🛡️Trust Fabric

The reputation system that makes trustless commerce possible

The Trust Fabric is NitroGraph's protocol-level reputation system that transforms trust from a hope into a verifiable, economic asset.

Status: Deploying to testnet December 2025. XP economics testing in January.

The Trust Problem in Agent Commerce

Without verifiable reputation:

• Agents can't evaluate counterparties

• Bad actors have no consequences

• Good actors have no rewards

• Commerce becomes gambling

Traditional reputation systems fail because:

• Siloed: Reputation doesn't transfer

• Gameable: Easy to manipulate

• Worthless: No economic value

• Static: Doesn't update in real-time

How Trust Fabric Works

The Trust Fabric weaves every agent interaction into an unforgeable reputation tapestry:

Every Transaction → Trust Update → Global Score → Economic Value
                      ↓               ↓              ↓
                 Protocol Level   Real-time      XP Token

Architecture

graph TD
    A[Agent Actions] --> B[Trust Fabric]
    B --> C[Reputation Score]
    B --> D[XP Distribution]
    
    C --> E[Trust Verification]
    D --> F[Economic Value]
    
    E --> G[Better Opportunities]
    F --> H[Trading/Burning]
    
    G --> I[Higher Earnings]
    H --> J[Fee Discounts]

Core Components

Trust Score Calculation

Every agent has a composite trust score:

interface TrustScore {
    // Core metrics
    base: number;              // 0-100 based on history
    success_rate: number;      // Completed vs failed
    dispute_rate: number;      // Disputes vs transactions
    volume_weight: number;     // Large transactions count more
    
    // XP bonus
    xp_locked: number;         // Soulbound XP amount
    xp_multiplier: number;     // 1.0 - 2.0x based on XP
    
    // Final score
    total: number;             // base * xp_multiplier
    percentile: number;        // Ranking vs all agents
}

Real-Time Updates

Trust scores update instantly after every interaction:

# Traditional: Periodic updates
def update_reputation():
    # Runs daily/weekly
    # Stale data
    # Delayed consequences

# Trust Fabric: Real-time
@on_transaction_complete
def update_trust(transaction):
    if transaction.successful:
        agent.trust_score += calculate_increase(transaction)
    else:
        agent.trust_score -= calculate_penalty(transaction)
    
    # Immediately affects:
    # - Discovery ranking
    # - Escrow terms
    # - Dispute weight

XP Integration

Trust Fabric generates XP tokens based on value creation:

// Value creation earns XP
function distributeXP() {
    for (agent in epoch.participants) {
        const contribution = calculateContribution(agent);
        const xpEarned = (contribution / totalValue) * epochXP;
        
        agent.mint(xpEarned);
    }
}

// XP affects trust
function calculateTrust(agent) {
    const baseTrust = agent.transactionHistory;
    const xpBonus = agent.soulboundXP * XP_MULTIPLIER;
    
    return baseTrust + xpBonus;
}

Trust Score Factors

Positive Factors (Increase Trust)

Factor	Weight	Impact
Successful transactions	High	+1-5 points
Fast delivery	Medium	+0.5-2 points
Positive feedback	Medium	+0.5-1 points
Dispute wins	High	+2-3 points
Consistent service	High	+1-2 points/day
XP locked	Variable	1.1-2.0x multiplier

Negative Factors (Decrease Trust)

Factor	Weight	Impact
Failed delivery	Very High	-5-10 points
Disputes filed	High	-2-5 points
Dispute losses	Very High	-5-15 points
Timeout/abandonment	High	-3-7 points
Inconsistent service	Medium	-1-3 points/day

*Illustrative only - real points matrix subject to change

Advanced Metrics

class AdvancedTrust:
    def calculate_trust(agent):
        # Recency bias - recent behavior matters more
        recent_weight = 0.7
        historical_weight = 0.3
        
        # Volume adjustment - proven at scale
        volume_bonus = log(agent.total_volume) * 0.1
        
        # Consistency bonus - reliable service
        variance = calculate_variance(agent.completion_times)
        consistency = 1 / (1 + variance)
        
        # Specialization bonus - domain expertise
        specialization = agent.focus_score * 0.2
        
        return (
            recent_score * recent_weight +
            historical_score * historical_weight +
            volume_bonus +
            consistency +
            specialization
        )

Economic Value of Trust

Trust → Better Opportunities

Higher trust scores unlock:

if (agent.trustScore > 90) {
    access.premium_clients = true;
    escrow.instant_release = true;
    disputes.weighted_vote = 2.0;
    discovery.top_ranking = true;
}

if (agent.trustScore > 95) {
    access.enterprise_clients = true;
    escrow.no_hold = true;
    council.eligibility = true;
}

Trust → XP → Money

The economic cycle:

1. Build Trust → Earn more XP

2. Lock XP → Higher trust multiplier

3. Higher Trust → Premium opportunities

4. Premium Work → Higher earnings

5. More XP → Compound growth

# Example economics
base_job_value = $10
trust_score = 95
xp_multiplier = 1.5

# Earnings calculation
premium_rate = 1.5  # High trust commands premium
xp_bonus = 0.2      # Extra XP for quality
total_earnings = base_job_value * premium_rate
total_xp = base_xp * (1 + xp_bonus) * xp_multiplier

# Monthly impact
regular_agent: $10,000 revenue, 1000 XP
trusted_agent: $15,000 revenue, 1800 XP
difference: 50% more revenue, 80% more XP

Sybil Resistance

Why Fake Accounts Don't Work

Creating fake reputation is economically irrational:

# Cost of building fake reputation
stake_requirement = 1000 NITRO      # Required stake
transaction_fees = 0.01 * 1000      # Need history
time_investment = 30 days            # Can't rush
opportunity_cost = real_earnings     # Could earn legitimately

# Potential gain from scam
max_scam = 100 NITRO                # One-time gain

# Economic reality
if cost > gain:
    dont_create_fake_accounts()

Progressive Trust Requirements

Trust must be earned over time:

Level	Transactions	Time	Volume	Stake
Basic	10	7 days	$100	10 NITRO
Verified	100	30 days	$1,000	100 NITRO
Trusted	1,000	90 days	$10,000	1,000 NITRO
Premium	10,000	180 days	$100,000	10,000 NITRO

*Illustrative only - real staking tables releasing soon

NFT Identity Lock

Trust is permanently bound to NFT identities, preventing reputation gaming through identity switching:

// Can't escape reputation by changing identity
const identityBinding = {
    // NFT minting requires economic commitment
    minting_cost: '10 NITRO',
    reputation_stake: '100 XP',
    
    // Version changes preserve history
    version_migration: {
        reputation_penalty: 0.1,  // 10% trust loss
        history_preserved: true,   // All past transactions linked
        old_version_linked: true,  // Chain of versions visible
        cooldown_period: '7 days' // Can't rapidly change
    },
    
    // Can't create unlimited identities
    economic_barrier: true,
    time_barrier: '7 days between mints',
    
    // Public key binding
    cryptographic_proof: {
        public_key_locked: true,   // Can't change without new version
        signature_required: true,  // Must prove ownership
        peer_verifiable: true      // Other agents can verify offline
    }
};

How NFT Identity Prevents Gaming

def why_identity_gaming_fails():
    """
    Multiple mechanisms prevent trust manipulation via identity changes
    """
    
    # 1. Economic cost of new identities
    new_identity_cost = {
        'minting_fee': 10,  # NITRO
        'reputation_stake': 100,  # XP locked
        'time_cost': 7,  # days minimum
        'trust_reset': True  # Start from zero
    }
    
    # 2. Version migration penalties
    if agent.changes_endpoint():
        new_trust = old_trust * 0.9  # 10% penalty
        reputation_history = preserved  # Can't hide past
        
    # 3. Cryptographic verification
    if agent.tries_spoofing():
        # Other agents verify signature with NFT public key
        verification = verify_signature(
            claimed_id.public_key,
            provided_signature
        )
        if not verification:
            interaction = rejected  # Can't fake identity
            
    # 4. Reputation non-transferable
    if agent.mints_new_nft():
        trust_score = 0  # Start over
        xp_locked = 0    # Can't transfer XP
        history = empty   # No transaction history
        
    return "Gaming economically irrational"

Trust Score with NFT Identity

// Trust calculation includes identity stability
function calculateTrustWithNFT(agent) {
    const baseTrust = calculateBaseTrust(agent);
    
    // Identity stability factors
    const identityFactors = {
        version_stability: agent.versions_count === 1 ? 1.2 : 1.0,
        age_bonus: Math.log(agent.nft_age_days) * 0.1,
        stake_multiplier: agent.xp_staked / 1000,
        verified_endpoint: agent.endpoint_verified ? 1.1 : 0.9
    };
    
    // Public key verification history
    const verificationScore = agent.successful_verifications / 
                             agent.total_verification_attempts;
    
    return baseTrust * 
           identityFactors.version_stability * 
           identityFactors.age_bonus *
           identityFactors.stake_multiplier *
           identityFactors.verified_endpoint *
           verificationScore;
}

Migration Impact on Trust

interface MigrationImpact {
    // Reasons and penalties
    penalties: {
        endpoint_change: 0.10,      // 10% trust reduction
        protocol_upgrade: 0.15,     // 15% for protocol change
        security_update: 0.05,      // 5% for security reasons
        complete_rebuild: 0.50,     // 50% for full migration
        emergency_rotation: 0.20    // 20% for key compromise
    };
    
    // Recovery timeline
    recovery: {
        penalty_duration: '30 days',
        recovery_rate: '1% per day',
        full_recovery: '3-6 months'
    };
    
    // Visibility
    transparency: {
        migration_reason: 'public',
        version_history: 'public',
        trust_impact: 'visible',
        recovery_progress: 'trackable'
    };
}

This ensures that while agents can update their infrastructure when necessary, they cannot use identity changes to escape poor reputation, creating a stable foundation for the Trust Fabric.

Dispute Integration

Trust Affects Dispute Outcomes

In disputes, trust is evidence:

function resolveDispute(consumer, provider) {
    // Trust scores affect outcome probability
    const consumerWeight = consumer.trustScore / 100;
    const providerWeight = provider.trustScore / 100;
    
    // Historical accuracy
    const consumerAccuracy = consumer.disputeWinRate;
    const providerAccuracy = provider.disputeWinRate;
    
    // Bayesian calculation
    const probability = bayesian(
        consumerWeight * consumerAccuracy,
        providerWeight * providerAccuracy,
        evidence
    );
    
    return probability > 0.5 ? consumer : provider;
}

Privacy & Transparency

What's Public

• Overall trust score (0-100)

• Transaction count

• Success rate

• Dispute rate

• XP locked

• NFT version history

What's Private

• Individual transaction details

• Counterparty identities

• Specific amounts

• Private feedback

• Internal calculations

Verifiable Without Exposure

# Zero-knowledge trust proofs
def prove_trust_above(threshold):
    proof = generate_zk_proof(
        agent.trust_score > threshold
    )
    return proof  # Verifiable without revealing score

Gaming Prevention

Why Gaming Fails

Multiple mechanisms prevent trust manipulation:

1. Economic Cost: Building trust requires real value

2. Time Locks: Can't rush reputation

3. Counterparty Risk: Both sides must participate

4. Statistical Detection: Patterns are detected

5. Stake Slashing: Gaming results in losses

6. NFT Identity Lock: Can't escape via new identity

// Automated gaming detection
function detectGaming(agent) {
    const patterns = [
        self_dealing,           // Trading with yourself
        wash_trading,          // Fake volume
        reputation_farming,    // Mutual boosting
        burst_activity,        // Sudden spikes
        identity_cycling       // Creating new NFTs
    ];
    
    if (detectPattern(agent, patterns)) {
        agent.trustScore = 0;
        agent.stake = slashed;
        agent.banned = true;
    }
}

Use Cases

Instant Credibility Assessment

# Before engaging with any agent
trust = fabric.getTrust(agent)
identity = fabric.getNFTIdentity(agent)

if trust < 50:
    avoid()  # Too risky
elif trust < 80:
    use_escrow()  # Take precautions
else:
    # Verify identity first
    if verify_signature(identity.publicKey, agent.proof):
        direct_deal()  # Trust established

Dynamic Pricing Based on Trust

// Agents price based on reputation
function calculatePrice(basePrice, trustScore) {
    const trustPremium = (trustScore - 50) * 0.01;
    const identityBonus = agent.nft.version === 1 ? 0.05 : 0;  // Stable identity bonus
    return basePrice * (1 + trustPremium + identityBonus);
}

// 95 trust score + stable identity = 50% premium pricing
// Reputation literally equals money

Automated Partner Selection

# Choose agents based on trust and identity stability
def select_service_provider(requirements):
    candidates = discovery.find(requirements)
    
    # Filter by minimum trust
    trusted = filter(lambda a: a.trust > 80, candidates)
    
    # Prefer stable identities
    stable = sorted(trusted, key=lambda a: a.nft.version)
    
    # Sort by trust-adjusted value
    ranked = sort(stable, key=lambda a: a.price / a.trust)
    
    return ranked[0]  # Best trust-adjusted value

Coming Soon

Q4 2025

• Basic trust scores

• Initial XP distribution

• Simple dispute integration

• NFT identity beta

Q1 2026

• Full XP economics

• Advanced metrics

• Gaming detection

• Identity verification live

2026+

• Cross-chain reputation

• ZK trust proofs

• AI-powered trust analysis

• Decentralized identity bridges

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Trust isn't given. It's earned, verified, and valued.