1. Introduction
Thank you for choosing to be part of the Airtm community! These rules (“Rules”) are aimed at helping you and our Users (“Users”) use our Platform (“Platform”) and be aware of the best practices in our marketplace (“Marketplace”). Please read them carefully before using our Platform and consider that these Rules complement and complete our Terms of Services.
Our Marketplace contemplates all the peer to peer (“P2P”) that Users make in the Platform, including adds and withdrawals.
2. Airtm Marketplace
The Airtm Marketplace is where our users are able to perform P2P transactions, also known as peer-to-peer or person-to-person transactions. This is one of the first ways in which users are able to buy and sell (adds and withdrawals) digital dollars, represented as USDC in the platform.
Airtm P2P gives you access to a global marketplace of USDC users and cashiers. They can interact from over 190 countries and trade in a matter of minutes.
Airtm Marketplace offers a wide range of payment methods (more than 400), which means that most users can find a suitable way to use the platform.
Below you will find everything you need to know to start operating at Airtm!
- Who is who in Airtm?
The User is anyone with an Airtm account.
The Cashier (“Cashier”) is an Airtm User that completed certain verification processes allowing it to accept User’s transactions in the P2P network. Cashiers have their own dashboard in the platform, named “I am Cashier”.
- How to make a P2P transaction in Airtm?
Here you will find the step by step to make a transaction at Airtm:
User: The User chooses a transaction type (add or withdraw), completes the amount of USDC, the preferred payment method and confirms. The transaction is then pooled on the P2P network.
Cashier: The Cashier is then able to see the transaction available on the “I am Cashier” dashboard (available in the main menu under the tab “I am a Cashier”). The Cashier checks if it has enough funds under the payment method selected by the User and, in such case, accepts the transaction.
The User or Cashier transfers the funds through the selected payment method while the USDC are held in escrow until the transaction is completed or canceled.
Once the User or Cashier receives the funds through the selected payment method, the counterparty will confirm it and the USDC will be released in favor of its counterparty.
Congratulations! The transaction is completed!
- Is there any limit per transaction?
Yes! Here you can find the limits per type of transaction:
Withdrawal and adding funds per transaction:
Minimum: $1 USDC*
Maximum if a User is verified: up to $2,000 USDC*
Send funds:
Maximum: $2,500 USDC per transaction*
*These numbers are revised recurrently based on market conditions and reliability.
- What about fees?
Variable cashier fees: When you operate through the P2P Marketplace network (to add or withdraw funds), certain variable fees may be charged on behalf of the Cashier (the counterparty on the P2P transaction). The variable fees are calculated through an algorithm and vary depending on the market conditions.
Airtm Fees: Airtm may charge you for the service provided. For further details please check our Help Center.
Escrow Fees: When you operate through the P2P/Marketplace network, a fee is charged for the escrow service provided.
No Show Fee: Airtm may charge you an additional fee if you let the assigned time period elapse before you complete your task in the transaction. The No Show Fee shall not apply if you cancel the transaction manually and/or if your counterparty in the transaction lets the assigned time period elapse.
3. Airtm’s Best Practices
Recommended Best Practices for Third Party Transactions
A third party transfer is defined as an attempt to use a Payment Method or account that is registered under the User’s primary contact information. For example, a User attempting to withdraw to a local bank account which is not under the name of the User but rather another person.
Third party transactions are only allowed when they are generated from the withdraw menu and the User explicitly selects that this account is not owned by him/her but rather by another person. Otherwise those transactions are prohibited.
This is a guide to the steps you can take when you are faced with a third party transfer attempt by your counterparty, from identifying the attempt to resolving the problem.
Allowed or forbidden?
Third party ADD transactions are prohibited on Airtm, but this will not stop malicious people from trying to trap you into doing so. If you allow third party transfers, you will put your funds at risk.
Do not complete an ADD transaction when the funds are sent from an account, digital wallet or any other payment method held by a third party (different from the Airtm User requesting the transaction).
Third party transactions are only allowed for WITHDRAW transactions and when the User requesting the transaction explicitly selected the account to be a third party’s in the withdrawal transaction flow.
How to detect third party transactions?
What happens if the User you are interacting with in a transaction insists on using a payment method that is different from the one selected in the initial transaction request? In this case, you've just run into a third party transfer attempt.
There are a few ways to detect when your counterparty is attempting a third party transfer:
The bank account provided is in someone else's name. Each individual using Airtm P2P has the responsibility to provide an account that matches the identity they provided on the Airtm platform. If you see a name that does not match the name of your counterparty, take it as a red flag.
The name provided on the bank account does not match the name on the Airtm account. This case is similar to the first example, but in a more subtle way. A counterparty may have an excuse for the Airtm account name not matching the bank account name. This is a red flag because the counterparty should resolve any name inconsistencies in its Airtm P2P announcements and should not mention it belatedly in the middle of a transaction.
The counterparty chats with you about using another payment method.
Sometimes your counterparty comes up with an excuse to get you to use another bank account to complete the transaction. The counterparty may claim a problem with the published payment method. Don't listen to their excuses. The payment methods published in the ad should be the only channels you use to make a payment.
What to do when you notice an attempt to make a transfer to a third party?
Cancel the transaction. Once you notice the inconsistency in your counterparty's bank account information, you should cancel the transaction immediately. There is no need to clarify the inconsistency with the counterparty. Cancellation works best if you did not make the payment.
Refund the payment and cancel the agreement. If you are on the receiving end of the cash transfer as the first step of the P2P transaction, you should verify that the sender's information matches the Airtm P2P account information. If the information does not match, it could cause problems in the future in case your counterparty tries to invalidate your transaction. The best option is to return the funds to the same account they came from, inform the counterparty of the reasons and then cancel the transaction.
Reach out the mediations team in the “Mediations” section inside the transaction.
Appeal the transaction. There may be cases where you cannot verify the counterparty's account before it is too late. Even if you have already sent the payment, you still have the option to appeal the transaction by claiming a third party transfer. Our Support team will look into the matter immediately and resolve it on your behalf. We encourage you to report the problem even if you made the transaction to get your cash or cryptocurrency as you intended. We take third party transfers very seriously and punish those who bypass the proper channels to send funds.
What are the risks you face when you allow a third party transfer?
Allowing third party transfers to go through unverified leaves your account and your funds vulnerable to other actions your counterparty may take. These are some of the risks you face when you do not execute P2P transactions in the correct manner:
You will be vulnerable to reimbursement requests.
Your bank account could be frozen.
You may not receive the cryptocurrencies or cash involved in the transaction.
Other Best Practices for our Marketplace
Be polite with your counterpart. No rudeness or discrimination is allowed.
It is essential that interactions with the counterparty take place in a cordial and friendly environment, in order to favor the correct development of the transaction.
Always check twice the contact details of the Account involved in the transaction.
Prior to proceed to each step, do not forget to review correctly and carefully all the contact details of the counterparty. Whether operating inside or outside Airtm, this is essential to avoid possible mistakes or conflicts.
Always verify that the funds are correctly deposited in your account before completing your part of the transaction.
It’s very important that you check that the funds are correctly deposited in your external account before you proceed to the next step of the transaction.
Waiting times.
Transactions should be carried out as quickly as possible by the Users, with the time margin corresponding to the payment method selected.
After that time, the Airtm’s Support Team will take action on the transaction. If you let the time margin elapse without completing the transaction, you may be charged with a No Show Fee.
If you notice suspicious activity or behavior by your counterparty, please reach out to the Airtm Support team.
4. Mediation Procedure & Parameters
What is a mediation?
Mediation is the process in which the Airtm Support team intervenes to resolve any inconvenience or conflict with a P2P transaction.
When a mediation is initiated?
The mediation is initiated usually when one party confirms the funds has been transferred through the selected payment method and the other party does not confirm its reception and/or the transaction remains uncompleted for the time period corresponding to the payment method. In such an event, a member of the Support Team is assigned to verify any inconvenience and resolve it through the mediation process.
How does the mediation process work?
The mediation process takes three steps:
Understanding the problem: The Airtm Support team will first work to understand the inconvenience or conflict in the transaction. The User that has not completed the transaction will have to explain the reason why he/she has failed to do so. The Support team will assess arguments of both Users and the evidence presented.
Resolve the problem: The second step will have the Support team laying out the process to resolve the transaction. This process will vary depending on the transaction type, payment method and the conflict occurred. The affected Users will be notified through the Chat tab in the transaction.
Decision: The Airtm Support Team will guide the affected User through the mediation and end the transaction. If the Airtm Support team identifies a failure from the non-compliant User and/or not enough evidence is submitted, the transaction will be canceled.
Recommendations to operate without activating the mediation process
Always engage in a conversation with the transaction counterparty through the internal chat that opens with each transaction.
Keep an eye on notifications: make sure you keep an eye on your email inbox and notification bar within the app; this way you can keep all your transactions up to date.
Always read all instructions before confirming any transaction.
Confirm the transaction: confirm the reception of funds only when you are sure to have received funds in the selected payment method.
If you notice any problem with the transaction or the User on the other end of the transaction, please contact support at [email protected].
Try not to close your session for the duration of the transaction.
Process the transaction as quickly as possible to avoid any problems with external factors.
Payment triangulations are prohibited: it is completely forbidden in Airtm to complete payments from third party accounts, failing to comply with this rule will not only generate mediation processes, but will also cause penalties to your account. This applies when transacting with unregistered accounts or incorrectly configured payment methods.
5. Quality Rules (for Cashiers)
Airtm's Quality program constantly evaluates multiple performance variables and compares cashiers against others with the same level of experience.
The evaluation of quality is continuous, reviewing the most recent operations; so it is possible that even though you may have many completed transactions and a good historical rating, the system detects that recently, for some reason your performance has been affected. In this case, the system will send warnings and give you recommendations for improvement.
Quality is one of Airtm's core values, so only those users who meet the necessary standards and pay attention to our recommendations will be able to accept requests from other Users on the platform.
- Some of the variables evaluated in this program include:
Rating received: The rating you receive on completed transactions.
The number of canceled transactions: When the cancellation is initiated by the cashier.
Discrimination and offenses: When they come from the cashier.
Payments from third-party accounts: When the cashier uses unauthorized third-party accounts to send payments.
Changes in the internal conditions of the transaction: When the cashier proposes to use another payment method, commissions, or exchange rate.
Sharing or requesting personal information: When the cashier provides or requests the personal information.
The number of mediations lost: When the cashier disproportionately loses the mediation in which his/her account is involved.
Confirmation or completion time: When the cashier is consistently slow in confirming the transfer or receipt of funds.
Check Our Recommendations for Cashiers:
How to avoid cancellations?
Chat & Wait: Be patient. If the customer does not answer it is preferable to use the chat and wait for a response instead of rushing to request a cancellation; remember that if the user does not complete the payment in the established time, the transaction will cancel itself. It is always in your best interest to complete all transactions you accept.
Check your wallets or bank accounts: Make sure you have the necessary means ready to process a transaction before accepting it: available funds, active bank account or active and unrestricted virtual wallet. Also, do not add payment methods that you are not going to use!
Only accept requests when you are absolutely sure that it is in your interest to complete them: Do not accept transactions as a test as they affect your completion percentage and analyze the rate and commission of the operation before accepting it.
Research time and transactional limits on your banking services: Avoid taking transactions during those hours and above those amounts.
Make sure your personal information is correct and complete: An incomplete name or incorrect bank details are common causes of cancellations.
Use a profile photo: An appropriate image will generate more confidence in your peers.
Be ready! Evaluate your calendar: If you are going to be away from your computer or phone for any reason, avoid accepting transactions.
How to improve my timing?
Sometimes less is more: Avoid accepting too many transactions at the same time; chances of failure will increase.
Clarify any doubts you may have: Use the transaction chat to clarify any doubts with your peer quickly.
Make sure you have everything you need before accepting it: available funds, active bank account or active and unrestricted virtual wallet.
Confirming is also important! Our quality system considers both the completion or confirmation times that elapses when the cashier must send payment and confirm the transfer, or when confirming the receipt of funds to complete a transaction after the customer has confirmed that he/she has made the payment.
How to avoid infractions and bad qualifications?
Try to have a friendly conversation through the operation chat.
Never request or share personal data through chat: Not only would you be violating Airtm's security standards, but it will also generate mistrust in your counterpart, which can lead to a bad rating.
Never propose a change in the negotiation conditions: The peer has already selected his amount and payment method. Do not suggest or try to convince them to make the payment for a different amount or means.
We know that sometimes helping others complete a transaction can be really challenging or stressful; try to be patient and empathic. Don't forget that Airtm is a Peer to Peer platform where a good experience is an essential part of your and our growth.
Set limits! Don't accept more transactions than you can handle quickly, effectively and with the best attitude.
Addressing other users using offensive or discriminatory language: Avoid confrontations; if your counterpart has been rude, you can always request the cancellation of the transaction and contact our support team. Do not hold an argument.
Keep in mind that sometimes you will be dealing with new or inexperienced users, as a Cashier, you can be part of the solution by helping them understand the process to complete their transaction.
Be professional, personal insults do not help to solve any problem.
Act objectively, follow the instructions of the system and use the transaction chat only to discuss issues related to the current transaction.
Use the resources available for you: Our help center, social networks, and blog are at your disposal so that you can educate yourself to operate without infringing our security policies.
6. Quality Rules (for Users)
Airtm's Quality program constantly evaluates user activity within the platform.
The quality evaluation reviews overall user activity, so it is possible that even if you have a lot of completed transactions and a good historical rating if the system will detect some unusual behavior, in this case, the system will send warnings and give you recommendations to avoid making the same mistakes in the future.
Quality and security are some of Airtm's most important values, so detecting infractions with your account or excessive cancellations without reason could be a reason for temporary or permanent suspension of your account.
Some of the variables monitored in this program include:
Number of canceled transactions: When the user requesting the transaction cancels the operation after it has been accepted by a cashier.
Payments from third-party accounts: When the user uses third-party accounts to send or receive payments.
Changes in the internal conditions of the transaction: When the user proposes to use another payment method, commissions, or exchange rate.
Sharing or requesting personal information: When the user shares their phone number, email, or any kind of personal information through the chat not required in the transaction.
Our Recommendations for Users:
Verify your account: Verified users have access to more payment methods and higher transaction limits, and a verified account generates more confidence in accepting transactions.
Be patient: some transactions with certain payment methods may take longer to complete. Once your transaction has been accepted, follow the instructions on the platform.
Chat & Wait: Use the transaction chat to clarify any doubts with your Cashier. Even if the cashier does not answer, do not rush to request a cancellation; remember that if the cashier does not complete the payment within the set time, the transaction will be automatically canceled.
Read carefully the conditions of your request: You should only create a request when you are absolutely sure that you are going to complete it.
Keep it simple: Avoid requesting multiple transactions if you only want to complete one of them, and be aware of the fee to be paid to the payment processor, remember that it is forbidden to make or request payments from third-party banks or electronic accounts.
Watch out from third-parties transactions (and also, refrain from doing one of those!): If the cashier who accepts your request is the one who infringes the rules, you can contact us to take the necessary measures.