How Identity & Trust Works

Our trust system helps buyers feel confident and rewards sellers who invest in their reputation. Higher scores unlock more features.

Trust Score (0-21 Points)

Every seller has a trust score calculated from three components: core identity, social links, and reviews. The score determines your trust tier and what features you can access.

Core Identity (0-10 points)

Method	Listed	Public	Verified	Max
Email	+1	+1	+1 (magic link)	3
Phone	+1	+1	+1 (future)	3
Nostr	+1	-	+1 (NIP-05)	2
Domain	+1	-	+1 (DNS/file)	2

Social Links (0-12 points)

Link social accounts for additional points. Platforms that support cryptographic verification earn more.

Verifiable (2 points each): Mastodon, Bluesky, GitHub, GitLab, Keybase

Non-verifiable (1 point each): Telegram, Signal, Session, Matrix, Twitter/X, and others

Anti-gaming: social points are capped at Core Identity score x 1.5. Build core identity first.

Reviews

Customer reviews directly affect your score: 5-star = +2, 4-star = +1, 3-star = 0, 2-star = -1, 1-star = -2. Only approved reviews count. Total score caps at 21.

Trust Tiers & What They Unlock

Score	Tier	Features Unlocked
0-2	New	1 listing, 2 gallery items
3-4	Verified	Can leave reviews
5-9	Trusted	4 gallery items, free subdomain (yourname.agorist.market)
10-14	Established	Video embed option (replaces gallery)
15-21	Pillar	Profile subdomain, up to 3 listings

Paid Domain Package

Any user with a verified email can purchase a custom domain for $50/year. This unlocks 8 gallery items (or 4 + video) regardless of trust score. Your trust tier badge stays the same — the domain purchase adds features, not trust points.

For Buyers

• Check the trust badge on listings — higher tiers mean more established sellers
• Read reviews from other buyers
• Look for verified contact info (public email, phone, social accounts)
• Trust scores are a guide, not a guarantee — use your judgment

For Sellers

Build your score by:

• Verifying your email (+1-3 points)
• Adding a public phone number (+1-2 points)
• Linking verifiable social accounts like Mastodon, GitHub, Keybase (+2 each)
• Adding your Nostr npub with NIP-05 verification (+2 points)
• Earning 5-star reviews from customers (+2 each)

You don't have to verify everything. A seller with great reviews can reach the same tier as someone who verified every contact method. Privacy is respected, but transparency is rewarded.