diff --git a/.changeset/gorgeous-impalas-bake.md b/.changeset/gorgeous-impalas-bake.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..65bcd3816
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/gorgeous-impalas-bake.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@rabbitholegg/questdk-plugin-foundation": minor
+---
+
+use referral param in valildation and sims
diff --git a/packages/foundation/src/Foundation.test.ts b/packages/foundation/src/Foundation.test.ts
index a387adf5f..c2b512aed 100644
--- a/packages/foundation/src/Foundation.test.ts
+++ b/packages/foundation/src/Foundation.test.ts
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import {
   type MintActionParams,
   type MintIntentParams,
 } from '@rabbitholegg/questdk-plugin-utils'
-import { Address, parseEther } from 'viem'
+import { Address, parseEther, zeroAddress } from 'viem'
 import { describe, expect, test, vi } from 'vitest'
 
 describe('Given the foundation plugin', () => {
@@ -62,19 +62,22 @@ describe('Given the foundation plugin', () => {
     })
 
     describe('should not pass filter with invalid transactions', () => {
-      failingTestCases.forEach((testCase) => {
+      for (const testCase of failingTestCases) {
         const { transaction, description, params } = testCase
         test(description, async () => {
+          let result: boolean | undefined
           try {
             const filter = await mint(params)
-            const result = apply(transaction, filter)
-            expect(result).toBe(false)
+            result = apply(transaction, filter)
           } catch (error) {
             expect(error).toBeDefined()
             expect(error).toBeInstanceOf(Error)
           }
+          if (result) {
+            expect(result).toBe(false)
+          }
         })
-      })
+      }
     })
   })
 
@@ -194,6 +197,7 @@ describe('Given the foundation plugin', () => {
         contractAddress: CONTRACT_ADDRESS,
         amount: 1n,
         recipient: RECIPIENT_ADDRESS,
+        referral: zeroAddress,
       }
 
       // mock
@@ -201,7 +205,7 @@ describe('Given the foundation plugin', () => {
         getMintIntent: async (mint: MintIntentParams) => ({
           from: mint.recipient,
           to: mint.contractAddress,
-          data: '0x0cafb11300000000000000000000000054d8109b459cefa530cdba2c3a2218c14e08090700000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000010000000000000000000000001234567890123456789012345678901234567890000000000000000000000000e3bba2a4f8e0f5c32ef5097f988a4d88075c8b4800000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000a00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000',
+          data: '0x0cafb11300000000000000000000000054d8109b459cefa530cdba2c3a2218c14e08090700000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000010000000000000000000000001234567890123456789012345678901234567890000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000a00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000',
         }),
       }
       const getMintIntentSpy = vi.spyOn(mockFns, 'getMintIntent')
@@ -213,7 +217,7 @@ describe('Given the foundation plugin', () => {
       expect(result).toEqual({
         from: mint.recipient,
         to: mint.contractAddress,
-        data: '0x0cafb11300000000000000000000000054d8109b459cefa530cdba2c3a2218c14e08090700000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000010000000000000000000000001234567890123456789012345678901234567890000000000000000000000000e3bba2a4f8e0f5c32ef5097f988a4d88075c8b4800000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000a00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000',
+        data: '0x0cafb11300000000000000000000000054d8109b459cefa530cdba2c3a2218c14e08090700000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000010000000000000000000000001234567890123456789012345678901234567890000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000a00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000',
       })
     })
 
@@ -225,6 +229,7 @@ describe('Given the foundation plugin', () => {
         contractAddress: CONTRACT_ADDRESS,
         amount: 1n,
         recipient: RECIPIENT_ADDRESS,
+        referral: zeroAddress,
       }
 
       // mock
@@ -294,6 +299,7 @@ describe('Given the foundation plugin', () => {
     })
 
     test('should simulate a mint with a dutch auction', async () => {
+      // ! fails when using live data (dutch auction not supported)
       const mint = {
         chainId: Chains.BASE,
         contractAddress: '0x6a41fcce9d075a9f6324b626af56cf632c509ec9',
@@ -362,6 +368,7 @@ describe('Given the foundation plugin', () => {
     })
 
     test('should simulate a mint with an 1155 OE mint', async () => {
+      // ! fails when using live data (mint expired)
       const mint = {
         chainId: Chains.BASE,
         contractAddress: '0x1d2550d198197df1a10af515cf2ea0d790889b93',
diff --git a/packages/foundation/src/Foundation.ts b/packages/foundation/src/Foundation.ts
index cbc25a0ef..43f1515eb 100644
--- a/packages/foundation/src/Foundation.ts
+++ b/packages/foundation/src/Foundation.ts
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@ import {
 export const mint = async (
   mint: MintActionParams,
 ): Promise<TransactionFilter> => {
-  const { chainId, contractAddress, amount, recipient, tokenId } = mint
+  const { chainId, contractAddress, amount, recipient, tokenId, referral } =
+    mint
 
   // 721
   const dropFactoryAddress = CHAIN_TO_CONTRACT_ADDRESS[chainId]
@@ -72,6 +73,7 @@ export const mint = async (
           count: formatAmount(amount),
           nftContract: contractAddress,
           nftRecipient: recipient,
+          buyReferrer: referral,
         },
         {
           // 1155 NFTMarketRouter
@@ -81,6 +83,7 @@ export const mint = async (
           tokenQuantities: {
             $some: { tokenId, quantity: formatAmount(amount) },
           },
+          referrer: referral,
         },
       ],
     },
@@ -166,7 +169,8 @@ export const getFees = async (
 export const getMintIntent = async (
   mint: MintIntentParams,
 ): Promise<TransactionRequest> => {
-  const { chainId, contractAddress, tokenId, amount, recipient } = mint
+  const { chainId, contractAddress, tokenId, amount, recipient, referral } =
+    mint
 
   const client = createPublicClient({
     chain: chainIdToViemChain(chainId),
@@ -194,7 +198,7 @@ export const getMintIntent = async (
         contractAddress,
         mintAmount,
         recipient,
-        REFERRAL_ADDRESS,
+        referral ?? REFERRAL_ADDRESS,
         [],
       ]
 
@@ -244,7 +248,7 @@ export const getMintIntent = async (
       contractAddress,
       [{ tokenId, quantity: 1n }],
       recipient,
-      REFERRAL_ADDRESS,
+      referral ?? REFERRAL_ADDRESS,
     ]
 
     const data = encodeFunctionData({
@@ -270,7 +274,8 @@ export const simulateMint = async (
   account?: Address,
   client?: PublicClient,
 ): Promise<SimulateContractReturnType> => {
-  const { chainId, contractAddress, amount, recipient, tokenId } = mint
+  const { chainId, contractAddress, amount, recipient, tokenId, referral } =
+    mint
 
   const _client =
     client ||
@@ -301,7 +306,13 @@ export const simulateMint = async (
         value,
         abi: FIXED_PRICE_FRAGMENTS,
         functionName: 'mintFromFixedPriceSaleWithEarlyAccessAllowlistV2',
-        args: [contractAddress, mintAmount, recipient, REFERRAL_ADDRESS, []],
+        args: [
+          contractAddress,
+          mintAmount,
+          recipient,
+          referral ?? REFERRAL_ADDRESS,
+          [],
+        ],
         account: account || DEFAULT_ACCOUNT,
       })
       return result
@@ -333,7 +344,7 @@ export const simulateMint = async (
         contractAddress,
         [[tokenId ?? 1, mintAmount]],
         recipient,
-        REFERRAL_ADDRESS,
+        referral ?? REFERRAL_ADDRESS,
       ],
       account: account || DEFAULT_ACCOUNT,
     })
diff --git a/packages/foundation/src/test-transactions.ts b/packages/foundation/src/test-transactions.ts
index 4f35b6924..138004055 100644
--- a/packages/foundation/src/test-transactions.ts
+++ b/packages/foundation/src/test-transactions.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import {
   type TestParams,
   createTestCase,
 } from '@rabbitholegg/questdk-plugin-utils'
+import { zeroAddress } from 'viem'
 
 const MINT_BASE: TestParams<MintActionParams> = {
   transaction: {
@@ -18,6 +19,7 @@ const MINT_BASE: TestParams<MintActionParams> = {
     chainId: 8453,
     contractAddress: '0xead6dca70b0465725a57eb81f7d3ab8b5e0b81b4',
     recipient: '0x22cf7cb48c74b07e1c0dcab5c047c5ed73292805',
+    referral: zeroAddress,
   },
 }
 
@@ -35,6 +37,7 @@ const MINT_ETHEREUM: TestParams<MintActionParams> = {
     chainId: 1,
     contractAddress: '0x42cfdea063311dfe9bbb3d7b598fea24067909b4',
     recipient: '0xd76dfe29f0371fb0640906c699165b6bab33c522',
+    referral: zeroAddress,
   },
 }
 
@@ -72,6 +75,7 @@ const MINT_OE_1155: TestParams<MintActionParams> = {
     recipient: '0xd3432463Cf264F4DEf759ca6F8843d47Dd00b2FD',
     tokenId: 213,
     amount: '1',
+    referral: zeroAddress,
   },
 }
 
@@ -91,4 +95,10 @@ export const failingTestCases = [
     contractAddress: '0x62037b26fff91929655aa3a060f327b47d1e2b3e',
   }),
   createTestCase(MINT_BASE, 'when amount is not sufficient', { amount: '99' }),
+  createTestCase(MINT_BASE, 'when when minting with wrong referral (721)', {
+    referral: '0x62037b26fff91929655aa3a060f327b47d1e2b3e',
+  }),
+  createTestCase(MINT_OE_1155, 'when when minting with wrong referral (1155)', {
+    referral: '0x62037b26fff91929655aa3a060f327b47d1e2b3e',
+  }),
 ]