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The Role of Agents

Agents are professional arbitrators who resolve disputes between buyers and sellers when they can’t agree.

Think of it like...

An agent is like a judge for your escrow. When there’s a disagreement, they review the evidence and make a fair decision.

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How Agents Work

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Key Responsibilities

  • 📋 Review disputes — Examine terms, evidence, and communications
  • ⚖️ Make fair decisions — Determine how to split escrowed funds
  • ⏰ Respond promptly — Act within 7 days of being invited
  • 🎯 Stay neutral — No relationship with either party

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Why Stake?

Agents must stake funds to participate. This creates accountability:

Skin in the Game

Agents risk their own money if they misbehave.

MAV Limits

Stake determines the maximum escrow size they can handle.

Economic Alignment

DAO token stake shows commitment to the protocol.

Slashing Risk

DAO can slash stakes for proven misconduct.

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What Agents Earn

Agents earn fees for their services:
Fee TypeWhen EarnedTypical Range
Assignment FeeWhen selected for an escrow0-2%
Dispute FeeWhen resolving a dispute1-10%
Most income comes from dispute fees. Assignment fees are optional upfront payments.

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Example Earnings

Escrow: $10,000
Dispute Fee: 5%

Agent resolves dispute...
Agent earns: $500

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Agent Selection

Users choose agents when creating escrows. Selection criteria:
Number of disputes resolved, time as agent, community feedback.
Maximum escrow value the agent can handle (based on stake).
Assignment and dispute fees set by the agent.
Whether the agent is currently accepting new cases.

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Agent Validation

Agents are validated at two points:

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At Escrow Creation

  • Is this agent registered?
  • Is their MAV ≥ escrow amount?
  • Are they active and available?

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At Agent Invite

Same checks run again. This prevents:
  • Agents unstaking after being selected
  • Multiple high-value disputes draining MAV

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What If An Agent Misbehaves?

The DAO provides oversight:
IssueResponse
Clearly biased decisionDAO investigation, possible slashing
Accepting bribesHeavy slashing, potential ban
Repeatedly slow responsesReputation damage, reduced selection
Abandoning casesTimeout mechanism, reputation hit
Agents cannot be punished for making difficult but fair decisions. The DAO only acts on clear misconduct.

Want to Become an Agent?

Learn how to register →