Every online deal between two strangers has the same standoff at its heart: the buyer doesn't want to pay until they have the goods, and the seller doesn't want to hand over the goods until they've been paid. Somebody has to go first — and going first is where people get burned. A secure, on-platform payment is what means nobody has to.
If you've never bought or sold a project before, "just pay through the platform" can sound like bureaucratic overhead. It's the opposite. It's the single thing that turns "wiring money to an internet stranger" from a leap of faith into a routine transaction. Once you understand it, you'll never do a deal without it — and you'll spot the sellers who want you to skip it a mile away.
The basicsWhat a secure payment actually is
A secure payment means the money runs through a trusted payment processor on the platform — not a direct wire or PayPal to a stranger. Instead of paying the seller's personal account, the buyer pays through the marketplace's processor. On Vertos, payments are settled securely on-chain: the source code stays locked until the payment is confirmed, then it unlocks and the funds are the seller's. Neither side has to take the other on faith — the platform and the processor do the heavy lifting.
The flowHow a project sale actually moves
Buyer and seller settle the price and exactly what's included — code, domain, accounts, mailing list. No ambiguity to argue about later.
The buyer pays in crypto rather than sending money straight to the seller. The payment is processed securely, and the seller can see it's real and committed.
Once the payment is confirmed, the source code unlocks and the transfer of domains and accounts begins. Because a free AI Analysis already verified the real code up front, the buyer knows what they're getting.
The buyer downloads the code and the two sides finish transferring the remaining assets. Everything stayed on-platform, so there's a full record of the deal.
The seller's share is paid out to them in crypto, less the flat 5% platform fee. The deal is done — nobody had to go first, and nobody walked away with both the code and the cash.
Both sides winWhy it protects everyone
You're not wiring cash to a stranger and hoping. A free AI Analysis verifies the actual source code before you buy, the payment runs in crypto, and the whole deal stays on-platform with a record — instead of a direct transfer with zero recourse.
No chasing a wire, no "the transfer is on its way." Payment is settled securely on-chain on a confirmed sale, and the seller's 95% is sent to their crypto wallet automatically — the platform, not a promise, stands behind the money.
A secure payment doesn't ask you to trust the other person. It replaces trust with a structure — the money runs in crypto, and the code and the deal stay on-platform from start to finish.
The one ruleNever pay off-platform
This is the whole point, so it gets its own section. The moment a seller suggests taking the deal off-platform — "just PayPal me and I'll send the files," "we'll save the platform fee" — that is the moment to stop.
If you want the full field guide to spotting a bad deal, that's exactly what our buyer's due-diligence guide is for — a seller who insists on paying directly is right at the top of the red-flag list.
The costWhat it runs — and how we do it
A standalone payment-protection service can add a fee of around 1% of the sale price, and buyer and seller negotiate who pays it. It's cheap insurance for a five-figure deal — but it's one more thing to arrange.
Common questionsFrequently asked questions
How do secure payments work when buying a website or online business?
The buyer pays securely through the marketplace’s payment processor rather than sending money directly to the seller. On Vertos, payments are settled securely on-chain: the source code stays locked until the payment is confirmed, then it unlocks and the funds are the seller’s. Keeping the money and the handoff on-platform removes the need to trust a stranger with either one first.
Are secure payments safe for buying a side project?
Yes — that’s the point of them. Paying through the platform protects the buyer (a free AI Analysis verifies the actual code up front, and the payment runs in crypto rather than a direct transfer to a stranger) and the seller (they’re paid in crypto on a confirmed sale instead of chasing a wire). The main danger is agreeing to pay off-platform, directly to a stranger.
What do secure payments cost on Vertos?
Nothing separate. Standalone services can add a fee of around 1% of the sale. On Vertos there’s no add-on: payments are settled securely on-chain and it’s all included in the flat 5% platform fee, charged only when a sale completes.
Deal like a grown-up.
Secure payments on every trade.
Buy and sell projects on Vertos with payments settled securely in crypto — the code unlocks when the payment clears, and it's all on-platform. Free to list, a flat 5% when it sells.
Browse projects →Trust the structure, not the stranger.
— The Vertos team