Terms of Service

Last updated: February 10, 2026

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using the Halo Protocol platform, website, smart contracts, APIs, or any related services (collectively, the "Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to all of these Terms, you must not access or use the Service. These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Halo Protocol ("we," "us," or "our").

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Your continued use of the Service after any modifications constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms. It is your responsibility to review these Terms periodically.

2. Description of Service

Halo Protocol is a decentralized protocol built on the Solana blockchain that enables users to create and participate in lending circles (Rotating Savings and Credit Associations, or ROSCAs). The Service includes smart contracts deployed on Solana, a web-based frontend application, REST APIs, and related developer tools.

The Service facilitates the formation of lending circles where participants contribute funds to a shared escrow each round, with one member receiving the pooled amount on a rotating basis. The Service also includes an on-chain trust scoring system, insurance pools, governance mechanisms, and yield generation through DeFi integrations.

3. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years of age (or the age of majority in your jurisdiction) to use the Service. By using the Service, you represent and warrant that you meet this age requirement and have the legal capacity to enter into these Terms.

You are responsible for ensuring that your use of the Service complies with all applicable laws and regulations in your jurisdiction. The Service may not be available in all jurisdictions, and we make no representations that the Service is appropriate or available for use in any particular location.

4. Account Registration

To use certain features of the Service, you must connect a Solana-compatible wallet (such as Phantom, Solflare, or Ledger). Your wallet address serves as your identity on the platform. You are solely responsible for maintaining the security of your wallet, private keys, and seed phrases.

We do not have access to your private keys, seed phrases, or wallet funds. We cannot recover lost wallets or reverse transactions. You acknowledge that loss of your wallet credentials may result in permanent loss of access to your funds and trust score.

5. Use of the Service

You may use the Service to create and join lending circles, contribute to shared escrow accounts, receive payout distributions, build and manage your on-chain trust score, participate in circle governance, and access yield generated by DeFi integrations.

You agree to use the Service only for its intended purposes and in compliance with these Terms. You are responsible for all activity that occurs through your wallet connection, whether or not authorized by you.

6. Prohibited Activities

You agree not to:

  • Use the Service for money laundering, terrorist financing, or any other illegal activity
  • Manipulate or attempt to manipulate trust scores through fraudulent activity, collusion, or sybil attacks
  • Exploit vulnerabilities in smart contracts, APIs, or infrastructure for unauthorized gain
  • Interfere with or disrupt the Service, servers, or networks connected to the Service
  • Impersonate any person or entity, or falsely state or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity
  • Use bots, scripts, or automated systems to interact with the Service in ways that violate these Terms
  • Circumvent any rate limiting, access controls, or security measures implemented by the Service
  • Create multiple accounts or wallets for the purpose of manipulating circles or trust scores

7. Smart Contract Risks

The Service relies on smart contracts deployed on the Solana blockchain. While we make reasonable efforts to ensure the security and correctness of our smart contracts, you acknowledge and accept the following risks:

  • Smart contracts may contain bugs, vulnerabilities, or unexpected behavior that could result in loss of funds
  • The Solana blockchain may experience network congestion, downtime, or consensus failures
  • Transactions on the Solana blockchain are irreversible once confirmed
  • DeFi integrations for yield generation carry additional risk including smart contract risk, liquidity risk, and market risk
  • Protocol upgrades or migrations may affect existing circles, escrow accounts, or trust scores
  • Regulatory changes may affect the availability or legality of the Service in your jurisdiction

You agree to use the Service at your own risk and to not deposit more funds than you can afford to lose.

8. Fees

The Service is free to use. However, the following fees apply to protocol operations:

  • Distribution Fee: 0.5% on each payout distribution
  • Yield Fee: 0.25% on yield generated from DeFi integrations
  • Management Fee: 2% annual fee on active circle balances
  • Gas Fees: Solana network transaction fees (typically under $0.01 per transaction)

Fee parameters are governed by the protocol's revenue_params account on-chain and may be adjusted through governance. We will provide reasonable notice before any fee changes take effect.

9. Intellectual Property

The Halo Protocol smart contracts and frontend application are released as open-source software. The specific license terms governing the source code are stated in the project repository.

The Halo Protocol name, logo, brand assets, and trademarks are the property of Halo Protocol and may not be used without prior written permission. Nothing in these Terms grants you any right to use our trademarks, service marks, or trade names.

10. Privacy

Your use of the Service is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which describes how we collect, use, and protect your information. By using the Service, you consent to the practices described in the Privacy Policy.

You acknowledge that transactions on the Solana blockchain are publicly visible and that your wallet address, transaction history, trust score, and circle participation are recorded on a public ledger.

11. Disclaimers

THE SERVICE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

We do not warrant that the Service will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free, that defects will be corrected, or that the Service is free of viruses or other harmful components. We do not guarantee any specific results from using the Service, including but not limited to any specific trust score, yield, or financial outcome.

Halo Protocol is not a bank, financial advisor, broker, or registered investment advisor. Nothing in the Service constitutes financial advice, investment advice, or a recommendation to engage in any particular transaction.

12. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL HALO PROTOCOL, ITS AFFILIATES, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, OR LICENSORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF PROFITS, DATA, FUNDS, GOODWILL, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES, RESULTING FROM:

  • Your access to or use of (or inability to use) the Service
  • Any conduct or content of any third party on or through the Service
  • Unauthorized access, use, or alteration of your transmissions or content
  • Smart contract bugs, exploits, or vulnerabilities
  • Loss of funds deposited into circles, escrow, or yield protocols
  • Blockchain network failures, congestion, or forks

13. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Halo Protocol, its affiliates, officers, directors, employees, agents, and licensors from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or in connection with your use of the Service, your violation of these Terms, or your violation of any rights of another party.

14. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the jurisdiction in which Halo Protocol is organized, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any disputes arising from these Terms or your use of the Service shall be resolved through binding arbitration in accordance with the rules of a recognized arbitration body. You agree to waive any right to a jury trial or to participate in a class action lawsuit.

15. Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. We will notify users of material changes by posting the updated Terms on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. Changes become effective immediately upon posting.

Your continued use of the Service after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms. If you do not agree to the updated Terms, you must stop using the Service.

If you have questions about these Terms, please contact us at legal@haloprotocol.io.