Braintrust is presented as the first decentralized talent network powered by a blockchain token, designed to match the incentives of talent and enterprises. 

The people who use Braintrust to locate work are also the same community that builds and benefits from it. This helps ensure the network stays focused on its users’ needs, rather than being controlled by a single centralized organization. In contrast to other marketplaces that charge talent 20% to 40% of earnings, Braintrust lets talent retain 100% of their earnings and helps clients stretch their budgets by removing unnecessary intermediaries. 

A Live, Self-Governing Decentralized Network

Braintrust operates as an active, self-managed decentralized network with tens of thousands of talent participants and hundreds of Fortune 1000 enterprises, including Nestle, Porsche, Atlassian, Goldman Sachs, and Nike. These participants process millions of dollars in transactions each month. The development and upkeep of the network are carried out by a worldwide group of contributors working through the Braintrust network.

Reimagining the Talent Marketplace

Today’s talent marketplaces often fail-tending to extract value from workers and leaving them with fewer choices. Braintrust aims to address this by bringing employer and talent incentives into alignment.

Key Highlights

Algorithmic rewards engine

Rather than spending on costly marketing efforts, Braintrust compensates participants using its native token, BTRST, to support the network’s growth. Anyone can participate and begin earning BTRST by bringing in both clients and talent who later transact on the platform. Rewards are distributed in real time according to each participant’s contribution to the network.

 Talent pays 0% fees

Braintrust’s business model charges talent a 0% fee and enterprises a 10% fee, which it says can save both sides up to 70% compared with conventional Web 2.0 talent marketplaces. This model is intended to draw higher-quality enterprises with ongoing, large-scale work-such as Nestle, Porsche, NASA, Nike, Allstate, and Goldman Sachs-to keep growing network usage.

 Aligned incentives

Braintrust is the first decentralized talent network run by its users. Unlike standard Web 2.0 marketplaces where participants may be taken advantage of, Braintrust gives each user a role in shaping how the network develops. That approach is meant to keep incentives aligned and encourage long-term commitment to the network’s success.

Token Use Cases

Governance

BTRST token holders can share ideas for improvements, submit proposals, and vote on governance changes. Each token counts as one vote, and anyone holding BTRST can suggest protocol updates such as fee structure adjustments, category expansion, and product improvements. To submit and vote, users must hold BTRST.

Bid Staking

Talent and clients can stake tokens to increase their visibility. For instance, if a talent stakes tokens on a job but then becomes a “no-show,” those staked tokens may be forfeited to the client. Also, if a client stakes tokens on a job posting, all eligible applicants may receive tokens if the client does not choose any of the applicants for the role. Token bid staking is designed to help “un-stick,” or reduce friction, in the marketplace by emphasizing transparency and addressing supply-and-demand mismatches. 

Career Benefits

This supports talent in the Braintrust network to improve their skills, earn certifications, and raise their earnings gradually.