The core mechanism

Every GigXchange booking runs on the same rails — structured workflow, digital contract, verified reviews — regardless of how it is paid. At the payment step the parties choose:

• Protected payment (5% platform fee) — funds held via Stripe when the booking confirms, released after the gig, following a short dispute window. Removes non-payment risk for the artist and no-show leverage problems for the booker.
• Private settlement (0%) — cash or bank transfer between the parties, as this market has always worked. The booking still carries its contract and still produces verified reviews.

Against the ~20% commission structure of incumbent platforms, the artist on a £400 gig keeps £380–£400 instead of ~£320 — a pricing gap large enough to move supply, discussed in the incumbent analysis.

Why the model is built this way

• Adoption before extraction. In a market accustomed to informal settlement, tolling every transaction suppresses the liquidity a young marketplace needs most. Free rails maximise bookings; bookings maximise the data assets (the flywheel).
• Aligned incentives. The platform earns only where it removes real risk. This keeps the product honest: protected payment must be worth 5% on its merits.
• Capital-efficient cost base. The platform is operated lean (see engineering posture), so the model does not depend on high take rates to sustain itself while liquidity builds.

Adjacent revenue surfaces

As the marketplace matures, the model has natural extensions that do not compromise the no-commission position: premium workflow tooling for professional roles (agents managing rosters, multi-site venue operations), value-added booking services, and the option layer that a trusted payment rail creates. The near-term product direction is summarised at theme level on the Investor Hub landing page; GigXchange deliberately does not publish a detailed forward roadmap.