No. 18 · Legal

Staking Protocol Terms of Use

Staking Protocol · Terms of Use

Version 1.0 | October 23, 2026

Important Notice#

THESE TERMS GOVERN YOUR INTERACTION WITH THE STAKING PROTOCOL. THE STAKING PROTOCOL IS NOT OPERATED BY HAMILTON DIGITAL ASSETS LIMITED ("HDA"). HDA DOES NOT OFFER, OPERATE, CONTROL, OR GUARANTEE STAKING, YIELD, OR ANY REWARDS. BY INTERACTING WITH THE STAKING PROTOCOL, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU ARE INTERACTING WITH AUTONOMOUS SMART CONTRACTS AT YOUR OWN RISK.

1. Acceptance of Terms#

1.1 By accessing, interacting with, or using the staking functionality available through the Hamilton application interface (the "Staking Interface") or by directly interacting with the Staking Protocol smart contracts, you agree to be bound by these Staking Protocol Terms of Use ("Staking Terms"). If you do not agree, do not interact with the Staking Protocol.

1.2 These Staking Terms are separate from and in addition to HDA’s Terms of Use and the USDh Terms and Conditions. In the event of any conflict between these Staking Terms and those documents, these Staking Terms shall govern with respect to staking-related matters.

1.3 Your use of the Staking Protocol does not create any contractual, advisory, fiduciary, or other legal relationship between you and HDA.

2. Definitions#

"Staking Protocol": the autonomous smart contract system that enables holders of USDh to stake USDh and receive sUSDh, and to unstake sUSDh to receive USDh, including any associated reward distribution mechanisms.

"sUSDh": the token received upon staking USDh through the Staking Protocol, representing a proportional claim on the USDh held within the Staking Protocol smart contracts.

"Protocol Governance": the decentralized governance mechanism, including any decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) and multi-signature arrangements, that governs the parameters and operation of the Staking Protocol.

"Staking Interface": the user interface accessible through the Hamilton application that facilitates interaction with the Staking Protocol smart contracts.

"HDA": Hamilton Digital Assets Limited, a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands. HDA is the issuer of USDh and does not operate the Staking Protocol.

"Rewards": additional USDh distributed to the Staking Protocol smart contracts, the source and amount of which are determined by external mechanisms independent of HDA.

"Cooldown Period": the mandatory waiting period between initiating an unstaking request and the availability of USDh for withdrawal, as determined by the Staking Protocol smart contracts.

"Staking Restricted Territory": the Restricted Territory as defined in the USDh Terms and Conditions, Section 2, which, for the avoidance of doubt, includes (a) the United States of America (including its territories and possessions); (b) the United Kingdom; (c) any member state of the European Union; (d) any member state of the European Economic Area (including Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway); (e) the Swiss Confederation; (f) any jurisdiction subject to comprehensive sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, or the United Kingdom Government, including without limitation Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and the Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions of Ukraine; (g) the additional jurisdictions named in the USDh Terms and Conditions Section 2(g); and (h) any other jurisdiction designated by HDA or Protocol Governance from time to time and published on hamilton.xyz or through the Staking Interface.

3. Scope and Separation from HDA#

3.1 The Staking Protocol is an autonomous smart contract system governed by Protocol Governance. The Staking Protocol is not a product, service, or offering of HDA. HDA does not operate, control, manage, or maintain the Staking Protocol.

3.1A Transitional Governance. The User acknowledges that Protocol Governance is currently in formation. As of the Effective Date, the decentralized autonomous organization (DAO), multi-signature wallet arrangements, signer composition, and governance forum referenced in these Staking Terms are being designed and deployed; their on-chain identifiers, signer lists, and proposals processes are not yet published. During this transitional period, oversight and parameter administration of the Staking Protocol are exercised by Publius Foundation in consultation with prospective Protocol Governance participants. HDA remains a non-operator of the Staking Protocol throughout this transitional period and at all times thereafter. Once Protocol Governance is fully deployed, its on-chain identifiers (including multi-signature wallet addresses), signer composition, and governance forum will be published through the Staking Interface. The User should not interpret references in these Staking Terms to Protocol Governance, the DAO, or the multi-signature arrangement as implying that the corresponding on-chain structures are live at the Effective Date.

3.2 Although the Staking Interface may be accessible through the same application interface as HDA’s services, staking functionality constitutes a separate and independent system. The co-location of interfaces does not imply any operational, legal, or economic relationship between HDA and the Staking Protocol.

3.3 HDA does not:

(a) offer, promote, or distribute staking services;

(b) operate, control, or guarantee the Staking Protocol or its smart contracts;

(d) custody, hold, or control any assets staked through the Staking Protocol;

(e) act as broker, financial adviser, investment manager, or fiduciary in connection with staking; or

(f) bear any obligation to maintain, upgrade, or continue the operation of the Staking Protocol.

3.4 The value of USDh does not depend on the Staking Protocol. The Staking Protocol does not support, underpin, or stabilize USDh. These are independent systems.

4. Staking and Unstaking#

4.1 To stake, you transfer USDh to the Staking Protocol smart contracts and receive sUSDh in return. The exchange rate between USDh and sUSDh is determined algorithmically by the smart contracts based on the total USDh held within the protocol and the total sUSDh outstanding.

4.2 To unstake, you initiate an unstaking transaction through the Staking Protocol. Unstaking is subject to the Cooldown Period as determined by the smart contracts. During the Cooldown Period, your assets are locked and cannot be transferred.

4.3 All staking and unstaking transactions are executed by smart contracts and are irreversible once confirmed on the blockchain. Neither HDA nor the Protocol Governance can reverse, modify, or cancel confirmed transactions.

4.4 Staking fees, if any, are determined by the Staking Protocol smart contracts and may change from time to time as determined by Protocol Governance.

5. Rewards and Yield#

5.1 There is no guarantee of any Rewards. Rewards are variable, may fluctuate, and may be zero or negative in any given period. Past Rewards are not indicative of future Rewards.

5.2 Rewards, if any, are generated by external mechanisms independent of HDA. The source, amount, and timing of Rewards are determined by autonomous protocol mechanisms and external market conditions. HDA does not generate, fund, direct, or guarantee Rewards.

5.3 Any annual percentage yield ("APY"), rate of return, or similar metric displayed through the Staking Interface or any other source is:

(a) provided for informational purposes only;

(b) based on historical or estimated data that may not reflect actual or future results;

(d) subject to change at any time without notice.

5.4 You should not rely on any displayed APY or projected returns when making decisions about staking. You are solely responsible for your own assessment of the risks and potential outcomes of staking.

5.5 [Reserved.]

6. Smart Contract Interaction#

6.1 The Staking Protocol operates through autonomous smart contracts deployed on public blockchain networks. Interactions with the Staking Protocol are code-based and execute automatically based on predefined logic.

6.2 Smart contracts are subject to bugs, vulnerabilities, and exploits. Even audited smart contracts may contain undiscovered flaws. Interaction with the Staking Protocol may result in partial or total loss of staked assets.

6.3 You are solely responsible for reviewing and understanding the smart contract code before interacting with the Staking Protocol. The Staking Interface is a convenience tool only and does not substitute for independent review of the underlying contracts.

6.4 Neither HDA nor the Protocol Governance guarantees the correctness, security, or uninterrupted operation of the Staking Protocol smart contracts.

7. No Custody, No Fiduciary Relationship#

7.1 The Staking Protocol does not involve custody of your assets by any person or entity. Staked USDh is held by smart contracts, not by HDA, Protocol Governance, or any third party.

7.2 No fiduciary, advisory, trust, or agency relationship is created between you and HDA, Protocol Governance, or any other person by virtue of your interaction with the Staking Protocol.

7.3 You retain full control of your wallet and are solely responsible for the security of your private keys, seed phrases, and access credentials.

8. Not a Financial Product#

8.1 The Staking Protocol and sUSDh are not intended to constitute a security, investment contract, collective investment scheme, deposit, managed investment, insurance product, or any other regulated financial product in any jurisdiction.

8.2 Staking USDh is not an investment in HDA or any other entity. sUSDh does not represent equity, debt, profit participation, or any economic interest in HDA or any affiliated entity.

8.3 No person should stake USDh with an expectation of profit derived from the efforts of HDA or any identified third party. Any Rewards are generated by autonomous protocol mechanisms and external market conditions, not by the managerial efforts of any person.

9. Eligibility and Compliance#

9.1 By interacting with the Staking Protocol, you represent and warrant that:

(a) you are at least 18 years of age;

(b) you are not a Restricted Person (as defined in the USDh Terms and Conditions);

(c) you are not located in, ordinarily resident in, or accessing the Staking Protocol from a Staking Restricted Territory;

(d) your interaction with the Staking Protocol complies with all applicable laws in your jurisdiction; and

(e) you understand the risks of interacting with decentralized smart contracts and accept those risks in full.

9.2 No KYC or identity verification is required to interact with the Staking Protocol. However, Protocol Governance reserves the right to implement access restrictions, including geoblocking or address-based restrictions, at any time.

10. Third-Party Infrastructure#

10.1 The Staking Protocol may rely on third-party infrastructure, including blockchain networks, oracles, data feeds, and other decentralized services. Failures, outages, or manipulations of third-party infrastructure may affect the Staking Protocol.

10.2 Neither HDA nor Protocol Governance is responsible for the performance, accuracy, or availability of third-party infrastructure.

11. Disclaimers#

11.1 THE STAKING PROTOCOL AND STAKING INTERFACE ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS. NO WARRANTIES ARE MADE, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT.

11.2 No representation or warranty is made regarding: (a) the security or reliability of the Staking Protocol smart contracts; (b) the availability or continuity of staking services; (c) the accuracy of any data displayed through the Staking Interface, including APY, exchange rates, and balances; or (d) the expected or actual level of Rewards.

11.3 You should not rely on any information displayed through the Staking Interface, including but not limited to APY figures, TVL metrics, exchange rates, and projected returns, as a basis for any financial decision.

11.4 Unsolicited Transactions. You agree and understand that all staking, unstaking, claiming, and other actions you perform through the Staking Interface or directly against the Staking Protocol smart contracts are considered unsolicited. You have not received any investment, financial, legal, or tax advice from HDA in connection with any such action. HDA has not actively solicited your use of the Staking Protocol, and HDA does not conduct a suitability review of any such action. No information displayed through the Staking Interface should be construed as investment, financial, legal, or tax advice.

12. Limitation of Liability#

12.1 To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, neither HDA, Protocol Governance, nor any contributor to the Staking Protocol shall be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, punitive, or special damages arising from your interaction with the Staking Protocol.

12.2 HDA shall have no liability whatsoever in connection with the Staking Protocol, including for any loss of staked assets, loss of Rewards, smart contract failures, or any other losses arising from staking activities.

12.3 To the extent any liability is found to exist notwithstanding the foregoing, aggregate liability to any user for all claims arising out of or related to the Staking Protocol shall not exceed USD 100.

12.4 Nothing in these Staking Terms limits liability for fraud or willful misconduct.

13. No Recourse#

13.1 You have no claim, right, or recourse against HDA in connection with the Staking Protocol, including any claim for loss of staked assets, failure to receive Rewards, smart contract malfunction, or any other matter arising from staking.

13.2 You acknowledge that recourse against Protocol Governance or contributors to the Staking Protocol may be limited or unavailable given the decentralized nature of the system.

14. Indemnification#

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless HDA and its officers, directors, employees, and affiliates from and against any claims, losses, damages, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from: (a) your interaction with the Staking Protocol; (b) your violation of these Staking Terms; (c) your violation of applicable law; or (d) any third-party claim arising from your staking activities.

15. Modifications#

15.1 These Staking Terms may be updated at any time. Updated terms will be posted through the Staking Interface. Continued interaction with the Staking Protocol after posting constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.

15.2 Protocol Governance may modify the parameters of the Staking Protocol, including fees, cooldown periods, and reward mechanisms, at any time through governance processes.

16. Governing Law and Dispute Resolution#

16.1 These Staking Terms are governed by, and shall be construed in accordance with, the laws of the British Virgin Islands.

16.2 Any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Staking Terms shall be finally resolved by binding individual arbitration administered by the BVI International Arbitration Centre ("BVIAC") in accordance with the BVIAC Arbitration Rules then in force, seated in the British Virgin Islands. You waive any right to participate in a class action, collective proceeding, or jury trial. You have the right to opt out of these arbitration provisions and the class-action waiver by sending written notice of your decision to opt out to legal@usdh.money within thirty (30) days of your first interaction with the Staking Protocol. The notice must include your name, contact details, and any wallet address(es) used to interact with the Staking Protocol. If you do not send a timely opt-out notice, you shall be bound to resolve disputes through individual (non-class) arbitration in accordance with these Staking Terms.

17. General Provisions#

17.1 If any provision is held invalid, the remaining provisions remain in force.

17.2 These Staking Terms constitute the entire set of terms governing your interaction with the Staking Protocol with respect to staking. They do not modify or replace the HDA Terms of Use or USDh Terms and Conditions, which continue to apply to USDh and Platform access respectively.

17.3 Headings are for convenience only and do not affect interpretation.

Staking Protocol Terms of Use.