Gov/en/Portal:Economy/Revenue-Structure

💡 In simple words: This page explains where WikiDeal's money comes from and where it goes.

⚠️ Not yet approved. This page describes a proposal that is still under community review. It is documented here so it can be discussed, improved and endorsed.

Revenue Structure

WikiDeal's revenue model is structured around three distinct income streams, each with clear governance, transparent allocation, and mechanisms to prevent profit extraction. No stream is designed to generate returns for shareholders — all revenues either cover costs or are redistributed to the community.

Zero profit design: all revenues cover costs or return to community — no shareholder extraction, no growth fund skimming

Revenue Streams

Stream 1	Commissions 1.5% central + ≤5% UG
Stream 2	Subscriptions 10 CHF/year platform
Stream 3	Targeted Donations Via bonding curve
Distribution	50% common fund 50% credit holders
Profit margin	Zero by design

Three Revenue Streams

Stream	Source	Rate	Set by	Goes to
1. Commissions	Every Transaction	1.5% (central) + ≤5% (UG), max 10%	Foundation / User Group	Operations + surplus return
2. Subscriptions	Annual/monthly users	10 CHF/year (or 12 CHF if monthly)	Foundation	Platform development + distribution
3. Targeted Donations	Foundations, institutions	Donor-defined amount	Donor + Foundation	Bonding curve rewards + beneficiary years

Stream 1: Commissions

Transaction Commissions are the most direct revenue stream — charged on every WikiDeal-powered Transaction. The structure is strictly two-tier:

Central Services Commission (1.5%): set by Ynternet.org Foundation, covers platform costs
Specific Services Commission (≤5%): set by User Group, covers service-specific costs
Combined ceiling: 10% on service-time Transactions
Cap rule: e.g. 1% max 50 CHF for Transactions >5,000 CHF

See for full breakdown.

Stream 2: Subscriptions

Platform subscriptions are the stable, recurring revenue base that funds ongoing operations and development. Two levels:

Platform subscription: 10 CHF/year (all users) — set by Foundation
User Group subscription: ~1€/month or 10€/year — set by each User Group independently

See Subscription Model and Monthly Subscriptions for details.

Stream 3: Targeted Donations

Institutional donors (foundations, governments, NGOs) can fund WikiDeal through targeted Donations that generate subscription years for specific beneficiary groups. This stream is governed by the model and processed through the Bonding Curve mechanism.

Revenue Distribution

Once operating costs are covered, surplus revenue is distributed using the 50/50 split defined in the Bonding Curve model:

Share	Destination	Mechanism
50%	Common Fund	Proportional to années held by early funders
50%	Credit Holders	Sequential distribution (crédit #1 first, then all, then crédit #2, etc.)

ℹ️ Distribution happens only after operating costs are fully covered. There is no guarantee of distribution timing — it depends on revenue growth. Early supporters accept this risk in exchange for the ×100 → ×30 bonding curve reward ratio.

Governing Principles

No fixed profit margin — surplus return is "what remains after audited costs"
📢 Full transparency — every Commission is publicly broken down by category
⚖️ Natural competition — if rates too high, users can fork (structural pressure)
🏛️ Ynternet.org Foundation sets central rates only — User Groups have autonomy on specific rates
💡 At-cost design — WikiDeal charges only what it needs to operate
🔄 Surplus return — structural rule, not discretionary policy