Stellar Community Fund

By dolphinze

Enhance payroll infrastructure

SCF #39

$129.8K

Build

Information Collection

A chain-agnostic payroll engine to help global teams pay contractors faster with on/off-ramp automation.

Products & Services

dolphinze is a cross-border payroll infrastructure platform designed to simplify compliant, multi-currency contractor onboarding and disbursements across fiat and crypto ecosystems. The system enables borderless payouts for both Web2 and Web3 companies by abstracting away currency, compliance, and custody complexity from global payment flows.

The infrastructure serves two primary users - Employers/Payers who create and manage contracts and payroll flows and pay the contractors and Contractors/ Payees who receive payment, raise invoices and send contracts.

A) Employers / Payers

An onboarded employer is provisioned with a unique wallet address(es) for funding payroll cycles — enabling clean reconciliation, audit trails, and transaction segregation by employee, contract, or project.

Programmable Contract Flows

Employers can create, send and sign contracts via the platform to engage in a definitive work relationship.

Programmable Payroll Flows

Employers can schedule a variety of payouts (single, recurring, milestone-based and adhoc payouts), approve disbursement instructions per contract/contractor.

Disbursement Approval Flow

Employers can create, approve, edit payments based on project completion, contract terms, or scheduled timelines via the internal dashboard.

Real-Time Monitoring & Ledger Sync

Integrated Horizon and SEP standards will provide transaction tracking, payment status reconciliation, and ledger confirmation directly through employer dashboards.

Integrated On-Ramp Funding

Employers without crypto wallets will be able to fund payroll via virtual accounts, converted to USDC/XLM using integrations like Circle Mint or Stripe Bridge.

B) Contractors / Payees

Self-Service Wallet Creation

Contractors will be able to create a non-custodial wallet during onboarding — abstracting blockchain setup and simplifying platform access.

Preferred Currency Selection

Contractors choose how they get paid — from crypto options (XLM, USDC, USDT, BTC) to local banking (via integrations with partners and providers)

Multi-Currency Payouts & Local Off-Ramps

Contractors can split income across different currencies and trigger off-ramps through integrated SEP-24 Anchors (e.g., mobile money, local bank transfers).

Real-Time Payout Visibility

Contractors will be able to track expected arrival times, FX rates, and payout status within their dashboard.

KYC / Compliance Layer

A custom-built compliance module powers low-friction onboarding allowing the user to use features as they progress through various onboarding sections of the platform. Income tax indicators gives contractors visibility into tax owed in their local country.

⚙️ Engineering Scope & Execution Requirements

The dolphinze platform is designed as a modular, currency-agnostic disbursement engine with three core layers: infrastructure, application logic, and off-chain systems. These components work together to deliver programmable, multiple types of contract based flows tied to automated payroll flows for employers and flexible, multi-currency payouts for contractors.

The basic infrastructure is already built, including KYC/KYB, payroll automation for some types of contract creation flow paid periodically, automated disbursements for bitcoin, USDC, USDT across several networks and an ability to allocate different currencies for the contractor.

As part of the Stellar X Draper University Residency Program, the team explored the Stellar technical capabilities and built the ability to provision muxed addresses for employers and for contractors to bring their XLM wallet and add as one of their payment method.

The scope for this build are:

Infrastructure Layer
1. Integrate a non-custodial Stellar wallet — abstracting blockchain setup and simplifying platform access.
2. XLM Payment Support - Contractors receive payments in XLM directly to their Stellar wallets.
3. Transaction tracking and alerting via Horizon
4. SEP-24 integration engine for off-ramping
5. Fiat on-ramp handling for employer funding via integrations like Circle Mint / Stripe Bridge
Application Layer
1. Employer dashboard for fund management, real-time funding and payment status
2. Contractor portal: wallet creation, real time tracking, cash out tools
3. Reconciliation tools and reporting engine for audit and reporting
Off-Chain Infrastructure
1. Indexing service for wallet balances, payment status, and transaction history
2. Dashboard/email notifications for events (onboarding steps, payments, etc.)
3. Compliance extensions including tax indicators and jurisdiction-aware filters

Execution Plan:

This build will extend dolphinze’s infrastructure and ready the platform for broader production use. Execution is structured across six key workstreams:

Dashboard Enhancements

Finalize and deploy updated dashboards for both employers and contractors — including wallet setup, funding tools, payout tracking, notifications.
Payout Logic Expansion

Extend payment logic to support milestone-based payouts.
Off-Ramp Integrations

Integrate with at least three partners supporting local payout methods, enabling cash-out in local currencies, prioritized user demand in the pipeline.
QA & Simulation Environment

Simulate end-to-end wallet creation flows with test accounts. Conduct structured QA with 5/6 contractors and 1 employer across multiple use cases and currencies.
On-Ramp & Funding Logic

Implement fiat on-ramp infrastructure, enabling employers to fund contractor payments using traditional bank transfers, with conversion into preferred digital assets.
Monitoring, Alerts & Compliance Extensions

Build internal monitoring tools for payout tracking, failure alerts, and reconciliation exports. Expand compliance features including tax indicators and jurisdiction-aware onboarding filters.

This build phase ensures dolphinze’s infrastructure is production-ready and extensible — with separation of logic, compliance, and user-facing components to serve employers globally, regardless of currency or chain preference.

Soroban

Maybe in the future, but not in this submission

Requested Budget

$129.8K

Success Criteria

To measure the impact and success of this SCF Build submission, we’ve defined the following clear milestones across product readiness, Stellar ecosystem integration, and user traction:

1. Technical Completion (Build Milestone)

✓ Dashboard enhancements deployed for both employers and contractors
✓ Wallet creation and muxed address funding live
✓ Horizon-based transaction monitoring operational
✓ SEP-24 off-ramp simulation complete in test environment
✓ Contractor portal includes payout visibility and tax indicators
✓ Integrated fiat on-ramp logic implemented (test stage)
✓ QA testing completed with at least 10 contractors and 2 employers across 3 markets

2. Stellar Ecosystem Integration

✓ Live on-chain disbursements via XLM for at least 2 contractors
✓ At least 1 SEP-24-compatible off-ramp corridor integrated in production
✓ End-to-end payment flow (fiat → stablecoin → on-chain disbursement → local payout) tested in staging
✓ Public documentation for Stellar-specific integrations (muxed addresses, Horizon, SEP-24, etc.)

3. Early Market Validation

✓ At least 3 new employers onboarded from the pipeline
✓ Minimum of $50K processed (XLM or USDC)
✓ At least 20 contractors paid via the platform across 3 countries
✓ Feedback surveys collected from early adopters to inform final product adjustments

4. Readiness for Scale

✓ Separation of infrastructure, compliance, and UX components for future market expansion
✓ Mainnet-ready deployment with complete logging, auditability, and reconciliation
✓ Off-ramp expansion strategy validated through partner integrations and market testing
✓ Internal tools and workflows documented to support scaling with minimal dev overhead

Go-To-Market Plan

dolphinze’s GTM strategy is structured around high-intent contractor onboarding, partner-led distribution, and geography-specific off-ramp campaigns. Each initiative is designed to activate real usage of our cross-border payroll infrastructure and drive meaningful on-chain disbursement activity.

1. Contractor-Led Bottom-Up Adoption Funnel

Strategy: Begin with contractors actively seeking faster, lower-cost ways to get paid.

Tactics:

Target regions with high contractor activity: Nigeria, India, Argentina.
Offer wallet creation, XLM/USDC options, and local off-ramp tools.
Use UX that mirrors familiar platforms (email login, no seed phrase).

Goal: Build organic pull from contractors → convert employers.

Measurement: Daily active wallets, payout volume per region, contractor-to-employer referral conversion.

2. Embedded Partner Deployments (White-Label / Co-Brand)

Strategy: Deploy dolphinze into existing fintech/gig platforms via API or white-label flows.

Tactics:

Sign LOIs and integration pilots (India, Africa).
Customize payout methods and local compliance per partner needs.
Partners handle onboarding; dolphinze powers backend rails.

Goal: Scale user acquisition via platforms with existing users.

Measurement: Partner MAUs, transactions per partner, settlement volume processed.

3. Geography-Specific Off-Ramp Campaigns

Strategy: Launch campaigns in priority corridors aligned with off-ramp integrations.

Tactics:

Nigeria, Kenya: focus on mobile money and USD off-ramps.
LATAM: highlight protection from inflation via USDC/XLM.
India: cash out to UPI or local accounts via SEP-24 anchors.

Goal: Showcase Stellar-powered disbursement rails for real contractor outcomes.

Measurement: Cash-out volume per corridor, Anchor usage rates, FX savings estimation.

4. Stellar Ecosystem Activation

Strategy: Activate Stellar-native users and developers.

Tactics:

Promote muxed address use, showcase live XLM funding.
Partner with Anchors for co-marketing localized payout features.
Engage Stellar Ambassadors, host Stellar-specific AMAs.

Goal: Drive disbursement volume and wallet activity on Stellar.

Measurement: On-chain XLM disbursement count, Anchor integration usage, number of funded muxed addresses.

5. Feature-Led Growth Experiments

Strategy: Leverage features that contractors/employers want to drive deeper usage.

Tactics:

Split payouts: 50% BTC / 50% USDC.
Real-time FX rate visibility before payout approval.
Tax visibility tools embedded in contractor dashboard.

Goal: Drive repeated usage via feature differentiation.

Measurement: Session depth, feature usage analytics, payout method diversity.

6. Community and Field GTM

Strategy: Ground-up engagement with Web3 builders, contractor DAOs, and remote hiring networks.

Tactics:

Demos and events at conferences (e.g., FuturistFutir).
Engage pilot testers from LATAM, South Asia, Africa.
“Get Paid Your Way” campaigns with incentives.

Goal: Educate + activate global contractors on chain.

Measurement: Attendee to wallet conversion rate, demo-to-usage funnel, referral-led signups.

Community & Distribution Channels

To ensure sustained engagement, adoption, and developer participation, dolphinze will execute targeted distribution and awareness strategies across key social platforms and ecosystems:

1. Telegram & Discord

Contractor Communities: Engage existing groups of remote workers, DAOs, and crypto freelancers.
Stellar-Focused Channels: Collaborate with Ambassadors and Anchor projects via community servers to share updates and gather feedback.
Dedicated Support Threads: Launch Dolphinze-specific channels for partner onboarding and product feedback.

Goal: Build a support-first reputation and gather early feedback loops from real users.

2. X

Announcements & Demos: Post build progress, Hold live Spaces, feature launches, and contractor success stories.
Stellar Ecosystem Threads: Tag and collaborate with SDF, Beans, Cheesecake, MoneyGram, and ecosystem partners.
Ecosystem Commentary: Contribute to threads about on-chain disbursements, stablecoin usage, and cross-border payments.

Goal: Position dolphinze as the de facto cross-border payroll solution within the Stellar and Web3 communities.

3. LinkedIn

Founder-Led Distribution: Leverage the founder’s network to attract potential partners, ecosystem stakeholders, and investors.
B2B Positioning: Publish educational content on crypto-compliant payroll, hiring without borders, and navigating FX in contractor payments.
Use Case Spotlights: Share case studies from white-label and platform partners.

Goal: Drive awareness among fintech, HR, and compliance leaders.

4. Notion & GitLab Transparency

Maintain updated public-facing Notion and GitLab spaces with roadmaps, feedback logs, and technical documentation.

Goal: Enable ecosystem contributors and Ambassadors to stay updated and co-create.

Traction Evidence

dolphinze went live with two employers processing cross-border payments for their contractors. As the platform faced increasing demand for compliant on/off-ramp solutions, the team began evaluating Stellar.

To deepen this integration, dolphinze joined the Draper University x Stellar Founder Residency, where the team built foundational Stellar features:

Employers are provisioned with muxed addresses for funding
Contractors can add XLM wallets
Operators can trigger and track payment flows through the platform

Following this, dolphinze rolled out a white-label partner supporting gig workers in Africa and signed a Letter of Intent with a payroll platform in India.

Today, 44 companies—each with an average of 5 contractors—are in the pipeline, waiting for a compliant, multi-currency payout solution.

To accelerate this vision, the team also joined Stellar's Embark Program, securing equity-based funding to support deeper integration with the Stellar ecosystem, including fiat on-ramps and compliant off-ramps to meet growing global demand.

Tranche 1 (Deliverable Roadmap) - MVP

Tranche 1 – MVP Launch (Months 1–2)

Budget: $44,000

Objective: Launch foundational flows for employer funding, wallet onboarding, and internal payout simulations.

Deliverables

1.1 – Build a Funding Request Flow

Operators can initiate a funding request, generate instructions. Employer can send funds securely and see confirmation once funds arrive.
1.2 – Contractor Wallet Setup

Enable contractors to onboard using non-custodial Stellar wallets and link XLM addresses.
1.3 – Payout Triggering & Transaction Status UI

Operator dashboard to simulate testnet payouts, show payment status, and confirm completion.
1.4 – Basic Horizon Monitoring Layer

Index Horizon events to track transaction state, display errors, and log payment history.
1.5 – Contractor Ledger Preview

Display simple transaction history (amount, asset, date, status) for contractor visibility.

Completion is measured by simulating full funding → approval → payout → ledger flow using employer and contractor test accounts.

Tranche 2 (Deliverable Roadmap) - Testnet

Tranche 2 – Testnet Expansion (Months 3–4)

Budget: $45,800

Objective: Extend platform capabilities with off-ramp simulations, payout transparency, dashboard improvements, and testnet validation.

Deliverables

2.1 – SEP-24 Anchor Simulation

Build a simulated SEP-24 off-ramp experience, mimicking local bank/mobile money withdrawals.
2.2 – FX Rate Visibility

Display estimated FX rates pre-payout in the contractor dashboard, including conversion breakdown and spread estimate.
2.3 – Dashboard Enhancements

Improve employer and contractor portals to show clearer funding status, payment timelines, wallet status, and off-ramp readiness.
2.4 – QA Testing Program

Conduct testnet QA with 5/6 contractors and 1 employer, validating simulated off-ramp, FX visibility, and UI updates.

Completion measured by successful QA run with feedback from test users, clean FX display, and updated dashboard deployed on staging.

Tranche 3 (Deliverable Roadmap) - Mainnet

Tranche 3 – Mainnet Deployment & Off-Ramp Integration (Months 5–7)

Budget: $40,000

Objective: Launch production-ready fiat on/off-ramps and deliver full operational monitoring, tax visibility, and reporting.

Deliverables

3.1 – Live Anchor Integration (Off-Ramps)

Go live with at least one SEP-24-compatible Anchor to enable real-world contractor cash-outs.
3.2 – Fiat On-Ramp (Employer Funding)

Enable fiat deposits from employers via virtual account providers (e.g., Circle Mint or Stripe Bridge), with automatic conversion into USDC/XLM.
3.3 – Tax Visibility Indicators

Add tax impact previews within contractor dashboards, showing estimated tax owed based on country and asset received.
3.4 – Operational Reporting Tools

Build internal dashboards for support teams to monitor disbursement flows, log payout activity, and export transaction/audit logs.

Completion measured by live Anchor payout, employer funding via fiat, tax preview working across test geos, and reports exportable by operations team.