How Payments Work on Opentribe

Opentribe is a talent marketplace that connects builders with opportunities. We surface every bounty, grant, and RFP in one place and keep payment history transparent—while you stay fully self-custodial.

You Stay in Control of Funds

The Payment Flow

Here's how payments actually work on Opentribe:

1. Opportunity Completion

• Builder submits work to a bounty or gets approved for a grant
• Organization reviews and selects winners
• Winner selection is recorded on Opentribe

2. Direct Payment (Off-Platform)

• Organization goes to their own wallet (Talisman, SubWallet, Polkadot.js, etc.)
• Organization sends payment directly to the builder's wallet address
• This transaction happens entirely on the Polkadot/Asset Hub blockchain
• Opentribe is not involved in this step

3. Payment Recording

• After sending payment, the organization returns to Opentribe
• Organization records the payment details:
  • Amount sent
  • Token used (DOT or another Asset Hub asset)
  • Transaction hash (extrinsic hash) from the blockchain
• This creates a payment record in Opentribe's database

4. Payment Verification

• Opentribe automatically verifies the transaction using Subscan API
• We check:
  • Transaction exists on-chain
  • Transaction was successful
  • It was a balance transfer
• Verification status is displayed to both parties

What Opentribe Provides

For Builders

• Visibility: See payment status and transaction details
• Verification: Confirm payments were made on-chain
• Records: Track all payments received across opportunities
• Trust: On-chain verification provides transparency

For Organizations

• Record Keeping: Document all payments made
• Compliance: Maintain records of disbursements
• Transparency: Show payment history to community
• Verification: Prove payments were completed

Payment Verification

When an organization records a payment, Opentribe:

1. Stores the transaction hash provided by the organization
2. Queries Subscan API to verify the transaction
3. Updates payment status based on blockchain confirmation
4. Displays verification badge when confirmed

You can always verify any payment independently by:

• Clicking the transaction hash to view on Subscan
• Checking the blockchain directly using any explorer
• Verifying sender/receiver addresses match

Common Questions

Why doesn't Opentribe process payments directly?

Opentribe focuses on being the best talent marketplace for discovering opportunities. By not handling payments, we:

• Keep the platform simple and focused
• Avoid regulatory complexity
• Let organizations use their preferred payment methods
• Maintain decentralization principles

What if an organization doesn't pay?

Since payments happen directly between parties:

• Check the payment status on Opentribe
• Verify the transaction hash on Subscan if provided
• Contact the organization directly
• Report issues to the Opentribe team for mediation support

Can I trust the payment records?

All payment records are verified against the actual blockchain:

• Transaction hashes can't be faked (they're verified on-chain)
• Subscan provides independent verification
• The blockchain is immutable and transparent
• Anyone can verify any transaction independently

Supported Tokens

Organizations typically pay in DOT (Polkadot’s native token) or any other asset that’s registered on Asset Hub—foreign parachain tokens and bridged stablecoins can all be managed there. Source

Document the token inside your bounty/grant so builders know what to expect.

Next Steps

• For Builders: Receiving Payments
• For Organizations: Making Payments
• Understanding Payment Verification