Terms of Use

These Terms of Use ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you, whether individually or on behalf of an entity ("you"), and the BitNet Foundation (or relevant governing body referred to here as "BitNet", "we", "us", or "our") regarding your access to and use of websites operated by or affiliated with BitNet and any other related domains, subdomains, decentralized interfaces, mobile applications, and services (collectively, the "Site").

These Terms also apply to all content, smart contracts, software, tools, documentation, and services offered through the Site or on-chain, including any Products and Services (as defined below) made available by BitNet or through third-party integrations.

By accessing or using any part of the Site, including interacting with BitNet's decentralized applications (dApps), staking interfaces, bridges, wallets, or any other associated tools, you acknowledge and agree to be bound by these Terms. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THESE TERMS, YOU MUST NOT USE THE SITE OR ANY RELATED SERVICES.

These Terms include a binding arbitration clause and a waiver of class actions. Please refer to the Dispute Resolution section below for more information.

We may update or modify these Terms at any time. You agree to review these Terms periodically and acknowledge that continued use of the Site constitutes acceptance of any modifications. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent version of these Terms.

BitNet's interfaces and services are not intended for use in jurisdictions where accessing or using blockchain-based applications is restricted by law. If you access the Site from outside the permitted jurisdictions, you do so at your own risk and are solely responsible for compliance with local laws.

The Site and associated services are intended for users who are 18 years of age or older. IF YOU ARE UNDER THE AGE OF 18, YOU ARE NOT PERMITTED TO ACCESS OR USE THE SITE.

Violation of these Terms may result in the immediate suspension or termination of your access to the Site and services. BitNet reserves the right to take any additional legal or technical action as permitted by law.

Please review our Privacy Policy for details about how BitNet processes personal information.

1. Intellectual Property Rights

Unless otherwise indicated, the Site is the proprietary property of BitNet and all source code, software, design systems, functionality, architecture descriptions, text, graphics, images, audio, video, and interface elements (excluding Third Party Content, as defined below) (collectively, the "Content"), as well as any BitNet-related trademarks, service marks, and logos (the "Marks"), are either owned by BitNet or licensed for use by BitNet and are protected by applicable intellectual property and international laws.

You are not permitted to use the Marks without the prior written consent of BitNet or the respective owner of the Mark.

Except as expressly provided in these Terms, BitNet and its licensors do not grant any license, express or implied, to any part of the Site, Content, or associated services. You agree not to copy, reproduce, distribute, display, publish, repurpose, sell, sublicense, reverse engineer, or create derivative works from any portion of the Site or its Content for any commercial purpose without BitNet's prior written permission.

BitNet grants you a limited, non-transferable, revocable license to access and use the Site solely for personal or non-commercial use, provided that you do not modify any Content or remove any proprietary notices.

Certain parts of the Site may contain integrations, tools, or display assets sourced from third-party applications or protocols ("Third Party Content"), which are protected by copyright or other legal rights of their respective creators or licensors. Use of such content is for demonstration or informational purposes only and requires the same, if not greater, respect for the intellectual property rights of others.

We respect the intellectual property rights of others and expect users to do the same. If you believe any content made available through the Site infringes your copyright or other intellectual property rights, please submit a formal notice under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).

DMCA Notice Instructions:

If you are the copyright owner or are authorized to act on behalf of one, and you believe content on BitNet's Site infringes your copyright, please send a written notice to:

BitNet Foundation
Attn: Legal – DMCA Notice
[Insert Address Here]
Email: [email protected]

Your DMCA notice must include:

1. A description of the copyright work you believe is being infringed.
2. The specific content and its location (e.g., URL) on our Site.
3. Your legal name and contact information.
4. A good faith statement that the use is not authorized.
5. A declaration, under penalty of perjury, that the notice is accurate and you are authorized to act.
6. Your physical or electronic signature.

Upon receiving a valid notice, we may remove or disable access to the content at our discretion.

2. Third-Party Products

This Site may reference or integrate tools, services, or links provided by third parties ("Third-Party Products"), including decentralized applications, external wallets, bridges, or websites. These are governed by separate agreements with the respective third-party providers. BitNet does not control or endorse Third-Party Products, and is not liable for their availability, performance, or content. You use such third-party services at your own risk and agree not to hold BitNet responsible for any losses, issues, or disputes that may arise from them.

3. BitNet Service Providers

We may use third-party service providers to operate aspects of the Site, including hosting, analytics, content delivery, or payment interfaces. Any data you submit may be processed by such service providers in accordance with our [Privacy Policy]. Please be aware that while we and our partners take reasonable steps to protect your information, no method of electronic transmission is 100% secure. You are encouraged to review the terms and privacy policies of any third-party platform or service you choose to interact with when using BitNet interfaces or submitting personal data.

4. Purchase of Products and Services

Any purchases you make through BitNet interfaces—such as participation in validator onboarding, subnet launches, or BitNet-affiliated events—may be subject to additional terms ("Specific Agreements"). These may include eligibility requirements, access limitations, refund policies, or token distribution terms. If there is a conflict between these Terms and a Specific Agreement, the Specific Agreement will govern that particular offering. You are responsible for reviewing all applicable terms prior to engaging with such services.

5. User Representations

By using the Site, you confirm that:

1. All registration or account information you provide is accurate and current.
2. You will maintain and promptly update your information if needed.
3. You have the legal capacity to agree to these Terms.
4. You are at least 18 years old or of legal age in your jurisdiction.
5. You will not access the Site via automated means (e.g., bots or scripts).
6. You will not use BitNet services for any unlawful or unauthorized activity.
7. Your use of the Site complies with all applicable laws and regulations.

BitNet reserves the right to suspend or terminate access to its services if you breach these representations.

6. User Registration

Some areas of the Site or BitNet’s applications may require you to create an account. You are responsible for keeping your login credentials, wallet private keys, seed phrases, or other authentication data secure.

BitNet does not store or recover private keys or wallet passwords. If you lose access to your credentials, we cannot restore your access or recover any associated digital assets.

You are solely responsible for any activity conducted through your account or blockchain wallet. BitNet is not liable for any losses arising from unauthorized access, credential loss, or misuse of your private keys.

We may, at our discretion, restrict or reclaim usernames that are offensive, misleading, or otherwise inappropriate.

7. Acceptable Use Policy

You may only access or use the Site and associated interfaces (including any BitNet bridge, wallet, subnet portal, or documentation hub) for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. Use of the Site for any unauthorized, exploitative, or abusive purpose is strictly prohibited.

As a condition of access, you agree not to:

• Extract data from the Site or smart contracts to compile or replicate services without permission.
• Mislead, impersonate, or attempt to gain unauthorized access to another user’s credentials or account.
• Interfere with the security or functionality of the Site or any BitNet smart contract interface.
• Upload or link to harmful code, scripts, bots, or spam tools.
• Use the Site to harass, defraud, intimidate, or abuse others.
• Bypass rate limits, abuse APIs, or overload the network or infrastructure.
• Copy, reverse-engineer, or tamper with any BitNet interface or protocol code not explicitly licensed for public use.
• Create automated accounts, scrape user information, or use bots without written permission.
• Attempt to use the Site for any unlawful commercial activity, phishing, or surveillance.

Violation of this Acceptable Use Policy may result in the immediate suspension or termination of your access to the Site and associated services, in addition to any legal remedies available to BitNet.

8. User-Generated Contributions

BitNet may allow you to submit or publish content through community channels, documentation edits, bug reports, proposals, or communication tools (collectively, "Contributions"). Contributions may be visible to others and treated as non-confidential unless otherwise stated in our Privacy Policy.

By submitting Contributions, you represent and warrant that:

• You own or have rights to all materials submitted and grant BitNet a non-exclusive license to use them.
• Your Contributions do not infringe any third-party intellectual property or privacy rights.
• Your Contributions are not misleading, false, defamatory, unlawful, or harmful to others.
• Your Contributions do not contain offensive, violent, discriminatory, or exploitative content.
• Your Contributions are not unsolicited promotions, spam, or pyramid schemes.
• You have obtained all necessary permissions for identifiable individuals included in the content.

BitNet reserves the right to remove or restrict access to any Contributions that violate these Terms or are deemed inappropriate, harmful, or misleading.

9. Contribution License

You agree that we may collect, process, and store any data or content you submit in accordance with our [Privacy Policy] and your user settings.

BitNet does not claim ownership of your Contributions. You retain all rights to any intellectual property associated with the content you submit. However, by submitting Contributions through any BitNet interface, you grant us a non-exclusive right to display, use, and share that content as needed to maintain and operate the Site and improve user-facing services.

You remain solely responsible for your Contributions and agree to hold BitNet harmless from any claims related to submitted content.

10. Submissions

Any feedback, feature requests, technical suggestions, or unsolicited ideas you submit to BitNet ("Submissions") are deemed non-confidential and may be used by BitNet without attribution or compensation.

By submitting a Submission, you waive all moral and proprietary claims to that content and confirm that you have the right to submit it. BitNet will not own any derivative work, development, or documentation that incorporates your Submissions.

11. Site Management

BitNet reserves the right, but not the obligation, to:

1. Monitor use of the Site for violations of these Terms.
2. Take legal action against users who violate the law or these Terms.
3. Limit or remove Contributions that violate our guidelines or burden our systems.
4. Manage the Site in a way that supports its security, performance, and long-term operability.

BitNet may suspend or restrict access to any part of the Site or blockchain interfaces without notice if needed for legal, operational, or security reasons.

12. Term and Termination

These Terms remain in effect while you access or use any part of the Site.

BitNet may, at its sole discretion and without notice, suspend or revoke your access to any interface or resource for violating these Terms or applicable law. This includes blocking specific wallet addresses, revoking access to community-managed features, or other resources.

If your account is suspended or access is revoked, you are prohibited from creating a new account under another identity. BitNet reserves the right to take legal action for repeated or serious violations.

13. Modifications, Corrections, and Interruptions

We reserve the right to modify, update, or remove any part of the Site, services, or published materials at any time, without notice.

We do not guarantee the accuracy or availability of the Site at all times. Interruptions may occur due to system upgrades, network issues, or third-party outages. BitNet is not liable for any loss, damage, or inconvenience resulting from such downtime.

We are not obligated to provide support, fixes, or future updates for the Site.

14. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of New York, excluding its conflict of law provisions. Any disputes arising under or in connection with these Terms will be handled according to the dispute resolution procedures set forth below.

15. Dispute Resolution

15.1 Binding Arbitration

This section contains a binding arbitration clause and class action waiver. It affects your legal rights. Please read carefully.

15.2 Agreement to Arbitrate

You and BitNet agree that any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms, your use of the Site, or any relationship between you and BitNet (collectively, a "Dispute") will be resolved solely and exclusively by binding arbitration, unless you opt out as described below. By agreeing to these Terms, you waive the right to bring any Dispute in court or to have a jury trial.

15.3 Exceptions to Arbitration

The following types of Disputes are not subject to arbitration:

• Claims relating to the enforcement or validity of intellectual property rights;
• Allegations involving theft, piracy, unauthorized use, or invasion of privacy;
• Requests for injunctive relief; and
• Claims eligible to be resolved in small claims court.

15.4 Opting Out of Arbitration

You may opt out of arbitration by sending written notice to [email protected] within 30 days of first agreeing to these Terms. Your notice must include your full legal name, physical address, and a clear statement of your desire to opt out of binding arbitration.

If you do not submit a valid Arbitration Opt-out Notice within this 30-day period, you will be deemed to have knowingly waived the right to litigate any Dispute in court (except as outlined in Section 15.3).

15.5 Arbitration Rules

This arbitration agreement is governed by the Federal Arbitration Act. All arbitrations shall be conducted before a single arbitrator with experience in blockchain or software matters and administered by JAMS under its Streamlined Arbitration Rules and Procedures, as modified by this section.

If the parties cannot agree on an arbitrator within 15 days of serving the arbitration demand, JAMS will appoint one. Arbitration procedures will remain confidential, and the arbitrator’s decision shall be final and binding.

Arbitrator remedies must align with the "Limitations of Liability" section below. The arbitrator may award declaratory or injunctive relief only as necessary to resolve the individual claim before them.

15.6 Location and Procedure

Unless otherwise agreed, arbitration proceedings shall be conducted in New York County, New York. Final awards may be enforced in any court with appropriate jurisdiction.

15.7 Arbitration Fees

If BitNet elects arbitration, it will cover all filing and administrative fees except hearing fees. If you elect arbitration, you must pay fees as required by the JAMS Rules or applicable law. Each party is responsible for its own legal costs, except as otherwise required by law.

15.8 No Class Actions

You and BitNet agree to resolve any Dispute only on an individual basis. You may not bring or participate in any class, collective, or representative proceeding against BitNet. The arbitrator has no authority to consolidate claims or award relief on behalf of any party other than the claimant.

If this provision is found to be unenforceable, then the entire Dispute Resolution section shall be deemed void.

16. Judicial Forum for Disputes

If the Dispute Resolution section is deemed unenforceable or if the Dispute qualifies under the exceptions listed above, then the exclusive venue for legal proceedings shall be the state and federal courts located in the Southern District of New York. You agree to submit to the personal jurisdiction of such courts and waive any objections based on venue or forum non conveniens.

17. Disclaimer

The Site and all BitNet-related services are provided on an "as-is" and "as-available" basis. You agree that your use of the Site and any tools, interfaces, or smart contracts deployed by or through BitNet is at your sole risk. To the fullest extent permitted by law, BitNet disclaims all warranties—express or implied—including, but not limited to, warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.

We make no representations about the accuracy, security, uptime, completeness, or reliability of the Site, nor are we responsible for:

• Any bugs, code errors, or blockchain anomalies;
• Interruptions in connectivity or third-party integrations;
• Unauthorized access to your personal data or crypto wallets;
• Loss of digital assets caused by third-party software, phishing, or user error.

BitNet does not offer financial, investment, legal, or tax advice. Any decision to participate in staking, token usage, subnet deployment, or interaction with DeFi tools is made at your own risk.

discretion and risk. We strongly recommend consulting qualified professionals before making any financial decisions.

Any public voting, leaderboard ranking, or community signals are advisory only. Final decisions on protocol-level grants or token allocations are made at the sole discretion of BitNet governance or the designated entity responsible for such programs.

18. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, BitNet and its contributors, officers, developers, affiliates, and service providers shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, including loss of data, digital assets, revenue, or profits arising out of or related to your use—or inability to use—the Site or any associated smart contracts or tools.

In no event shall our total liability exceed 500 USD, regardless of the legal theory or type of claim.

Some jurisdictions do not fully allow certain warranty disclaimers or liability limitations, so the above may not fully apply to you. You may have additional rights under local laws.

19. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless BitNet, its developers, ecosystem contributors, community maintainers, affiliates, and agents from any claims, losses, or damages (including legal fees) resulting from:

• Your use of the Site or BitNet services;
• Your Contributions;
• Any breach of these Terms;
• Your violation of third-party rights, including intellectual property or privacy rights;
• Harm caused to any other user or third party due to your actions on the Site.

We reserve the right to assume exclusive defense and control of any matter for which you are required to indemnify us.

20. User Data

While BitNet may collect limited data to support network performance or security operations, we are not responsible for any loss, corruption, or inaccessibility of user-submitted or wallet-related data. You acknowledge that backups and private key management are solely your responsibility.

21. Marketing Promotions

No purchase necessary. Promotions may be offered during BitNet events or campaigns. Participation is subject to eligibility, one entry per person, and may require consent to winner selection and terms from BitNet or its authorized agents.

Prizes are non-transferable. You are responsible for any tax implications, and BitNet reserves the right to modify or cancel any promotion at any time.

22. Electronic Communications, Transactions, and Signatures

By using the Site, you agree to receive communications electronically. All agreements, notices, disclosures, and other records provided electronically shall satisfy any legal requirement that such communication be in writing. You consent to use electronic signatures and recordkeeping.

23. Miscellaneous

These Terms, along with any additional legal notices or policies posted on the Site, constitute the full agreement between you and BitNet. If any provision is held to be invalid or unenforceable, the remainder will continue in effect.

These Terms do not create any partnership, joint venture, or employment relationship between you and BitNet. No waiver of any right or provision will be considered a continuing waiver unless so stated in writing.

You agree that these Terms will not be construed against us simply because we drafted them.

24. Contact Us

To request more information or raise concerns about the Site, you may contact:

BitNet Legal Contact
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]