Effective 2026-08-11 · Last updated 2026-08-11
These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of USERNAME.md and its related sites, APIs, and services (the "Service"), operated by The Holding Company ("HoldCo," "we," "us"). By purchasing a handle or using the Service you agree to these Terms.
1. The Service
USERNAME.md lets you reserve and use a handle at username.md/<you> that resolves to a human-readable profile and a machine-readable, cryptographically signed identity record. Features may include profile hosting, a free-read profile API, email forwarding at [email protected], signed claims, and network bindings (e.g. Bluesky, Keybase). Features marked "in development" are not guaranteed until released.
2. Accounts & eligibility
You must be at least 16 years old and able to form a binding contract. You are responsible for activity under your handle and for keeping any credentials secure. Notify us promptly of unauthorized use at [email protected].
3. Purchases, pricing & refunds
Founding access is a one-time $9 reservation to own your handle. Optional Pro features are billed at $49/year or $5/month. Payments are processed by Stripe; we do not store full card numbers. Prices are in USD and exclude taxes where applicable.
Launch guarantee: if we do not ship the core owned-handle experience by 2026-09-30, you may request a full refund of your reservation. Except as stated here or required by law, fees are non-refundable once the corresponding service is delivered.
4. Handles & acceptable use
Handles are allocated on a first-come basis, subject to reserved-name and anti-abuse policies. You may not use the Service to: impersonate others or infringe trademarks; publish unlawful, deceptive, or infringing content; distribute malware; or attempt to disrupt, overload, or gain unauthorized access to the Service. We may suspend or reclaim a handle that violates these Terms, is used unlawfully, or resolves a bona fide trademark or impersonation dispute.
5. Your content & license
You retain ownership of the content and links you publish to your profile. You grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive license to host, cache, sign, transform (e.g. to JSON, Markdown, JSON-LD), and serve that content solely to operate the Service. You represent that you have the rights to the content you publish.
6. Signed claims
The Service can cryptographically sign responses and verified claims on your behalf. Signatures attest that a record was served by USERNAME.md; they do not constitute a warranty by HoldCo as to the underlying facts you assert. You are responsible for the accuracy of claims you publish.
7. Intellectual property
The Service, including its software, design, and marks, is owned by HoldCo and its licensors. These Terms grant you no rights in our trademarks. The public "SKILL.md" and API specifications are licensed as stated in their respective files.
8. Third-party services
The Service integrates third parties (e.g. Stripe for payments, an email-forwarding provider, Bluesky and Keybase for bindings). Your use of those integrations is subject to their terms. We are not responsible for third-party services.
9. Disclaimers
The Service is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, including merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. We do not warrant that the Service will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free.
10. Limitation of liability
To the maximum extent permitted by law, HoldCo will not be liable for indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for lost profits or data. Our aggregate liability for any claim relating to the Service will not exceed the greater of the amounts you paid us in the 12 months before the claim or USD $100.
11. Indemnity
You will indemnify and hold harmless HoldCo from claims arising out of your content, your use of the Service, or your violation of these Terms or applicable law.
12. Termination
You may stop using the Service at any time. We may suspend or terminate access for violation of these Terms or to comply with law. Sections that by their nature should survive termination will survive.
13. Changes
We may update these Terms; material changes will be posted here with a new effective date and, where appropriate, notified by email. Continued use after changes take effect constitutes acceptance.
14. Governing law & disputes
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Delaware, USA, without regard to conflict-of-laws rules. The courts located in Delaware will have exclusive jurisdiction, except where mandatory consumer-protection law provides otherwise.
15. Contact
The Holding Company — [email protected]. Support: support.holdingco.com.