Frequently Asked Questions

Is Halo a coin or protocol?
Halo is protocol that allows individuals to create unbreakable contracts and buy goods on fully decentralized markets. Our software can implement every single digital currency thus making it independent from one coin and easy to adapt to a changing and prosperous environment.

Does Halo support multiple digital currencies?
Yes, Halo exists for three digital currencies until now: Bitcoin, BlackCoin and BitBay.

Is it safe to store my coins on Halo?
Yes because Halo was the first multi-signature client in the world. Using multi-signature you can store your two keys to your wallet on different locations (one copy on your computer and one on your flash drive for instance), thus making it nearly impossible for a thief to steal your coins.

Since when does Halo exist?
Halo was released on July 4, 2014. We chose Independence Day because Halo gives the power back to the user allowing him to trade on his own without having to rely on a third party.

How do I get started?
You can download the software from this website. We have available versions for Windows, Mac and Linux. Windows has an installer integrated, for Mac and Linux, simply save the downloaded folder in your preferred location, extract, and double click on the Halo icon from within. Our wizard will guide you through the setup process once you have installed Halo. You can get your first coins by buying them through the software or on an exchange.

Why should I use Halo?
Halo was the first smart contracting wallet in the world. Halo enables its users to set up unbreakable contracts, thus eliminating the need of a middleman. It uses a technique called double deposit escrow. Trades are made peer-to-peer and don’t need a central server. This is completely unique and ground breaking.

Does Halo have integrated markets for goods and services?
Yes, Halo was also the first platform ever to feature decentralized markets. You can compare these markets to eBay/Freelancer/Alibaba/BarterOnly/Craigslist, but showing lots of improvements: Our markets don’t need a server as they are fully decentralized, users don’t have to store their personal information on a website, but keep it on their own computer (no data theft), there won’t be any chargeback and the currencies you can use on the markets are Bitcoin, BlackCoin and BitBay.

Does Halo ask for a fee on their markets?
No. Halo does not charge a fee for selling goods on the market. It’s free and thus makes it even more interesting for sellers to present their products to interested users. As contractors use double deposit escrow on the market, they don’t need a middleman, thus reducing the costs.

How much does it cost to use Halo?
Halo is free for the individual user. Simply download the software and perform your first unbreakable contract and buy goods on the markets. Companies, which want to integrate the Halo software into their website or coin can do that by licensing the technology.

What about users who keep breaking contracts at their own expense?
Halo integrated a peer to peer moderation and trust system into its markets. First of all anyone who breaks a contract usually loses more than they stand to gain. Also, there is a reputation system built it so you can see users statistics and adjust the deposits based on your level of trust. Moreover, our reputation system allows users to rate people they have done a contract with and thus showing to the community, which users are worthy.

Is there any moderation?
Users can share their moderation keys with anyone who wants to try keep the internet clean from illegal goods in their location. Internationally laws vary so users of this protocol must be aware and use this tool at their own risk. Just like a paper contract, the users write their own agreements, must do their own "know your customer", and are responsible for how they use the program. It is impossible to control the entire internet however these tools are in place for the system to be self-sufficient. This is why moderation is peer to peer as well. The beauty of this system is the contracts serve as a deterrent so users are much less likely to face an issue when compared to traditional escrow. This program/protocol is open source and constantly improving so that it can fit the new paradigm.