literally pays to be in my referral groups! Congrats to Jada and Karissa, the latest two winners of surprise $25 giveaways this week! If you haven't joined my Facebook referral groups, Easy Paying Referral Apps 2 and Easy Paying Referral Apps 3 yet, you'll want to. I'm giving away cash at random amounts and times (totalling $100 by month's end), and all you need to do is be a member of both groups.
Since creating these groups, I've already given away $225. And in addition to these January giveaways, I'll also be giving away $50 in each group once it reaches 2,000 members. You can help speed up these giveaways by inviting others, sharing and crossposting (where allowed), sharing this giveaway on your profile page, etc.
For more info on these giveaways and screenshot proof, see my featured post here, and good luck!
MoneyLion Referral Tracking Issues? [US]
https://www.referralworldnews.com/go/moneylion
If you've ever read an issue of RWN, you know that MoneyLion is my favorite app to refer. This is because of its easy $10 bonus you get just by signing up and opening a free RoarMoney (checking) account (no deposit or spend requirement), and how you can easily trigger the $50 deposit bonus through a single $100 direct deposit or by transferring $100 from Current (or Found) to your MoneyLion account. And for the most part, MoneyLion has been like clockwork, emailing us with each new signup who uses our link/code, and posting earned bonuses to our accounts nightly.
Unfortunately, something looks to have gone awry with the New Year. Based on multiple reports from MoneyLion referrers and on monitoring my own referral bonuses, it seems that MoneyLion is tracking and issuing signup bonuses properly, but doesn't appear to be tracking referral bonuses correctly.
My account, for instance, went from 10-20+ emails and bonuses every single day to 1 or 2 emails and referral bonuses every 2-3 days. While there is a chance people aren't signing up, that is out of the ordinary, and the drop happened immediately. Compared to last month, where I brought in nearly $7K in bonuses, this month brought in a much lower $855 ($120 of that just from tonight), most of which isn't from the signup bonuses but from the $50 deposit bonuses (which thankfully ARE still crediting).
I've contacted MoneyLion, and there's an open ticket. If you refer MoneyLion and have noticed any tracking issues, I highly recommend reaching out to MoneyLion yourself as well. You can do so through the app's chat or by calling 516-916-5466. Please also email me at [email protected] as I'm actively tracking the status of this issue. And please email me if you signed up through me this month so I can let MoneyLion know (it may help them resolve the issue faster).
This isn't the first time MoneyLion has had a bug like this. Back in early October, there was a similar issue where referrers received emails saying they had earned signup bonuses, but the bonuses weren't actually being posted to their accounts. After multiple calls and with your help in letting MoneyLion know this was a global issue, they fixed the bug 3 weeks later, and referrers received all owed bonuses in one lump sum. Everything worked smoothly again until this month. I am still promoting MoneyLion because I have faith they are still tracking the bonuses, and they'll be issued again once the bug is discovered and resolved. I'll provide an update once I receive my latest bonuses and/or receive more information from MoneyLion.
For more info on MoneyLion's current Referral Rush promotion (ending 1/27), see my featured post here. And for more great bank bonuses, including tips on easily triggering the bonuses, see my featured list here.
I've Now Scored $235 From Zenlit's $5 Bonuses! [US]
https://www.referralworldnews.com/go/zenlit - code 817-804
Just last week, I reported that I'd signed up for the new, viral app Zenlit and earned $70. Fast forward to this morning, where I've now earned $235, and I already cashed out and received a $100 Amazon gift card!
If you're not familiar with Zenlit, it's a brand-new driving rewards app that rewards you simply for being in a car, whether you’re driving or riding as a passenger. The app is available on both iOS and Android, requires no ID, and does not connect to or report to insurance.
New users earn 100 ZNLT tokens ($5 value) after signing up (use code 817-814), creating a free wallet in-app, and completing three separate trips as a driver or passenger (totaling five miles combined). Once completed, the refer feature unlocks, and you can earn 100 ZNLT for every referral ($5 value).
Rewards can be redeemed for gift cards, Visa rewards, or Bitcoin. Gift cards include popular U.S. brands like Amazon, Target, and Starbucks. There is a short waiting period of about seven days after signup before gift card redemption unlocks, and gift cards are capped at $100 total. Other redemption methods unlock later and are not subject to the gift card cap.
This app reminds me of Miles, which was insanely popular a few years back (before the app got stingy, lowering bonuses and making withdrawals incredibly difficult). For more info on Zenlit, see my featured post here.
Stash: $30 Signup & Referral Bonuses Are Back! [US]
https://www.referralworldnews.com/go/stash
If you missed last month's limited-time $50 promotion from Stash, don’t worry, because they're now offering $30 signup and referral bonuses. And they kept the requirement of just depositing $5 to trigger it. And if you are referring Stash, be sure to check that your link is current, as Stash now expires links after a few weeks (and when switching promotions).
If you haven't signed up for Stash yet, you can use my link and deposit $5 or more into your account to trigger the $30 signup bonus. You’ll also get your own referral link to start earning unlimited $30 referral bonuses (up to $1K per year).
Other notes: Bonuses show up right away but are subject to a 90-day hold before withdrawal. Stash also charges a $3 monthly subscription fee, which is worth it if you’re actively using the app. They also continue to host Stash StockParty events, where members can receive free fractional shares every week. If you passed on the $50/$50 offer last month because of the steep $50 deposit, now’s the time to jump back in while the lower $5 requirement is active.
For more info, see my featured post here.
Final Days for OKX's $200 Referrals Promo! [Ends 1/20; US]
https://www.referralworldnews.com/go/okx
If you haven't signed up for OKX, you're seriously missing out. Since this new promo started last week, I've already earned $400 from two referral bonuses (thank you if you signed up through me)!
You can earn a $200 signup bonus and up to $1K in referral bonuses through 1/20. To earn the deposit bonus, just sign up, complete the KYC verification, deposit $200 or more, use it to buy USDG (stablecoin), and hold for 30 days. And you can earn a $200 referral bonus for the first five people who sign up using your link and do the same.
Additionally, OKX is running a crypto drop promo where you earn extra crypto simply by holding crypto in your account (note that USDG is excluded from this drop promo).
More info in my featured post here.
Crappy Apps and Crappy Referrers (Silent Struggles)!
Last year, I ran a series of articles titled "The Silent Struggles of a Referral Marketer." In these articles, I talked about shady apps reneging on bonuses, good apps that suddenly went bad. I haven't posted these articles in recent months because, for the most part, I've simply been steering clear of questionable apps to avoid the headache. Unfortunately, all is not perfect in Referral World.
Benjamin and Drumo
Benjamin and Drumo are both GPT apps that royally screwed referrers over. Drumo gave members little notice on its website in December that it would be shutting down on 12/30. Members like me who had bonuses in their accounts attempted to withdraw their earnings, only to discover that Drumo refused to process $20 withdrawal requests. I personally reached out to Drumo a dozen times over the month, and instead of replying to a single email or paying me what they owed, they shut down the support email address.
It's an almost identical story with the Benjamin app, except Benjamin hasn't yet announced that they're shutting down. It's clear by their actions, though, that they are struggling. In November, they strongly encouraged us all to keep our earnings in our accounts and not withdraw them, so we'd have extra entries for a cash sweepstakes they were running. Shortly after, they blocked withdrawals entirely for a few weeks. December was a similar story: offered sweepstakes and left outstanding withdrawal requests as pending. I've been waiting on my withdrawals for nearly two months, as have several members, many of whom have been airing their grievances on Reddit and sharing how Benjamin actually shut down their accounts as an act of retaliation after the members left negative reviews and shared the details of their experiences.
Brink's Armored: Reneged on Bonuses Based on an Absurd Requirement!
The Brink's promo was supposed to be easy and straightforward: Sign up, activate the physical card, and either receive a $40+ direct deposit or load the account with $40+ using the debit card at various local grocery stores/ATMs. Doing so was supposed to get me a $20 signup bonus, along with $20 referral bonuses as I referred others. I quickly triggered my signup bonus and referred several others. Still, I never received a single bonus. The reason? Because MY REFERRER didn't trigger their own signup bonus, Brink's decided not to honor my signup bonus or any of my referral bonuses!
In all my years of referring apps, I don't recall another app that made actions outside my control part of my signup or referral bonus requirements. I spoke with Brink's Armored several times, trying to explain to them how unfair their policy was, how it was unheard of with referral programs, and that it was likely a breach of contract. I escalated the issue with superiors. None of my efforts made a difference. According to them, they would only honor my signup and referral bonuses if MY REFERRER triggered her own signup bonus.
I Chose the Wrong Referrer!
Many may not know this, but I don't stick to one referrer when signing up for new apps. I typically will choose folks who support me and RWN, and those who are legitimate and active in my referral groups. Back in August, I made two big mistakes: Signing up for Brinks Armored and choosing the person I did.
I signed up for Brinks after seeing the promo shared in Referral World. I chose my referrer based on past interactions with her and the fact that she shared legitimate apps. When Brinks told me my referrer needed to trigger her own signup bonus before they'd honor mine, I assumed it would be an easy fix.
I reached out to my referrer and explained the situation. My referrer replied that she didn't know she needed to trigger her own signup bonus to be able to refer. I let her know that while I agreed that she shouldn't have to, Brink's required it, and it wasn't only affecting my signup bonus, but my referral bonuses as well. That exchange made one thing clear. Not every legitimate referrer operates the same way. If the roles were reversed, I would have done whatever was needed to make sure she got her bonuses and without delay. That did not happen here.
Instead, I got a stream of excuses. No ride to the store. No money to deposit. I even offered to help. I also asked her if she'd please complete it as soon as she was able to. She said, "Sure." Based on our interactions, I worried she wouldn't. She had zero interest in doing anything to resolve it. And even though she had 4-5 months to resolve the issue, she did nothing.
What made it worse was watching her keep posting screenshots, bragging about cashing out hundreds of dollars from other apps. When she wasn't doing that, she was publicly calling out people who signed up through her but failed to complete the steps needed to trigger her referral bonuses. The contrast and irony were hard to miss.
One of several posts my referrer made publicly after I'd begged her to complete her part with the Brink's promotion.
It is what it is. On the upside, the situation reinforced what sets me and others like me apart in Referral World. We step up. We do everything within our power to ensure all parties get paid. So far, no one who signed up through me has told me they missed a Brinks bonus, and I hope Brinks did the right thing and honored theirs.
Don't Miss Out on Rakuten's $50 Bonuses! [US, CAN]
https://www.referralworldnews.com/go/rakuten
As I reported a few weeks ago, Rakuten extended its boosted $50 signup bonus and $50 referral bonuses. This promo was expected to end 12/31/25, but Rakuten has confirmed via its site banner that it now runs through 3/31.
Even though Rakuten's been around a while (it was formerly eBates), there is still plenty of earning opportunity. In fact, I've got $500 in bonuses coming my way just from this $50 bonus promo, along with $150 cash back from a Kraken-Rakuten stack promotion (which is still available today).
If you haven't signed up for Rakuten yet, you can trigger the $50 signup bonus by signing up and spending $50 or more anywhere through Rakuten. More info here, and for more great cashback app bonuses, see my featured list here.
Fetch's Increased $3 Referral Bonuses! [Ends 1/20; US, PR]
https://www.referralworldnews.com/go/fetch (code XRGUGB)
The receipt-scanning/cashback app Fetch is offering an increased $3 referral bonus promotion, ending 1/20. Signup bonuses are $2 when you scan your first receipt.
Fetch is a great way to score gift cards and other cashback rewards by scanning your shopping receipts and connecting your Amazon, Walmart, and email accounts to the app. For more information about Fetch, see my featured post here. For similar receipt-scanning and cashback apps, see my Featured Cashback Bonuses post.
Score BIG From Hopper's Stacking Bonuses! [Worldwide]
https://www.referralworldnews.com/go/hopper- code johnm8e4
If you have traveling included in your New Year's resolutions, I highly recommend Hopper. This booking app makes your travel and hotel stays cheaper AND more rewarding, thanks to its stackable signup and referral bonuses! If you haven't signed up yet, you'll get:
$25 instant hotel credit just for joining
$25 instant bonuses (stackable hotel credits) for your first 20 referrals. Increased $50 stackable bonuses after that, which can be used on hotels, airfare, rental cars, etc.
Limited-time bonuses for hitting invite goals (past promos have reached $475)
All of this on top of hotel and travel discounts when booking through Hopper
More info on Hopper and its stacking bonuses here. And learn how you can combine this with increased credit card signup bonuses and perks like entry into Centurion Lounges here.
Promos Ending Soon! [Multiple Countries]
https://www.referralworldnews.com/endingsoon
Many of these signup and referral bonuses in Referral World are limited-time offers (like the ones mentioned above). You can find more limited-time offers along with new and renewed promos in my featured post here.
Recap of Last Week's RWN:
Be Ready for Another Free $3K Cash Game Tomorrow! [Worldwide]
Increased $10–$60 MoneyLion Bonuses Are Back, Ends 1/27! PLUS $2K Giveaway to 50 Winners! [US]
TopCashback’s Increased $40 Referral Bonuses! [Ends 1/26; US, UK, FR, DE, CN]
Be Ready for Another Free $2K Cash Game Tonight! [Worldwide]
Stash Lowers Bonuses to $30. $50 Links Still Working! [US]
I’ve Now Scored $190 From Zenlit! [US]
Set Your Clocks: Increased $10–$60 MoneyLion Bonuses Return Tomorrow Night! [US]
New Chase Checking Promos: $400 Signup, $50 Referrals, $125 Teen Offer! [US]
GotGame Happening Tonight, Every Day This Week! [Worldwide]
GotGame Happening Tonight! [Worldwide]
$40 and Counting! Free Phone, Number, Service, and Bonuses to Boot! [US]
Extrabux – $20 Signup, $5 Referrals + 5% Passive Earnings [Worldwide]
Amazon Visa’s Instant $150 Signup Bonus Promo! No Spend Requirement! [US]
OKX’s New $200 Signup, $200 Referrals Promo! [Ends 1/20; US]
Two Days Left to Score Stash’s Free Netflix Stock [Ends 1/11; US]
I’ve Already Scored $70 From Zenlit! [US]
Great News for MoneyLion Members! [US]
Two Days Left for Acorns “Refer 3, Get $900” Promo! [Ends 1/11; US]
Free Cash Giveaways This Month!
Aven’s $2,500 Sweepstakes Happening Tonight! [US]
Ally, My Second Favorite Banking App! [US]
Promos Ending Soon! [Multiple Countries]
Did You Know?
Did you know that while I publish a new issue of Referral World News each week, I update each weekly post daily? Bookmark https://www.referralworldnews.com and check back throughout the week for the latest articles and updates!
Have a Referral News Tip?
Please email me at [email protected] if there's any new app or referral news you think I should know about and/or would like to see featured in Referral World News! If you're a subscriber and I haven't included the app yet, I might surprise you by featuring your link in the article!
Check out my profile, where you can follow me and find my latest posts! You can also follow me and find more of my referrals at:
