Trustless payments for compute
Every payment on LinqProtocol flows through on-chain escrow contracts. Providers get paid when they deliver. Requestors get refunds for unused time. No trust required.
The trust problem in compute
When you pay for cloud compute, you trust the provider to:
- •Actually run your workload
- •Not overcharge you
- •Refund you if they fail
When you're a provider, you trust the customer to:
- •Actually pay for resources consumed
- •Not dispute valid charges
Traditional cloud solves this with legal contracts and reputations. But what about decentralized compute where providers are anonymous?
LinqProtocol solves this with on-chain escrows.
On-chain guarantees for both parties
The escrow contract is the source of truth. Both parties can verify: how much was deposited, when work started, how much has been earned, and how much remains.
No "trust me" handshakes. Everything on-chain.
Smart contract features
EIP-712 Signatures
Offers are signed using the EIP-712 standard, providing human-readable signing prompts and preventing replay attacks.
Budget Control
Fund escrows upfront and track remaining balance in real time. Top up when you need more runway.
Partial Withdrawals
Providers can withdraw earned funds at any time without waiting for the full escrow duration.
Automatic Refunds
When an escrow finalizes, unused funds automatically return to the requestor's wallet.
Permissionless Finalization
Anyone can call finalize on an expired escrow. No admin keys required.
What this means for developers
No Overpayment
You fund for the expected duration. If you stop early, unused funds are returned.
No Trust Required
You don't need to trust an anonymous provider. The smart contract enforces payment only for work delivered.
Budget Visibility
Track exactly how much has been consumed, how much remains, and when funds will run out.
On-Chain Transparency
Escrow activity is auditable on-chain for clear accountability.
How to Fund
What this means for providers
Guaranteed Payment
Once funds are locked, they can't be withdrawn by the requestor without your consent (until finalization).
Continuous Earnings
Withdraw your earnings at any point during the escrow - don't wait until completion.
On-Chain Identity
Your provider address is associated with all your escrows, building an on-chain reputation.
No Chargebacks
Unlike credit card payments, on-chain escrows can't be reversed after work is delivered.
Under the hood
Escrow.sol
Key Functions
createEscrow(offer, signature)Creates and funds a new escrow from a signed offer
fund(escrowId, amount)Adds more funds to an existing escrow
startJob(escrowId)Provider signals work has begun
withdraw(escrowId, amount)Provider withdraws earned funds
finalize(escrowId)Closes the escrow and returns remaining funds
Events
EscrowCreatedEscrowFundedJobStartedFundsWithdrawnEscrowFinalizedSecurity
- • Open source and verifiable
- • No admin keys for critical operations
Things to know
Escrow Duration
Once funded, an escrow runs for its specified duration. You can remove the deployment, but the escrow and compute lease remain active until expiration.
Minimum Funding
There may be minimum funding requirements based on the resource tier selected.
Gas Fees
Creating and funding escrows requires gas fees. Keep a small balance in your wallet.