Unified Payroll

Problem Statement

This project is a next-generation payroll platform that enables businesses to pay employees across the globe using cryptocurrencies, with seamless conversion into local fiat currencies. It solves the long-standing issues of traditional international payroll—slow settlement times, high fees, complex banking systems, and lack of access for the underbanked—by leveraging the power of decentralized finance and blockchain interoperability.At its core, the platform uses 1inch Fusion+ to facilitate secure and efficient cross-chain swaps, allowing employers to deposit any major cryptocurrency and convert it into the preferred currency of each employee on their chosen blockchain. These transactions are powered by 1inch’s intent-based architecture, ensuring optimal exchange rates by sourcing liquidity from a wide range of DEXs.To bridge the gap between crypto and the real world, the platform integrates with Stellar's low-cost and fast network. Through Stellar's anchor network and SEP standards, employees can easily off-ramp their crypto earnings into local fiat and withdraw it to their bank accounts or mobile money platforms—making the platform practical and accessible for a wide range of users, including those without access to traditional financial infrastructure.Key features include:A web application for employers and employees to manage payroll, set preferences, and view transactionsA smart contract backend deployed on a scalable EVM-compatible chain to handle deposits, cross-chain swaps, and payoutsA 1inch Fusion+ extension that supports cross-chain salary swaps with atomicity and security (hashlock/timelock)Stellar integration to enable fiat on/off-ramps via its global network of financial anchorsImpact:Reduces international payroll costs by up to 90%Settles salary payments in minutes instead of daysBrings financial services to underbanked communitiesEmpowers SMEs to hire globally without expensive financial middlemenGives employees flexibility to receive stablecoins or crypto on any supported blockchainUnlike current players in the crypto payroll space, this platform offers true cross-chain support, real-world fiat usability, and a frictionless user experience for both businesses and workers—making it a powerful tool for the future of remote work and decentralized finance.

Solution

This project is built at the intersection of DeFi, cross-chain infrastructure, and real-world payments. The architecture is modular and designed for security, scalability, and user accessibility.🔧 Tech Stack & ComponentsSmart Contract Layer Language: SolidityChain: EVM-compatible chain (we selected [insert your choice, e.g., Polygon, Arbitrum, or Optimism] for low fees and fast finality)Purpose:Handles employer depositsStores employee payment preferences (chain + currency)Manages payout logic with time-based salary schedulingEmits events to trigger backend swap and payout workflows1inch Fusion+ Extension Integration: We built a custom extension over 1inch’s Fusion+ intent-based swap engineHow it works:Once funds are deposited, the intent-based logic posts swap requests1inch’s resolvers handle optimal route discovery across DEXsIt supports cross-chain atomic swaps using a mix of hashlocks and timelocks, ensuring trust-minimized conversions between chains (e.g., ETH → SOL or BNB → XLM)Stellar Integration Stellar SDKs + SEP APIs: Integrated Stellar Anchors and implemented SEPs (Stellar Ecosystem Proposals) such as:SEP-24: Interactive fiat on/off-ramp flowsSEP-6: Deposits/withdrawalsSEP-10: AuthenticationWhy Stellar?Extremely low-cost ($0.00001 per txn)3–5 second settlementGlobal anchor network enables real-world fiat payouts to bank accounts, mobile wallets, and cash agentsBackend Infrastructure Node.js (Express) + PostgreSQLFunctions:Syncs events from the smart contractTriggers 1inch Fusion+ swap calls based on payment cyclesTracks transaction state and confirmationsHandles KYC/AML verification flow for fiat off-ramps (via Stellar Anchors)Frontend (Web App) React + TailwindCSSEmployer Dashboard:Add team members and salariesChoose payment frequencyTrack transaction historyEmployee Dashboard:Choose preferred chain and token (e.g., USDC on Polygon, SOL on Solana, XLM)View incoming payments and off-ramp optionsWallet Support MetaMask, WalletConnect (EVM chains)Stellar wallet integration (e.g., Lobstr, Freighter)Hacky/Notable Innovations Intent-Based Salary Routing: Instead of fixed swap routes, we leveraged 1inch Fusion+’s intent-based architecture to dynamically discover the best path across chains based on employee preferences.Custom Hashed Time Lock Contracts (HTLCs): For ensuring atomic cross-chain swaps, especially when moving between EVM and Stellar, we built lightweight HTLC-compatible adapters.Automated Off-Ramp Syncing: By parsing SEP-24 interactive flows, we auto-filled user KYC + bank data in backend scripts, speeding up the fiat withdrawal process for first-time users.Partner Tech Synergy 1inch Fusion+ enabled gasless, intent-based cross-chain swaps with optimal liquidity sourcing.Stellar gave us a real-world bridge from crypto to fiat with compliance and low fees built-in.The combination of both allowed us to create a full-stack payment rail—from employer to blockchain to employee to bank—without requiring any centralized exchange in the middle.