Terms of Service

Eligibility Requirements

• You must be at least 18 years of age (or the age of majority in your jurisdiction, whichever is greater)
• You must not be subject to any sanctions, restricted party lists, or applicable financial prohibitions
• Your account must not have been previously suspended or terminated by Crednce for cause
• Business accounts must belong to a validly incorporated and operating legal entity
• You must have the authority to transact in the currency and amounts involved in your Deals

Registration & Account Security

• You agree to provide accurate, complete, and current registration information at all times
• You are solely responsible for all activity that occurs under your account, whether authorised by you or not
• You must enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) for accounts that will hold or transact escrow funds above thresholds set by Crednce
• You must notify us immediately at security@crednce.io if you suspect unauthorised access to your account
• You may not share your login credentials, transfer your account, or allow others to access your account on your behalf
• Crednce reserves the right to suspend accounts exhibiting suspicious or anomalous activity pending investigation

Know Your Customer (KYC)

• To comply with anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorism financing (CTF) obligations, Crednce requires identity verification for all users conducting financial transactions
• Verification tiers are applied progressively based on transaction volume and risk profile
• Required documents may include: national ID, passport, proof of address, and for businesses — corporate registration documents and ultimate beneficial owner information
• Failure to complete required KYC will result in transaction limits or account suspension until verification is complete
• Crednce partners with licensed identity verification providers. Document data is handled as described in our Privacy Policy

Escrow Initiation

• A Deal is funded when the Client deposits the agreed Deal amount plus the Escrow Initiation Fee (2% of Deal value) into the Platform Escrow
• Funds are held in a segregated account separate from Crednce's operational funds
• No interest is earned or paid on escrowed funds; Crednce retains any float income as part of its service
• Escrowed funds are not available for Crednce's general creditors and are protected in the event of Crednce insolvency, to the extent permitted by applicable law
• Crednce does not extend credit; all funds must be deposited before a Deal commences

Escrow Release Conditions

• Funds are released to the Provider when the Client explicitly approves a Milestone delivery
• If a Client does not respond to a completed Milestone submission within 7 calendar days, Crednce may initiate an auto-release following a 48-hour written notice to the Client
• Dispute-triggered releases are governed by the outcome of the Dispute Resolution process in Section 09
• Crednce reserves the right to delay release if fraud, AML concerns, legal hold, or regulatory review is triggered

Refunds & Cancellations

• If a Deal is cancelled in writing by mutual agreement before any work commences, the Client receives a full refund of escrowed funds, net of any bank or payment processing charges
• If the Provider has commenced work, any refund amount is determined by Milestone completion status and, if disputed, by the Dispute Resolution process
• Escrow Initiation Fees are non-refundable once a Deal has been accepted and activated
• Refunds are processed to the original payment source within 5–10 business days

Multi-Currency & Conversion

• The Platform supports transactions in selected currencies including USD, GHS, NGN, KES, and ZAR
• Currency conversion, where applicable, is executed at the mid-market rate plus a spread disclosed at time of transaction
• Crednce is not responsible for exchange rate fluctuations between Deal creation and Escrow Release

Creating a Deal

• Deals are created by Clients and must include: deal title, detailed scope of work, at least one Milestone with a defined Deliverable and deadline, total Deal value, and payment method
• The minimum Deal value is $20 USD equivalent. This threshold exists to ensure platform integrity and protection is meaningful for both parties
• Both parties must explicitly accept the Deal terms before Escrow is funded and work begins
• Deal scope, once accepted, may only be amended by written mutual consent recorded on the Platform. Unilateral scope changes are not permitted

Milestone Submissions & Approvals

• Providers submit Deliverables through the Platform for each Milestone, including supporting files, notes, and evidence of completion
• Clients have 7 calendar days to review and either approve, request revision, or raise a Dispute
• Approval of a Milestone triggers the Escrow Release for that Milestone's associated funds
• Revision requests must be specific and directly related to the original agreed Milestone scope; they do not constitute a new Deal or scope extension
• All submissions, approvals, revisions, and timestamps are immutably recorded on the Platform and form part of the Deal audit trail

Late Delivery & Extensions

• If a Provider will miss a Milestone deadline, they must notify the Client and request an extension in writing via the Platform
• Extensions are at the Client's discretion. A refused extension does not automatically release escrow — the Client must initiate a Dispute
• Crednce does not impose penalties for late delivery but does maintain a Provider performance record that affects their marketplace visibility and trust score

Contracts & Legal Automation

• Upon Deal acceptance, the Platform generates a timestamped deal contract summarising scope, parties, milestones, amounts, and accepted terms
• This contract is stored on the Platform and is admissible as evidence in applicable dispute or legal proceedings
• Contracts are generated under the laws of the jurisdiction selected or inferred at time of Deal creation
• Crednce is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Contract templates are provided as a convenience tool and do not substitute for independent legal counsel

Transaction Fees

• Escrow Initiation Fee: 2% of the Deal value, charged to the Client at time of funding
• Payout Commission: 3.5% of the Milestone release amount, deducted from the Provider's payout
• Example: On a $100 Deal — the Client deposits $102; the Provider receives $96.50 at payout
• Transaction fees are non-refundable once the associated Escrow event has been processed

Subscription Plans

• Starter Plan ($19/month): Up to 3 active projects, basic escrow protection, standard support
• Growth Plan ($49/month): Unlimited projects, free milestone verifications, faster dispute handling, priority support, and verified provider badge
• Enterprise Plan ($149+/month): All Growth features plus dedicated account support, KYC and compliance assistance, API access, and custom contract templates
• Subscriptions renew automatically on the monthly anniversary of signup. You may cancel at any time; cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period
• Crednce reserves the right to change plan pricing with 30 days prior notice

Add-on Services

• AI Milestone Verification: $12 per verification — triggered on demand or automatically under qualifying Subscription Plans
• Expert Review: $75 per review — a qualified human specialist assesses Deliverable quality for complex or high-value disputes
• Dispute Arbitration: $25 per case — a formal dispute resolution process with binding outcome
• Add-on fees are charged at time of service and are non-refundable once the service has been initiated

Payment Methods

• Clients may fund Escrow via: bank transfer, debit/credit card, and Mobile Money (MTN, Vodafone, AirtelTigo, and regional equivalents)
• Provider payouts are disbursed via: bank transfer or Mobile Money to the account registered on the Platform
• Payment processing is handled by PCI-DSS compliant third-party processors. Crednce does not store raw card data
• Failed transactions due to insufficient funds or bank declines may result in Deal suspension until funding is confirmed

Taxes

• You are solely responsible for determining and paying all applicable taxes arising from your use of the Platform, including VAT, withholding tax, and income tax
• Crednce may be required by law to collect and remit taxes in certain jurisdictions. Where applicable, taxes will be displayed at checkout
• The Platform provides transaction records to assist with your tax obligations but does not provide tax advice

How It Works

• Upon triggering an AI Audit, our system analyses the submitted Deliverable — including files, text, and metadata — against the agreed Milestone scope and success criteria
• The AI generates a structured verification report indicating degree of scope compliance, notable observations, and a recommendation (pass, partial, or fail)
• AI Audit results are advisory and are used as a primary reference in Dispute Resolution processes
• Results are delivered within 24 hours of audit initiation

Limitations & Disclaimers

• AI Audit outputs are generated by machine learning models and are not infallible. They do not constitute a legal determination or professional opinion
• Crednce does not guarantee the accuracy of AI Audit results for subjective or creative deliverables where "quality" is inherently judgement-dependent
• For high-stakes disputes, the Expert Review Add-on is recommended to supplement AI findings with human specialist assessment
• Neither party may hold Crednce liable for losses arising from reliance on AI Audit output in isolation from other evidence

Provider Listings

• Providers may create a public profile showcasing their skills, portfolio, and verified Crednce deal history
• All ratings and reviews displayed on Provider profiles are derived from verified, completed Deals on the Platform — no anonymous or unverified reviews
• Providers are prohibited from misrepresenting their qualifications, skills, experience, or completion history
• Crednce reserves the right to suppress or remove profiles that violate marketplace integrity standards

Trust Score

• Providers accumulate a Crednce Trust Score based on deal completion rate, dispute ratio, milestone approval rate, and client ratings
• Trust Scores influence marketplace visibility and may be used to gate access to certain platform features or financial products
• Crednce does not disclose the precise algorithm used to calculate Trust Scores, but will inform Providers of material factors upon request

Marketplace Integrity

• Attempts to manipulate ratings, solicit fake reviews, or game trust metrics are grounds for immediate account suspension
• Off-platform solicitation — attempting to move a deal discovered on the Platform away from Crednce to avoid fees — is a breach of these Terms and grounds for suspension

Raising a Dispute

• Either party may raise a formal Dispute via the Platform within 14 calendar days of a contested Milestone submission or event
• The disputing party must provide a written statement of the grievance, referencing the specific Milestone scope, and supporting evidence (screenshots, files, communications)
• Once a Dispute is raised, the associated Escrow funds are placed on hold pending resolution

Resolution Process

• Stage 1 — Negotiation (48 hours): Crednce notifies both parties and provides a structured discussion channel. Many disputes are resolved at this stage
• Stage 2 — AI Audit (24–48 hours): If negotiation fails, Crednce initiates an AI Audit of the contested Deliverable against the agreed scope. Both parties receive the audit report
• Stage 3 — Crednce Review (up to 5 business days): A Crednce Resolution Specialist reviews all evidence — including AI Audit results, communications, and scope documentation — and issues a binding determination
• Stage 4 — Expert Review (optional, $75): Either party may request an independent human specialist review before Stage 3 becomes binding

Binding Determinations

• Crednce's Stage 3 determination is final and binding within the Platform. Funds will be released per the determination within 2 business days
• Crednce's determination represents its assessment of the evidence presented and does not constitute a legal judgement
• Either party retains the right to pursue legal remedies through courts or arbitration outside the Platform, independent of Crednce's determination
• Frivolous or bad-faith dispute submissions may result in account penalties and forfeiture of Dispute Arbitration fees

Eligibility & Underwriting

• Financial Products are available to Providers with a verified Crednce account, a minimum number of successfully completed Deals, and a Trust Score above the threshold specified for each product
• Eligibility is assessed using Crednce's verified deal history data and does not constitute a credit check on external bureaus unless expressly disclosed
• Approval is at Crednce's sole discretion. Eligibility for a Financial Product does not guarantee approval

Terms of Credit

• The specific amount, term, repayment schedule, and any applicable fees are disclosed in the Financial Product offer document presented before acceptance
• Where permitted by law, repayments may be collected automatically by deducting from future Escrow Releases
• Failure to repay in accordance with the agreed schedule may result in account suspension and referral to a collections process
• Crednce is not a licensed bank or lender in all jurisdictions. Where required, Financial Products are offered through regulated partner institutions

Financial Integrity

• Money laundering, terrorist financing, or processing proceeds of crime through Escrow
• Using the Platform to transact in sanctioned goods, services, or with sanctioned individuals or entities
• Structuring transactions to evade KYC or AML thresholds (smurfing)
• Providing false or misleading information during KYC, account registration, or dispute proceedings

Platform Abuse

• Creating multiple accounts to evade bans, fees, or platform limits
• Attempting to reverse-engineer, scrape, or exploit the Platform's systems or APIs without authorisation
• Interfering with other users' accounts, Deals, or data
• Circumventing or attempting to bypass Escrow (including off-platform payment agreements for Platform-sourced Deals)
• Submitting false or fabricated Deliverables as genuine work

Prohibited Deal Types

• Deals involving illegal goods or services under applicable law
• Adult content, weapons, controlled substances, gambling, or hacking services
• Any service designed to deceive a third party (e.g., fake reviews, academic fraud)
• Transactions involving politically exposed persons (PEPs) without prior Crednce approval

Crednce Platform IP

• The Platform — including its design, software, algorithms, trademarks, trade dress, and documentation — is owned by Crednce and protected by intellectual property law
• Your use of the Platform does not grant you any licence to Crednce's intellectual property beyond the limited right to access and use the Platform as described in these Terms
• You may not copy, modify, distribute, or create derivative works based on any part of the Platform without our express written consent

Ownership of Deal Deliverables

• Ownership of Deliverables produced under a Deal is governed by the Deal agreement between Client and Provider — not by Crednce
• Unless a Deal agreement explicitly states otherwise, full ownership and copyright in Deliverables transfers to the Client upon final Escrow Release for those Deliverables
• Crednce is not responsible for and does not mediate intellectual property disputes between Clients and Providers that arise outside the Deal scope and milestone framework

Your Content

• You retain ownership of content you upload to the Platform (profiles, Deliverables, communications)
• By uploading content, you grant Crednce a limited, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to use that content solely for the purposes of operating the Platform (storing, displaying, and analysing for the purpose of your Deal)
• You represent that you have all rights necessary to grant this licence and that your content does not infringe any third-party rights

Platform Provided "As Is"

• The Platform is provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis. Crednce makes no warranty, express or implied, regarding fitness for a particular purpose, merchantability, accuracy, or uninterrupted availability
• Crednce does not warrant that (a) the Platform will be error-free or free of security vulnerabilities; (b) any defects will be corrected; or (c) results obtained from using the Platform will be accurate or reliable

Liability Cap

• To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Crednce's total cumulative liability to you arising out of or related to these Terms — regardless of the theory of liability — shall not exceed the greater of: (a) the total Platform Fees paid by you to Crednce in the 12 months preceding the claim; or (b) $100 USD
• This limitation applies even if Crednce has been advised of the possibility of such damages

Exclusion of Consequential Damages

• Crednce shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, punitive, or consequential damages arising from: (a) use of or inability to use the Platform; (b) loss of profits, revenue, data, goodwill, or business opportunity; (c) conduct or content of any other user; or (d) unauthorised access to or alteration of your data

Third-Party Services

• The Platform may integrate with third-party services (payment processors, KYC providers, storage providers). Crednce is not responsible for the availability, accuracy, or conduct of such services
• Your use of third-party services is governed by their own terms of service and privacy policies

Term

• These Terms remain in effect from the date you create your account until your account is closed or these Terms are terminated by either party

Termination by You

• You may close your account at any time via account settings, provided there are no open Deals, pending Disputes, or outstanding obligations
• Closure requests with open Deals will be deferred until those Deals are resolved or formally cancelled

Suspension or Termination by Crednce

• Crednce may suspend or terminate your account immediately, with or without notice, for: (a) material breach of these Terms; (b) fraud or misrepresentation; (c) AML/KYC failure; (d) court order or regulatory directive; or (e) conduct that poses a risk to other Users or the Platform
• Upon termination for cause, Crednce may withhold funds pending investigation or to satisfy outstanding obligations to other Users
• Crednce may also terminate accounts for non-use after 24 months of inactivity, with 30 days prior notice

Effect of Termination

• On termination, your right to access the Platform ceases immediately. Sections of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination (including limitations of liability, indemnification, dispute resolution, and governing law) shall continue to apply
• We will provide access to your deal records and exportable data for 90 days following account closure before permanent deletion, subject to mandatory retention obligations

Informal Resolution

• Before initiating formal legal proceedings, you agree to first contact us at legal@crednce.io and make a good-faith effort to resolve the dispute informally within 30 days

Arbitration

• For disputes that cannot be resolved informally, both parties agree to binding arbitration under the rules of the Ghana Arbitration Centre (or a mutually agreed equivalent in your jurisdiction)
• Arbitration shall be conducted in English. The seat of arbitration shall be Accra, Ghana
• This arbitration clause does not prevent either party from seeking emergency injunctive relief from a court of competent jurisdiction to prevent irreparable harm pending arbitration

Class Action Waiver

• To the extent permitted by law, you waive any right to bring claims against Crednce as a plaintiff or class member in any purported class action, collective action, or representative proceeding

Entire Agreement

• These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and any additional terms specific to a product or feature, constitute the entire agreement between you and Crednce regarding the Platform and supersede all prior understandings, representations, or agreements.

Severability

• If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, that provision will be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable. All other provisions remain in full force and effect.

Waiver

• Crednce's failure to enforce any provision of these Terms in a particular instance does not constitute a waiver of its right to enforce that provision in the future.

Assignment

• You may not assign or transfer your account or rights under these Terms without our prior written consent. Crednce may assign these Terms in connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of substantially all assets, with appropriate notice to you.

Force Majeure

• Neither party shall be liable for delays or failures to perform resulting from events beyond their reasonable control, including natural disasters, government actions, civil unrest, infrastructure failures, or network outages. Notification of force majeure events must be given promptly.

Language

• These Terms are written in English. In the event of translation into another language, the English version shall prevail in the event of any inconsistency.