Terms of Service

Last updated:
November 4, 2022

BY ACCESSING AND USING THE INTERFACE TO STAKE TOKENS ON THE CHAINLINK NETWORK, YOU WILL BE RESTRICTED FROM UNSTAKING ANY LINK TOKENS UNTIL THE CHAINLINK NETWORK STAKING MECHANISM HAS BEEN UPGRADED. WHILE SUCH AN UPGRADE IS ANTICIPATED, WE CAN MAKE NO GUARANTEE THAT IT WILL BE TIMELY OR THAT ANY STAKED LINK WILL BE ABLE TO BE UNSTAKED AT A SPECIFIC TIME IN THE FUTURE. BY CONTINUING TO UTILIZE THE INTERFACE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CHAINLINK NETWORK, YOU EXPRESSLY ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE TO ACCEPT THIS RISK.  

Welcome to https://staking.chain.link, a website-hosted user interface (the “Interface”) made available by the Chainlink Foundation (the “Foundation”, “we”, “our”, or “us”). The Interface provides access to a decentralized staking system that allows participants to stake LINK tokens in order to assist in securing the data delivered by decentralized oracle networks directly to smart contracts integrating the Chainlink software (the “Chainlink Network”). Each of the Interface and the Chainlink Network are in “beta” stages of development. There can be no guarantee any of the contemplated features of the Chainlink Network will be implemented as specified or at all or that the Chainlink Network will be available or fit for a particular purpose. 

These Terms of Service and any terms and conditions incorporated herein by reference (collectively, the “Terms”) govern your access to and use of the Interface. The Terms are entered into between the Foundation and you or the company or other legal entity that you represent (and for which you agree you can legally bind) (“you” or “your”). You must read the Terms carefully. By accessing, connecting your wallet to, or otherwise using the Interface, or by acknowledging agreement to the Terms on the Interface, you agree that you have read, understood, and accepted all of the Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, or if you cannot legally bind any company or other legal entity you represent, you must not access or use the Interface. Please refer to our privacy policy available at chain.link/privacy-policy (the “Privacy Policy”) for information about how we collect, use, share and otherwise process information about you. In addition, you agree to comply with the Chainlink Community Code of Conduct with respect to any interactions on or arranged through the Interface. 

PLEASE READ THESE TERMS CAREFULLY. IF YOU ARE LOCATED IN CERTAIN APPLICABLE JURISDICTIONS, YOU AGREE THAT DISPUTES BETWEEN YOU AND US WILL BE RESOLVED BY BINDING, INDIVIDUAL ARBITRATION, AND YOU ARE WAIVING YOUR RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY OR TO PARTICIPATE AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS ACTION OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING. IF YOU FAIL TO MEET THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH IN SECTION 1 OR ARE OTHERWISE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH THESE TERMS, THEN YOU MUST NOT ATTEMPT TO ACCESS OR USE THE INTERFACE OR ANY OF OUR OTHER OFFERINGS OR SERVICES, AND ANY SUCH ACCESS IS PROHIBITED. USE OF A VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORK (VPN) OR OTHER MEANS BY RESTRICTED PERSONS TO ACCESS OR USE THE INTERFACE IS PROHIBITED AND MAY SUBJECT YOU TO LEGAL LIABILITY FOR FRAUDULENT USE OF THE INTERFACE.

Modification of the Terms

We may change, amend, or revise the Terms from time to time and at any time, at our sole discretion. When we make changes, we will make the updated Terms available on the Interface and update the “Last Updated” date at the beginning of the Terms accordingly. Please check the Terms periodically for changes. Any changes to the Terms will be applicable as of the date that they are made, and your continued access to or use of the Interface after the Terms have been updated will constitute your binding acceptance of such updates. If you do not agree to the revised Terms, then you are prohibited from continuing to access or use the Interface.

1. Eligibility

In order to use the Interface, you must satisfy the following eligibility requirements. You represent and warrant that you satisfy all of the eligibility requirements as of each date that you make use of the Interface.

  1. You are at least 18 years old (or the age of majority where you reside, whichever is older) and you have the legal capacity to enter into the Terms and be bound by them.
  2. If you accept the Terms on behalf of a legal entity or any decentralized autonomous organization (“DAO”), you must have the full right, power, and authority to accept the Terms and enter into and comply with the obligations under these Terms on that entity’s or DAO’s behalf, in which case “you” as used herein (except as used in this paragraph) will mean that entity or DAO.
  3. (i) You are not the subject of economic or trade sanctions administered or enforced by any governmental authority or otherwise designated on any list of prohibited or restricted parties (including but not limited to the list maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury), (ii) you are not a citizen, resident, or organized in a jurisdiction or territory that is the subject of comprehensive country-wide, territory-wide, or regional economic sanctions by the United States, or (iii) you are not, and do not directly or indirectly own or control any blockchain address that is listed on any list of prohibited or restricted parties (such persons identified in clauses (i)-(iii) of this subsection, collectively, “Restricted Persons”).
  4. Your use of the Interface is not prohibited by and does not otherwise violate or facilitate the violation of any applicable laws or regulations, or contribute to or facilitate any illegal activity.

2. Access to the Interface

We reserve the right to disable access to the Interface at any time, with or without cause or good reason. Our grounds for terminating access to the Interface may include, but are not limited to, any breach of the Terms, including without limitation, if we, in our sole discretion, believe that you, at any time, fail to satisfy the eligibility requirements set forth in the Terms. Further, we reserve the right to limit or restrict access to the Interface by any person or entity, or within any geographic area or legal jurisdiction, at any time and in our sole discretion. We will not be liable to you for any losses or damages you may suffer as a result of or in connection with the Interface being inaccessible to you at any time or for any reason. Unlike the Interface, the Chainlink Nework is running on public blockchain networks. The Interface is one, but not the exclusive, means of accessing the Chainlink Network.

3. Prohibited Activity

You agree not to engage in, or attempt to engage in, any of the following categories of prohibited activity in relation to your access or use of the Interface:

  1. Activity that breaches the Terms.
  2. Activity that seeks to interfere with or compromise the integrity, security, or proper functioning of any computer, server, network, personal device, or other information technology system, including, but not limited to, the deployment of viruses and denial of service attacks.
  3. Activity that seeks to defraud us or any other person or entity, including, but not limited to, providing any false, inaccurate, or misleading information in order to unlawfully obtain the property of another.
  4. Activity that violates any applicable law, rule, or regulation of the United States or any other relevant jurisdiction, including, but not limited to, the restrictions and regulatory requirements imposed by U.S. law.
  5. Activity that disguises or interferes in any way with the IP address of the computer you are using to access or use the Interface or that otherwise prevents us from correctly identifying the IP address of the computer you are using to access the Interface.
  6. Activity that transmits, exchanges, or is otherwise supported by the direct or indirect proceeds of criminal or fraudulent activity.
  7. Activity that contributes to or facilitates any of the foregoing activities.

4. No Warranties

The Interface is still in a testing phase and may contain errors. The Interface is provided on an “AS IS” and “AS AVAILABLE” basis. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we disclaim any representations and warranties of any kind, whether express, implied, or statutory, including, but not limited to, the warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. You acknowledge and agree that your access and use of the Interface is at your own risk and we may withdraw or terminate your access to the Interface at any time and at our sole discretion. We do not represent or warrant that access to the Interface will be continuous, uninterrupted, timely, or secure; that the information contained in the Interface will be accurate, reliable, complete, or current; or that the Interface will be free from errors, defects, viruses, or other harmful elements. No advice, information, or statement that we make should be treated as creating any warranty concerning the Interface. We do not endorse, guarantee, or assume responsibility for any advertisements, offers, or statements made by third parties concerning the Interface.

5. Compliance Obligations

The Interface may not be available or appropriate for use in all jurisdictions. By accessing or using the Interface, you agree that you are solely and entirely responsible for compliance with all laws and regulations that may apply to you. You further agree that we have no obligation to inform you of any potential liabilities or violations of law or regulation that may arise in connection with your access and use of the Interface and that we are not liable in any respect for any failure by you to comply with any applicable laws or regulations.

6. Proprietary Rights

  1. We own or license all intellectual property and other rights in the Interface and its contents, including, but not limited to, software, text, images, trademarks, service marks, copyrights, patents, and designs. Using the Interface does not give you ownership of any proprietary intellectual property rights in the Interface or the content you access. You may not use proprietary content from the Interface unless you obtain permission from its owner or are otherwise permitted by law. These Terms do not grant you the right to use any marks, branding, or logos used in the Interface.
  2. If (i) you satisfy all of the eligibility requirements set forth in the Terms, and (ii) your access to and use of the Interface complies with the Terms, you hereby are granted a single, personal, limited license to access and use the Interface. This license is non-exclusive, non-transferable, and freely revocable by us at any time without notice or cause in our sole discretion. Use of the Interface for any purpose not expressly permitted by the Terms is strictly prohibited. 

7. Assumption of Risk

By accessing and using the Interface, you represent that you are financially and technically sophisticated enough to understand the inherent risks associated with using cryptographic and blockchain-based systems, and that you have a working knowledge of the usage and intricacies of digital assets such as ether (ETH) and the Chainlink token (LINK), and other digital tokens such as those following the Ethereum Token Standard (ERC-20). In particular, you understand that, under normal circumstances, blockchain-based transactions are irreversible, but block reorganizations and other blockchain network irregularities have a possibility of occurring. You also understand that entities in networks such as the Ethereum blockchain, such as validators or relayers, may refuse to include transactions in blocks they produce at-will, a dynamic which we do not have explicit control over. 

You further represent that you understand (a) the Interface that facilitates access to features of the Chainlink Network, the use of which has many inherent risks, and (b) that cryptographic and blockchain-based systems have inherent risks to which you are exposed when using the Interface. You further understand that the markets for blockchain-based digital assets are highly volatile due to factors that include, but are not limited to, adoption, speculation, technology, security, and regulation. You acknowledge that the cost and speed of transacting with blockchain-based systems, such as Ethereum, are variable and may increase or decrease, respectively, drastically at any time. 

You hereby acknowledge and agree that we are not responsible for any of these variables or risks associated with the Interface, Chainlink Network, or LINK and expressly agree to not hold us liable should any of the above risks occur or for any resulting losses. Accordingly, you understand and agree to assume full responsibility for all of the risks of accessing and using the Interface to interact with the Chainlink Network.

8. Release of Claims

You expressly agree that you assume all risks in connection with your access to and use of the Interface. Additionally, to the extent permitted by applicable law, you hereby expressly release and forever discharge us from any and all liability, claims, causes of action, or damages arising from or in any way relating to your access to and use of the Interface. YOU HEREBY WAIVE ANY APPLICABLE PROVISION IN LAW OR REGULATION IN CONNECTION WITH THE FOREGOING, WHICH STATES IN SUBSTANCE: “A GENERAL RELEASE DOES NOT EXTEND TO CLAIMS WHICH THE CREDITOR DOES NOT KNOW OR SUSPECT TO EXIST IN HIS OR HER FAVOR AT THE TIME OF EXECUTING THE RELEASE, WHICH IF KNOWN BY HIM OR HER MUST HAVE MATERIALLY AFFECTED HIS OR HER SETTLEMENT WITH THE DEBTOR.”

9. Indemnity

You agree to hold harmless, release, defend, and indemnify us and our officers, directors, employees, contractors, consultants, agents, affiliates, and subsidiaries from and against all claims, damages, obligations, losses, liabilities, costs, and expenses arising from: (a) your access to and use of the Interface; (b) your violation of the Terms (including if you are not authorized to legally bind any company or other legal entity you represent), the rights of any third party, or any other applicable law, rule, or regulation; and (c) any other party’s access to and use of the Interface with your assistance or using any device or account that you own or control.

10. Limitation of Liability

Under no circumstances shall we or any of our officers, directors, employees, contractors, consultants, agents, affiliates, or subsidiaries be liable to you for any indirect, punitive, incidental, special, consequential, or exemplary damages, including, but not limited to, damages for loss of profits, goodwill, use, data, or other intangible property, arising out of or relating to any access to or use of the Interface, nor will we be responsible for any damage, loss, or injury resulting from hacking, tampering, or other unauthorized access to or use of the Interface, or from any access to or use of any information obtained by any unauthorized access to or use of the Interface. We assume no liability or responsibility for any: (a) errors, mistakes, or inaccuracies of content; (b) personal injury or property damage, of any nature whatsoever, resulting from any access to or use of the Interface; (c) unauthorized access to or use of any secure server or database in our control, or the use of any information or data stored therein; (d) interruption or cessation of function related to the Interface; (e) bugs, other harmful elements, or the like that may be transmitted to or through the Interface; (f) errors or omissions in, or loss or damage incurred as a result of, the use of any content made available through the Interface; and (g) the defamatory, offensive, or illegal conduct of any third party. Under no circumstances shall we or any of our officers, directors, employees, contractors, consultants, agents, affiliates, or subsidiaries be liable to you for any claims, proceedings, liabilities, obligations, damages, losses, or costs in an amount exceeding the greater of (i) the amount you paid to us in exchange for access to and use of the Interface over the preceding twelve (12) month period, or (ii) $100.00. This limitation of liability applies regardless of whether the alleged liability is based on contract, tort, negligence, strict liability, or any other basis, and even if we have been advised of the possibility of such liability. Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion of certain warranties or the limitation or exclusion of certain liabilities and damages. Accordingly, some of the disclaimers and limitations set forth in the Terms may not apply to you. This limitation of liability shall apply to the fullest extent permitted by law.

11. Dispute Resolution

We seek to resolve any potential dispute through informal, good faith negotiations. If a potential dispute arises, you must first contact us by sending an email to legal@chain.link so that we can attempt to resolve it without resorting to formal dispute resolution. If we are not able to reach an informal resolution within sixty days of receipt of your email, then you and we both agree to resolve the potential dispute according to the process set forth below. Any claim or controversy arising out of or relating to the Interface, the Chainlink Network, the Terms, or any other acts or omissions for which you may contend that we are liable, including (but not limited to) any claim or controversy as to arbitrability (each, a “Dispute”), shall be finally and exclusively settled by arbitration administered by American Arbitration Association (“AAA”) Consumer Arbitration Rules (“AAA Rules”) in force at the time of the filing for arbitration of any Dispute. You understand that you are required to resolve all Disputes by binding arbitration. All Disputes submitted to AAA will be resolved through confidential, binding arbitration before one arbitrator. Arbitration proceedings will be held in the Cayman Islands, in accordance with the AAA Consumer Arbitration Rules (“AAA Rules”). The most recent version of the AAA Rules are available on the AAA website and are hereby incorporated by reference. You either acknowledge and agree that you have read and understand the AAA Rules or waive your opportunity to read the AAA Rules and waive any claim that the AAA Rules are unfair or should not apply for any reason. Unless we agree otherwise, the arbitrator may not consolidate your claims with those of any other party. Any judgment on the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court of the Cayman Islands or other court of competent jurisdiction consented to in writing by us. You further agree that the Interface shall be deemed to be based solely in the Cayman Islands and that, although the Interface may be available in other jurisdictions, its availability does not give rise to general or specific personal jurisdiction in any forum outside the Cayman Islands.

12. Class Action and Jury Trial Waiver

You must bring any and all Disputes against us in your individual capacity and not as a plaintiff in or member of any purported class action, collective action, private attorney general action, or other representative proceeding. This provision applies to class arbitration. You and we both agree to waive the right to demand a trial by jury.

13. Third-Party Resources and Promotions

The Interface may contain references or links to third-party resources, including, but not limited to, information, materials, products, or services, that we do not own or control. In addition, third parties may offer promotions related to your access and use of the Interface. We do not endorse or assume any responsibility for any such resources or promotions. If you access any such resources or participate in any such promotions, you do so at your own risk, and you understand that the Terms do not apply to your dealings or relationships with any third parties. You expressly relieve us of any and all liability arising from your use of any such resources or participation in any such promotions.

14. Governing Law

The interpretation and enforcement of these Terms, and any Dispute related to these Terms will be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the Cayman Islands, as applicable, without regard to conflict of law rules or principles (whether of the Cayman Islands or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application of the laws of any other jurisdiction. You agree that we may initiate a proceeding related to the enforcement or validity of our intellectual property rights in any court having jurisdiction. With respect to any other proceeding that is not subject to arbitration under these Terms, the courts located in the Cayman Islands will have exclusive jurisdiction. You waive any objection to venue in any such courts.

15. Entire Agreement

These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and us with respect to the subject matter hereof, including the Interface. These Terms supersede any and all prior or contemporaneous written and oral agreements, communications, and other understandings relating to the subject matter of the Terms.

16. Privacy Policy

Your contribution of data within the Interface is subject to our Privacy Policy. The Privacy Policy describes the ways we collect, use, store and disclose your personal information. You agree to the collection, use, storage, and disclosure of your data in accordance with the Privacy Policy.