Question 1

What is IOStamp?

Accepted Answer

IOStamp is a blockchain timestamping platform that lets you create tamper-proof, cryptographic proof that a file or dataset existed at a specific point in time. We write a unique fingerprint (hash) of your data to the BSV blockchain — permanently and without storing the file itself.

Question 2

How does blockchain timestamping work?

Accepted Answer

When you stamp a file, IOStamp computes a SHA-256 cryptographic hash of its contents and broadcasts that hash to the Bitcoin SV (BSV) blockchain via an OP_RETURN transaction. The resulting transaction ID (txID) is your proof. Anyone can independently verify the hash matches your file and that the transaction was recorded at a specific block height and timestamp.

Question 3

Who is IOStamp for?

Accepted Answer

IOStamp serves two main audiences. Industry & enterprise teams use it to prove data integrity for supply chain records, QA documents, and compliance audits. Creators & individuals use it to timestamp original works — photos, videos, audio, scripts — establishing provable authorship and creation date.

Question 4

Do I need to know anything about blockchain to use IOStamp?

Accepted Answer

No. IOStamp handles all the blockchain interaction for you. You upload or reference a file, we do the rest, and you receive a shareable verification link. Advanced users and developers can also interact directly via our API.

Question 5

Is there a free plan?

Accepted Answer

IOStamp does not currently offer a permanent free tier, but we do run promotional pricing. Our Basic plan gives you 1,000 stamps per month — enough for most small pilots or personal projects. Check the Pricing page for current offers.

Question 6

What happens if I exceed my monthly stamp limit?

Accepted Answer

Stamps beyond your plan limit will be queued or declined until your limit resets at the start of your next billing cycle. You can upgrade your plan at any time to get immediate access to a higher limit.

Question 7

Can I upgrade or downgrade my plan?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can change your plan at any time from your Dashboard under Billing. Upgrades take effect immediately; downgrades take effect at the start of your next billing period.

Question 8

Do you offer custom pricing for large volumes?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Our Enterprise plan is custom-priced based on your volume and integration requirements. Contact us at hello@iostamp.com or click "Contact Sales" on the Pricing page to start a conversation.

Question 9

Which blockchain does IOStamp use?

Accepted Answer

IOStamp uses Bitcoin SV (BSV). BSV provides extremely low transaction fees (fractions of a cent), making it practical to stamp large volumes of data economically. Its OP_RETURN data field allows us to embed your hash directly into the blockchain.

Question 10

What is OP_RETURN?

Accepted Answer

OP_RETURN is a standard Bitcoin script opcode that allows up to 220 bytes of arbitrary data to be stored permanently in a blockchain transaction. IOStamp uses OP_RETURN to embed your file's SHA-256 hash on-chain. The data is provably part of the blockchain and cannot be altered or deleted.

Question 11

Is my stamp permanent?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Once a transaction is confirmed on the BSV blockchain, it is part of an immutable ledger that has been running continuously since 2009. No one — including IOStamp — can modify or delete a confirmed transaction.

Question 12

How long does it take for a stamp to be confirmed?

Accepted Answer

BSV blocks are mined approximately every 10 minutes. Most stamps receive their first confirmation within 10–15 minutes. The IOStamp dashboard and verification page update automatically once confirmation is detected.

Question 13

Is my file uploaded to the blockchain?

Accepted Answer

No. Your file never leaves your device in any readable form. IOStamp computes a cryptographic hash (a fixed-length fingerprint) locally or server-side, and only that hash is written to the blockchain. The original file content is never stored by IOStamp or on-chain.

Question 14

What data does IOStamp store?

Accepted Answer

IOStamp stores your account information, the SHA-256 hash of your stamped files, the resulting blockchain transaction ID, and metadata such as the filename and timestamp. We do not store the file contents themselves.

Question 15

Is my content private?

Accepted Answer

The hash written to the blockchain is public — anyone who knows your transaction ID can see it. However, a hash reveals nothing about the original file content. Your file contents remain private as long as you do not share them. The public verification page only shows the hash, timestamp, and blockchain proof.

Question 16

How do you secure my API keys?

Accepted Answer

API keys are hashed before being stored in our database. Only the key prefix is stored in plaintext for identification purposes. You should treat your API key like a password — never expose it in client-side code or public repositories.

Question 17

How do I get an API key?

Accepted Answer

Log in to your IOStamp dashboard and navigate to API Keys. You can generate one or more API keys depending on your plan. Each key can be labeled for easy identification.

Question 18

What are the API rate limits?

Accepted Answer

Rate limits depend on your plan. Basic allows 1,000 stamps per month with a burst cap, Premium allows 10,000 stamps per month, and Enterprise limits are negotiated individually. All plans share a per-second request rate limit to ensure service stability.

Question 19

Where can I find the API documentation?

Accepted Answer

Full API reference documentation is available at api.iostamp.com/docs/. It includes endpoint descriptions, request/response schemas, authentication examples, and code samples in multiple languages.

Question 20

Are there SDKs or client libraries?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Our official iostamp-sdk is available for Node.js and TypeScript. It provides robust methods like stampHash(), storeDataOnChain() for B:// protocol raw data storage, and storeMerkleBatch() for high-volume data anchoring.

Question 21

Can I write smart contracts on IOStamp?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. The IOStamp dashboard features an integrated Smart Contract Builder. You can write, compile, and manage sCrypt-based (TypeScript) smart contracts directly within your dashboard vault.

Question 22

How do I verify a stamp?

Accepted Answer

You can verify a stamp using the Verify tool at iostamp.com/verify. Upload the same file (or enter its SHA-256 hash) and provide the transaction ID from your stamp record. IOStamp will confirm whether the hash in the blockchain transaction matches your file.

Question 23

Can anyone verify my stamp?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Every stamp has a public verification URL (e.g. iostamp.com/verify/[txId]) that anyone can visit — no account required. This makes it easy to share proof of your stamp with third parties, clients, or regulators.

Question 24

What does the public verification page show?

Accepted Answer

The public verification page shows the file hash, the blockchain transaction ID, the block height and timestamp it was confirmed, and a decoded view of the OP_RETURN data. It provides everything needed to independently confirm the stamp against the BSV blockchain.

Question 25

Can I verify a stamp without using IOStamp?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Because the proof lives entirely on the public BSV blockchain, anyone can verify independently using a block explorer (e.g. WhatsOnChain). Look up the transaction ID, decode the OP_RETURN data, and compare it to the SHA-256 hash of your file.

Question 26

What is SecureSend?

Accepted Answer

SecureSend is IOStamp's end-to-end encrypted file sharing service. It lets you upload a file, encrypt it directly in your browser using military-grade AES-256-GCM encryption, and generate a one-time download link plus a separate secret password. The recipient enters the password to decrypt and download the file — no account required.

Question 27

How does SecureSend encryption work?

Accepted Answer

When you upload a file, SecureSend generates a random 16-character password locally in your browser and derives a 256-bit AES key using PBKDF2 with 100,000 iterations and a random salt. Your file (including its name and type) is then encrypted with AES-256-GCM before being sent to our servers. The decryption key never leaves your device — IOStamp operates under a zero-knowledge protocol, meaning we literally cannot read your files.

Question 28

What happens after the file is downloaded?

Accepted Answer

SecureSend uses a one-time download model. Once the recipient successfully downloads and decrypts the file, the encrypted payload is permanently deleted from our servers. The download link becomes invalid immediately — it cannot be reused. This auto-destruction ensures your data has a minimal exposure window.

Question 29

What is the file size limit?

Accepted Answer

The free tier allows files up to 300 KB — enough for documents, contracts, and small images. Bundle Pack users get an upgraded limit of up to 25 MB, suitable for high-resolution media, archives, and larger datasets. File size is validated both client-side and server-side.

Question 30

How should I share the link and password?

Accepted Answer

For maximum security, share the download link and the secret password through two different channels. For example, send the link via email and the password via a secure messenger like WhatsApp or Signal. This way, even if one channel is compromised, the file remains protected.

Question 31

Is my file anchored to the blockchain?

Accepted Answer

Yes — for authenticated (Bundle Pack) users. Before encryption, SecureSend computes a SHA-256 hash of your original file and anchors it to the BSV blockchain via an OP_RETURN transaction. This gives you a permanent, tamper-proof receipt proving the file existed at the time of transfer, even after the file itself has been deleted from our servers.

Question 32

What if I lose the password?

Accepted Answer

The password is generated locally in your browser and is never sent to IOStamp. We have no way to recover it. If you lose the password, the file cannot be decrypted — by anyone. Always store the password securely before sharing the download link.

Question 33

Do I need an account to use SecureSend?

Accepted Answer

You can use SecureSend at iostamp.com/securesend without any account for free (up to 300 KB per file, no blockchain anchoring). To unlock larger file sizes and blockchain-certified transfers, sign in with a Bundle Pack account.

Question 34

How long does the download link stay active?

Accepted Answer

Download links expire after 7 days if not used. Once the file is downloaded, the link is invalidated immediately. If the link expires before download, the encrypted file is automatically purged from our servers.

Frequently Asked Questions

General

Pricing & Plans

Blockchain & Stamps

Privacy & Security

API & Developer

Verification

SecureSend

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