Platform Overview

The full-stack payment platform purpose-built for gaming

DBZ is a bi-directional payment platform for game studios. It handles everything from paying players real money for in-game achievements to processing purchases and managing virtual currency — all while keeping studios completely out of PII and PCI scope. Built on regulatory licenses (US Money Transmitter Licenses + EU MiCAR/EMI) and micropayment economics that make sub-cent transactions viable, DBZ enables product categories that are structurally impossible on traditional payment rails.

Three Workstreams

Competitive Landscape

The Compound Moat

"Three things that compound together: (1) Regulatory licenses that took years and millions — competitors need 2+ years just to get started. (2) The only bi-directional payment platform purpose-built for gaming — Xsolla does pay-in, Tipalti does pay-out, DBZ does both. (3) Micropayment economics that enable use cases structurally impossible on traditional rails — you can't reward a player $0.02 through Stripe. No single piece is unassailable, but together they create a 3+ year head start."

Users & Identity

Registration, KYC verification, and user management

Endpoints

KYC Tiers

Tiered verification minimizes friction and maximizes conversion. Players earn first, verify only at cash-out.

User Object

{
  "id": "usr_a1b2c3d4",
  "externalId": "player_12345",
  "email": "player@example.com",
  "country": "US",
  "kycStatus": "approved",
  "kycTier": 2,
  "createdAt": "2026-03-20T10:00:00Z",
  "metadata": {}
}

For detailed webhook events, see Research.

Payout to Bank

Trigger bank account payouts on behalf of players

Bank Account Linking

Before a payout can be created, the player must link a bank account through DBZ's hosted Plaid flow.

Bank Account Object (tokenized)

{
  "id": "ba_x9y8z7",
  "userId": "usr_a1b2c3d4",
  "institutionName": "Chase",
  "accountType": "checking",
  "last4": "6789",
  "status": "verified",
  "createdAt": "2026-03-20T12:00:00Z"
}

Developer never sees: full account number, routing number, holder name, or any PII.

Payout Endpoints

Create Payout Request

POST /v1/payouts
{
  "userId": "usr_a1b2c3d4",
  "bankAccountId": "ba_x9y8z7",
  "amount": 5000,
  "currency": "usd",
  "description": "Tournament winnings - March 2026",
  "internalId": "game_match_789",
  "metadata": {
    "gameId": "battle-royale-2",
    "matchId": "match_789",
    "reason": "tournament_prize"
  }
}

Payout Object

{
  "id": "po_m4n5o6p7",
  "userId": "usr_a1b2c3d4",
  "bankAccountId": "ba_x9y8z7",
  "amount": 5000,
  "currency": "usd",
  "status": "processing",
  "description": "Tournament winnings - March 2026",
  "internalId": "game_match_789",
  "method": "ach",
  "estimatedArrival": "2026-03-22T00:00:00Z",
  "failureCode": null,
  "failureMessage": null,
  "createdAt": "2026-03-20T14:00:00Z",
  "completedAt": null,
  "metadata": {
    "gameId": "battle-royale-2",
    "matchId": "match_789",
    "reason": "tournament_prize"
  }
}

Payout Status Lifecycle

For detailed failure codes, webhook events, and Node.js code samples, see Research.

Wallet Loading

Allow players to fund a DBZ wallet from a linked bank account

Endpoints

Wallet Object

{
  "userId": "usr_a1b2c3d4",
  "balance": 15000,
  "currency": "usd",
  "status": "active",
  "dailyLoadLimit": 50000,
  "dailyLoadRemaining": 35000,
  "updatedAt": "2026-03-20T15:00:00Z"
}

Create Wallet Load Request

POST /v1/users/{userId}/wallet/load
{
  "bankAccountId": "ba_x9y8z7",
  "amount": 2500,
  "currency": "usd",
  "internalId": "load_session_456"
}

Wallet Load Object

{
  "id": "wl_q1r2s3t4",
  "userId": "usr_a1b2c3d4",
  "bankAccountId": "ba_x9y8z7",
  "amount": 2500,
  "currency": "usd",
  "status": "pending",
  "internalId": "load_session_456",
  "createdAt": "2026-03-20T15:30:00Z",
  "completedAt": null
}

Load Status Lifecycle

SDK vs. Developer Responsibility

For detailed error codes and webhook events, see Research.

Checkout (Web Store)

Hosted checkout widget for direct-to-consumer purchases, bypassing app store fees

Endpoints

Create Checkout Session

POST /v1/checkout/sessions
{
  "userId": "usr_a1b2c3d4",
  "lineItems": [
    {
      "name": "1000 Gold Coins",
      "description": "In-game currency pack",
      "amount": 999,
      "currency": "usd",
      "quantity": 1,
      "metadata": { "sku": "gc_1000", "type": "virtual_currency" }
    }
  ],
  "successUrl": "https://yourgame.com/purchase/success?session={SESSION_ID}",
  "cancelUrl": "https://yourgame.com/purchase/cancel",
  "internalId": "purchase_abc123",
  "metadata": { "gameId": "battle-royale-2" }
}

Checkout Session Object

{
  "id": "cs_v1w2x3",
  "userId": "usr_a1b2c3d4",
  "status": "completed",
  "paymentMethod": "card",
  "amountTotal": 999,
  "currency": "usd",
  "lineItems": [ ... ],
  "internalId": "purchase_abc123",
  "createdAt": "2026-03-20T17:00:00Z",
  "completedAt": "2026-03-20T17:01:30Z"
}

Checkout Flow

Platform ToS Strategy

For detailed webhook events, see Research.

Virtual Currency

Convertible virtual currency ledger for in-game economies, backed by DBZ as system of record

Currency Configuration

Currency Object

{
  "id": "cur_g1h2i3",
  "name": "Gold Coins",
  "symbol": "GC",
  "conversionRate": 100,
  "conversionUnit": "usd_cents",
  "conversionDirection": "to_fiat",
  "minConversion": 1000,
  "maxConversionPerDay": 50000,
  "status": "active",
  "createdAt": "2026-03-01T00:00:00Z"
}

conversionRate: 100 means 100 Gold Coins = $1.00 USD. Developer defines earn rate in-game; DBZ defines the cash-out rate.

Ledger Endpoints

Credit Request (player earns coins)

POST /v1/ledger/credit
{
  "userId": "usr_a1b2c3d4",
  "currencyId": "cur_g1h2i3",
  "amount": 500,
  "reason": "match_victory",
  "internalId": "match_789_reward",
  "metadata": {
    "matchId": "match_789",
    "placement": 1
  }
}

Ledger Transaction Object

{
  "id": "txn_k5l6m7",
  "type": "credit",
  "userId": "usr_a1b2c3d4",
  "currencyId": "cur_g1h2i3",
  "amount": 500,
  "balanceAfter": 3200,
  "reason": "match_victory",
  "internalId": "match_789_reward",
  "createdAt": "2026-03-20T16:00:00Z",
  "metadata": {
    "matchId": "match_789",
    "placement": 1
  }
}

Conversion Request (player cashes out)

POST /v1/conversions
{
  "userId": "usr_a1b2c3d4",
  "currencyId": "cur_g1h2i3",
  "amount": 2000,
  "destination": "wallet"
}

Converts 2000 Gold Coins to $20.00 USD, credited to user's DBZ wallet. From there, the player can use the Payout to Bank API to withdraw.

Key Design Decisions

For detailed error codes and webhook events, see Research.

Tournaments

Skill-based tournaments with buy-in escrow, automated prize distribution, and geo-fencing

Endpoints

Create Tournament

POST /v1/tournaments
{
  "name": "Friday Night Showdown",
  "gameId": "battle-royale-2",
  "entryFee": 500,
  "currency": "usd",
  "maxPlayers": 100,
  "minPlayers": 10,
  "prizeStructure": [
    { "rank": 1, "percentage": 50, "label": "1st Place" },
    { "rank": 2, "percentage": 30, "label": "2nd Place" },
    { "rank": 3, "percentage": 20, "label": "3rd Place" }
  ],
  "platformFeePercent": 10,
  "prizeSource": "entry_fees",
  "startsAt": "2026-03-21T20:00:00Z",
  "endsAt": "2026-03-21T22:00:00Z",
  "eligibleRegions": ["US_SKILL_GAMING"],
  "metadata": { "season": "3", "week": "12" }
}

Tournament Object

{
  "id": "trn_d4e5f6",
  "name": "Friday Night Showdown",
  "status": "active",
  "entryFee": 500,
  "currency": "usd",
  "currentPlayers": 47,
  "maxPlayers": 100,
  "minPlayers": 10,
  "prizePool": 21150,
  "prizeStructure": [ ... ],
  "prizeSource": "entry_fees",
  "startsAt": "2026-03-21T20:00:00Z",
  "endsAt": "2026-03-21T22:00:00Z",
  "eligibleRegions": ["US_SKILL_GAMING"],
  "createdAt": "2026-03-20T10:00:00Z",
  "metadata": { "season": "3", "week": "12" }
}

Tournament Status Lifecycle

Enter Tournament Flow

POST /v1/tournaments/{tournamentId}/enter
{
  "userId": "usr_a1b2c3d4",
  "internalId": "entry_player123_trn_d4e5f6"
}

Submit Results Flow

POST /v1/tournaments/{tournamentId}/results
{
  "rankings": [
    { "userId": "usr_a1b2c3d4", "rank": 1, "score": 9850 },
    { "userId": "usr_e5f6g7h8", "rank": 2, "score": 9200 },
    { "userId": "usr_i9j0k1l2", "rank": 3, "score": 8700 }
  ]
}

Prize Source Options

Escrow Model

Virtual Currency Tournaments

Geo-Fencing & Legal Framework

For detailed error codes and webhook events, see Research.

How Tournaments Use All Three Workstreams

Compliance Architecture

Data boundaries, KYC flows, and regulatory framework

Data Boundary Architecture

KYC Verification Sequence

Sweepstakes Distinction (AB 831)

California AB 831 (effective Jan 1, 2026) bans sweepstakes casinos that use dual-currency models. Connecticut, New Jersey, Nevada, and Montana have passed similar laws.

API-level protection: The ledger API enforces that virtual currency can only be credited via POST /v1/ledger/credit (called by the developer's server, not purchased by the player). There is no endpoint for players to directly buy virtual currency with cash and then convert it back — that would be a sweepstakes model.

For PII edge cases, payout compliance flow, and developer communication strategy, see Research.

Player Journeys

The same platform from the player's perspective

Journey 1: Casual Player Earns a Reward

Journey 2: Competitive Player Enters a Tournament

Journey 3: Player Buys Items via Web Store

Why the Player Perspective Matters for API Design

Roadmap

6-month phased rollout, each phase building on the infrastructure of the last

Phase Gates

For execution risks and fallback plans, see Research. For success metrics, see Research.