Participant Types
Participants are the businesses and individuals that operate within your platform ecosystem.
The participant model you select determines onboarding requirements, verification obligations, available platform capabilities, funds flow design, reporting visibility, and operational responsibilities.
Depending on your business model, participants may represent buyers, sellers, merchants, service providers, contractors, workers, franchise locations, or other entities interacting through the platform.
Understanding participant types is important because different participants may require different onboarding experiences, verification requirements, permissions, and capabilities.
Why Participant Types Matter
Participant types drive many of the core platform design decisions.
Defining participant roles early helps determine:
- Who accepts payments
- Who receives payouts
- Who requires onboarding and verification
- Who can access platform services
- Who is subject to compliance requirements
- Who receives operational and reporting access
These decisions influence onboarding, payments, funds management, payouts, reporting, and embedded finance capabilities.
Supported Participant Types
| Participant Type | Description | Typical Responsibilities |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | The organization operating the marketplace, network, or platform business | Configures products, services, funds flow, reporting, and participant access |
| Seller / Recipient | Business or individual providing goods or services and receiving funds | Onboards, completes verification, receives payouts, and accesses enabled services |
| Buyer | Customer purchasing goods or services through the platform | Participates in payment and checkout experiences |
| Merchant | Business accepting payments for goods or services through the platform | Accepts payments, manages commerce activities, receives funds, and accesses reporting |
| Service Provider | Individual or business delivering services through the platform | Completes onboarding, provides services, receives payouts, and manages service-related activities |
| Contractor | Independent individual performing work or services through the platform | Completes onboarding, fulfills assigned work, receives payouts, and manages account information |
| Worker | Individual participating in a workforce, gig, or labor-based platform model | Completes onboarding, performs services or tasks, receives earnings, and accesses payout services |
