Thanks for your reply and from the tone, am I correct in guess your answer to my question would be "no"? :-) For a more detailed response see below: I've bee

Thanks for your reply and from the tone, am I correct in guess your answer to my question would be "no"? :-) For a more detailed response see below: I've been working freelance on and off for 15 years in the EU and 10 years before that in the US. Believe me, I have explored simple solutions. I don't leap into unnecessary complexity just because it's there. I don't know any client who would pay in advance. Here it's common that I work until the end of the billing period - 1 month usually, then send an invoice. That is payable in 20 days (big companies usually have ridiculously long periods - 60-90 days) So I work for another month before getting paid for the first. That's the norm here. On a short job, 1-2 weeks I can invoice on delivery - but I still have 20 day payment terms. Probably half the problems I get are client cash flow. Either I'm forced to wait or they exaggerated (lied) about it and never had the cash - hoping to make enough by the time I needed to be paid. Escrow would prove that they have the money they promise. Having milestones - say weekly size ones - reduces the risk for both sides. Client front money for a small deliverable and freelancer can work on it in confidence. At end, client accepts the work - thus freeing the payment. Client then funds the next deliverable. And so on. There can be variations - this is a basic example. If the client doesn't accept a deliverable both sides are motivated to come to an agreement - he doesn't get it. I would build a clause into the contract that if there is no agreement the payment is frozen for x months, then split 50 / 50. This increases a motivation to agree. And if any agreement isn't acceptable to the freelancer - she doesn't need to carry on - but her risk is much, much smaller. To add to difficulty here - the legal system is pretty much pointless. It can take several years to sue and if you win it can take years to get any money. The losing party can declare bankruptcy or force payment plans that drag on for years. So traditional contracts are pointless. Escrow.com looks ok - except that it's in the US and I didn't see anything for freelancers (if I want to sell a boat I see I'm covered :-) ). I didn't see any functionality like I'm talking about. But thaty's an option, maybe. 1. Nothing is exploit free - reducing risk is a good thing even if that reduction is not to 0. As for writing it - legal contracts are difficult too - but we use them all the time. 2. I'm not asking clients here :-) Nor would I demand it of a client. But there may be those motivated by something I can offer - like a discount? fun with new tech? granular control of acceptance & payment? 3. Crypto can have volatility risk. Or you can use stable coins or simply convert to fiat immediately. Again - if a smart contract option reduces one's risk it's good, even if that reduction is not to 0. There is an element of gambling in every single choice one makes, especially going into business.