ClawFarm Whitepaper

Decentralized AI Compute Marketplace — Protocol Architecture

v2.0 — April 2026

ClawFarm is a permissionless, non-custodial AI compute marketplace built on Solana. Users deposit USDC into an on-chain escrow contract, choose an automatic routing mode (eco / auto / premium), and consume AI inference from any registered Provider — without signing up with individual providers, configuring API keys, or trusting a central platform with their funds.

Providers register on-chain with a model endpoint, a public price table, and a $CLAF stake. The protocol routes requests, meters consumption via dual-signature usage proofs, settles payments through smart contracts, and distributes rewards — all without admin override.

Central Claim: ClawFarm is the first truly non-custodial AI compute marketplace. The platform never holds user funds. Every USDC sits in a program-owned escrow. Every settlement is a contract execution. Every Provider payout is an on-chain transfer.

1.1 Centralized AI Inference Market

Today's AI inference market is dominated by centralized intermediaries. Users must register with each provider individually, manage multiple API keys and billing accounts, and trust each platform with payment credentials. Providers must build their own payment infrastructure and accept opaque revenue splits.

1.2 Existing Decentralized AI Projects Fall Short

Most decentralized AI compute networks suffer from subjective quality scoring, governance-controlled treasuries, verification theater, and high provider barriers.

1.3 The Gap

No AI compute marketplace is simultaneously permissionless, non-custodial, transparent, and practical. ClawFarm fills this gap.

3.1 Escrow Contract

Holds all user USDC in a Program Derived Address (PDA). No admin key can withdraw on behalf of a user.

deposit(amount)  → USDC from wallet to PDA → update balance → emit event
withdraw(amount) → verify signature → check available → PDA to wallet
balance()        → available = deposited - settled - pending

3.2 Provider Registry

Permissionless registration. Requires $CLAF stake as collateral.

register_provider(endpoint, models[], pricing[], stake_amount)
  → verify minimum stake (1,000 $CLAF)
  → lock $CLAF in staking account
  → create on-chain ProviderAccount
  → status = Active

3.3 Settlement Contract

Processes dual-signed usage proofs. Both user and provider must sign — neither can fabricate usage.

settle(usage_proofs[])
  for each proof:
    1. verify user_signature + provider_signature
    2. cost = input_tokens × input_price + output_tokens × output_price
    3. deduct from user escrow
    4. transfer 97% → provider wallet
    5. transfer 3% → treasury
    6. record AWU for rewards

3.4 Treasury Contract

Non-discretionary buyback-and-burn engine. No governance.

Off-chain but open-source. Runs client-side in the ClawFarm SDK. Reads on-chain Provider Registry.

Routing signals: prompt length, tool calls, deep thinking flag, on-chain price table, historical quality scores, user preferences.

W_i = AWU_i × (P_avg / P_i) × Q_i

Reward_i = E_t × W_i / ΣW

Epoch Distribution

ClawFarm is not another centralized aggregator on a blockchain. It is a fundamentally different architecture: users own their funds, providers own their business, and the protocol owns nothing — it executes rules, collects 3%, and burns tokens.

Compute is permissionless. Payment is trustless. Rewards follow contribution.

Official $CLAF Token Mirror: [https://ipfs.io/ipfs/Qmcq5NvjVqcpqSt3xA1ebrDmyXA8TgS9goPauocc5LPjh6/](https://ipfs.io/ipfs/Qmcq5NvjVqcpqSt3xA1ebrDmyXA8TgS9goPauocc5LPjh6/)