Hey Pickful community,

We recently received a great suggestion from community members:

"Can we add a bounty feature to Topics? I'd like to put up $100 USDC to encourage discussion under a specific Topic, set a deadline, and then distribute the rewards based on each post's share of total likes."

We think this is a very valuable direction. It transforms Topics from simple content categorization into economically incentivized discussion arenas, while further reinforcing Pickful's crypto-native identity.

After internal research and technical evaluation, we've outlined three viable approaches and would love to hear the community's thoughts.

🎯 Requirements Overview

Example

Suppose a Topic bounty pool is $100 USDC. When the deadline expires:

Approach 1: Platform Custody + On-Chain Settlement ⭐ Recommended

Workflow

Sponsor --$100 USDC--> Platform Wallet (via existing x402 payment)
                          │
                    Create TopicBounty record
                          │
                    Deadline expires, background job triggers
                          │
             Calculate like ratios → Batch on-chain USDC transfers → Author wallets

Core Idea

The sponsor sends USDC to the platform wallet through the existing x402 payment channel. The platform records the bounty details and, after the deadline expires, a background job automatically calculates distribution ratios and sends USDC to each author's wallet via on-chain transfers.

Pros

• ✅ Leverages existing infrastructure: x402 payment channel and wallet system are already mature
• ✅ USDC goes directly to author wallets: Real crypto incentive with strong user satisfaction
• ✅ On-chain traceability: Every distribution has a tx_hash, transparent and verifiable

Cons

• ⚠️ Requires implementing platform-initiated batch on-chain transfers (currently only passive receiving)
• ⚠️ Requires managing a platform hot wallet's private keys and gas fees
• ⚠️ Development timeline: ~1–2 weeks

Best For

Building as a core feature with a crypto-native experience, with willingness to invest moderate development resources.

Approach 2: Points Pool (Fully Off-Chain)

Workflow

Sponsor --$100 USDC--> Platform (converted to equivalent points)
                          │
                    Create points pool
                          │
                    Deadline expires
                          │
             Calculate like ratios → Distribute points to user accounts

Core Idea

The sponsor pays $100 USDC, which the platform converts to points at a fixed rate and deposits into a Topic points pool. After the deadline, points are distributed based on each post's share of likes. Users can spend earned points on VIP privileges, Topic creation, and other platform features — with potential future point withdrawal capability.

Pros

• ✅ Simplest to build: Fully reuses the existing points system (add_points, PointTransaction)
• ✅ No on-chain operations: No gas fees, no wallet management overhead
• ✅ Shortest development cycle: ~2–3 days to launch

Cons

• ⚠️ Users receive points instead of USDC, reducing incentive effectiveness
• ⚠️ Requires implementing point withdrawal to complete the full loop
• ⚠️ Not sufficiently crypto-native, somewhat misaligned with platform positioning

Best For

Quickly launching to validate demand feasibility, testing user feedback with minimal cost.

Approach 3: On-Chain Smart Contract Escrow

Workflow

Sponsor --$100 USDC--> Escrow Contract (Base chain)
                          │
                    Funds locked on-chain
                          │
                    Deadline expires
                          │
      Backend calculates shares → Calls contract distribute() → Contract sends USDC → Authors

Core Idea

Deploy a Bounty Escrow smart contract on the #Base chain. The sponsor sends #USDC directly to the contract, where funds are held in escrow. After the deadline, the platform backend calculates each author's share and calls the contract's distribution function, which automatically transfers USDC to each author.

Pros

• ✅ Funds fully custodied on-chain: Platform never touches funds, maximum user trust
• ✅ Verifiable distribution logic: On-chain auditable, tamper-proof
• ✅ True Web3 experience: Highest degree of decentralization

Cons

• ⚠️ Highest development cost: Requires Solidity contract, security audit, frontend contract integration
• ⚠️ Gas fees per distribution; costs scale with number of participants
• ⚠️ Contract upgrades are difficult, limiting product iteration flexibility
• ⚠️ Development timeline: ~3–4 weeks

Best For

Brand positioning that emphasizes decentralization and trustlessness, with a user base that strongly values on-chain transparency.

📊 Comparison at a Glance

💬 We Want to Hear From You

This feature originated from real community feedback, and we want the final approach to fully reflect the community's voice. We invite you to weigh in on these questions:

1. Which approach do you prefer? A quick-launch points solution, or an on-chain USDC direct-to-wallet solution?
2. Is the distribution rule fair? Pure like-based allocation, or should other factors be considered (e.g., comment count, post quality)?
3. Minimum budget threshold: Should bounty pools have a minimum amount? For example, at least $10 USDC?
4. Multi-sponsor support: Should multiple users be able to contribute to the same Topic bounty pool?
5. Zero-likes scenario: If no posts receive likes by the deadline, should the bounty be refunded to the sponsor or extended?
6. Author without wallet: If a winning author hasn't set up a wallet address, how should their reward be handled?

Share your thoughts in the comments or start a discussion post in the relevant Topic. Every piece of feedback will shape our final decision.

#Pickful Team
February 24, 2026