PROOF OF QUALITY
A protocol-level enforcement system for trust in human data
Proof of Quality is the core mechanism of the Sapien protocol.
It is a structured signal of trust that emerges from contributor behavior, peer validation, and economic alignment. Rather than relying on institutional credentials or manual oversight, the protocol uses staking, slashing, and transparent reputation to enforce quality at scale.
Staking as Collateral
Before a contributor can complete complex tasks, they must lock a portion of their $SAPIEN tokens as collateral. This stake serves as a performance guarantee. If the task is approved through peer validation, the contributor earns a reward. If it fails, some or all of the stake may be slashed.
Stake size and duration determine access to task tiers and influence reward multipliers. This creates a system in which tokens function as working capital — participants are financially committed to the quality of their own output.
Validation by Peers
Each completed task is reviewed by a contributor with a higher reputation score. This tiered model enables decentralized quality enforcement:
Masters validate Experts
Experts validate Contributors
Contributors validate Trainees
Critical tasks may require multiple validators. Validators earn additional rewards for accurate assessments. Those who approve poor-quality work are penalized through slashing and reputation loss.
This peer-driven structure replaces centralized QA teams with a distributed system that scales with the network.
Slashing and Enforcement
When a task fails to meet quality standards, slashing is triggered. Contributors and validators may lose part or all of their stake depending on the severity and frequency of violations.
Minor — occasional low-quality task
Warning, retraining, or temporary restrictions
Moderate — repeated issues or false validations
Up to 25% stake slashed, reputation penalty, requalification required
Severe — malicious behavior or fraud
Up to 100% stake slashed, permanent removal from the protocol
This escalation framework deters abuse while giving contributors a path to recover from isolated mistakes.
Reward Mechanics
Contributor rewards are determined by three factors:
Task value — based on complexity and specialization
Performance ranking — based on contributor accuracy and consistency
Staking configuration — based on both stake size and duration
Stake-Based Multipliers
Higher stakes and longer lockups earn progressively larger multipliers.
250 SAPIEN
1.004x
1.012x
1.025x
1.050x
500 SAPIEN
1.008x
1.025x
1.049x
1.100x
1,000 SAPIEN
1.016x
1.049x
1.099x
1.200x
1,500 SAPIEN
1.025x
1.074x
1.148x
1.300x
2,000 SAPIEN
1.033x
1.099x
1.197x
1.400x
2,500 SAPIEN
1.041x
1.123x
1.247x
1.500x
Multipliers apply to each task reward and are calculated automatically at the time of reward distribution. Early withdrawal results in a 20% penalty and forfeits all accrued multipliers.
Performance Multipliers
Contributors who meet SLA thresholds receive a 1.0x performance multiplier. Those performing in the top 20% earn a 1.5x multiplier. Contributors below SLA may forfeit rewards and face slashing.are ranked based on accuracy and SLA compliance:
Top 20% — 1.5x performance multiplier
Meets baseline — 1.0x multiplier
Falls below threshold — No rewards, possible slashing
For more informations on payout, system outcomes and token distribution systems, please see the Sapien Tokenomics Document.
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