How It Works
BERT turns USDC commitments into transparent builder funding on Arc.
The protocol is a programmable capital allocation system: builders post a USDC-backed proposal deposit, contributors commit USDC votes, treasury balances accumulate onchain, and winning proposals unlock milestone-based releases through validator review.
Proposal Deposit
50 USDC
Minimum author commitment to submit a live idea into the registry.
Vote Commitment
10 USDC
Minimum onchain vote amount required to support an idea in an active round.
Release Rail
30 / 40 / 30
Initial release, milestone release, and final release after reviewer validation.
Funding flow
BERT coordinates one continuous funding path. Proposal deposits filter out spam, round voting directs capital toward the strongest ideas, treasury accounting preserves visibility over committed and released balances, and milestone releases keep grant execution measurable.
1. Builder submits an idea
A builder creates an idea in IdeaRegistry and deposits at least 50 USDC. The deposit is locked in FundingPool and the idea enters the pipeline with clear onchain metadata and status.
2. A voting round opens
VotingSystem groups eligible ideas into a live round. Participants review the round and commit USDC directly onchain instead of relying on a separate governance asset.
3. USDC commitments accumulate in treasury
Every valid vote routes committed USDC into the treasury path. The pool tracks committed capital, protocol reserve balances, and the amount attached to each winning proposal.
4. Winner enters grant execution
After the round closes and settlement succeeds, the winning idea moves into GrantManager. At that point the protocol stops being only a voting system and becomes a capital release system.
5. Milestones unlock funding
Grant release is milestone-based. Builders claim the initial tranche, submit implementation proof, then submit final delivery proof. Reviewers validate each stage before the next release can execute.
Milestone release logic
Winning a round does not trigger a single lump-sum payout. GrantManager releases funding in a staged sequence so capital follows proof of execution rather than hype.
The default rail is 30% / 40% / 30%. The builder claims the first release, then submits proof for the implementation milestone, then submits proof for the final launch milestone. Reviewers confirm each stage before the next tranche can move.
That makes BERT useful as treasury infrastructure, not just proposal coordination. Capital remains programmable until work is actually delivered.
Operator checklist
- USDC commitments use explicit allowance checks before protocol actions execute.
- Round voting enforces one vote per address per round and blocks self-voting.
- Treasury release follows milestone state transitions instead of one-shot payouts.
- Pause controls remain available for incident handling and controlled rollout.
- Role-gated review and grant functions keep validator actions explicit and auditable.