---
title: StepFi Protocol
description: Open-source BNPL on Stellar for learners in emerging markets
---

# Welcome to StepFi

StepFi is an open-source Buy Now Pay Later protocol built on Stellar, designed to give learners, interns, and early-career developers in emerging markets access to credit without banks.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Quick Start" href="/quick-start" icon="rocket">
    Get up and running with StepFi in minutes.
  </Card>
  <Card title="How It Works" href="/protocol/how-it-works" icon="circle-dot">
    Understand the StepFi protocol end to end.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Smart Contracts" href="/contracts/overview" icon="code">
    5 Soroban contracts deployed on Stellar testnet.
  </Card>
  <Card title="API Reference" href="/api/overview" icon="api">
    13 modules. REST plus JWT. Live Swagger docs.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## What is StepFi?

StepFi enables learners to finance laptops, courses, bootcamps, and dev tools through installment-based loans backed by a sponsor liquidity pool — all secured by Soroban smart contracts on the Stellar blockchain.

### Key Features

- **No banks required**: Wallet-based authentication via Freighter and Lobstr
- **On-chain reputation**: Credit score built from repayment history
- **Sponsor yield**: Sponsors earn APY by funding the liquidity pool
- **Mentor vouching**: Senior developers vouch for learners to improve their terms
- **Open source**: MIT licensed, 37 labeled issues for contributors

## Live Deployments

| Resource | URL |
|---|---|
| Landing Page | https://stepfi.vercel.app |
| API (Swagger) | https://stepfi-api.onrender.com/api/v1/docs |
| Interactive Demo | https://stepfi.vercel.app/demo |
| GitHub | https://github.com/StepFi-app |

## Deployed Contracts (Stellar Testnet)

| Contract | ID |
|---|---|
| Creditline | CAQDHYG3TALPNXG466SZUMJEPOI7VYV732LPFF3GHE4ASPBCNMIQBS3X |
| Reputation | CC3BO57ZRJGA63QJBIBSOMI25Z3X2I5CYTARYRAUXUAILX6L3OWBL5SB |
| Liquidity Pool | CACKE7ML2BTOAGQTAAW5NEARHCFX4PXXKGEO6GMU6NHFBVYQFZRJS2BT |
| Vendor Registry | CCZ6T6NYCDNI26VGTPXKKWQDR7JCIZZ24LCEG4MMYHZJAG6BPWIVAU2L |
| Parameters | CCAE72SKYX55C5L56DBEFIMFVXRUIJY6JYLBREHEWRFNOW7AX5NBIJ5B |