Responsible crypto: sustainability in every transaction
The problem we don't ignore
When people talk about crypto, sooner or later the question of energy consumption comes up. It's a fair one: certain networks, based on competitive mining, consume huge amounts of energy to validate each transaction. We didn't want to build a marketplace that ignored that, so we took it into account from the very design of our payments.
Why USDC is our main currency
USDC runs on networks with participation-based validation mechanisms (proof-of-stake), which consume a tiny fraction of the energy required by traditional mining networks. Being a stablecoin, it also keeps your purchase price from changing while the escrow contract waits for delivery confirmation. We accept USDT as well: both are stablecoins on the same network, so picking one over the other does not change the footprint of the transaction.
That's why we recommend operating on low-cost networks like Polygon: besides its low energy consumption, its network fees usually cost less than US$0.01 per transaction, far from the several dollars a congested network like Ethereum's main layer can charge.
Logistics and carbon footprint
Ikiraro's sustainability doesn't end at the wallet, but from there the decision is in each seller's hands: we don't run our own transport or choose carriers for them. What we do is give visibility to good practices, so using recyclable or reused packaging is something that gets noticed and valued, not an invisible effort.
Circular economy, a natural effect of the marketplace
Every secondhand product sold on Ikiraro —from electronics to auto parts— is a product that doesn't end up in a landfill before its time. Our reputation and escrow system gives those transactions the same trust as a new product, which helps make extending the life of things as simple an option as buying something new.
Our commitments
Prioritize low-consumption networks
We favor stablecoins and blockchains with participation-based validation over intensive mining networks.
Drive the circular economy
We give secondhand products the same level of trust and protection as new products.
Visibility for responsible shipping
Shipping is managed by each seller, but we highlight on their profile when they use recyclable or reused packaging.
Transparency on network fees
We always show the implied energy cost of each payment method before confirming the purchase.
What's left to do
We don't have sustainability fully solved, we build it with every update. As we add low-impact payment networks, this commitment will show up as more good-practice badges and more sellers recognized for responsible packaging.
- We evaluate every new payment network for its energy consumption too, not just its fees.
- We're working to give more visibility to sellers who already apply responsible shipping practices.
- We'll keep communicating this progress openly in this same section.