Quickstart for data buyers

Navigating the Datalab as a user looking to acquire datasets

Who this is for Teams that want to evaluate and purchase datasets on Portex Datalab quickly.

Acronyms

• PSDLA — Portex Standard Data License Agreement

• RFP — Request for Proposals

Example types of data buyers on the Datalab

• AI model builders and evaluation teams: sourcing fine‑tuning/evaluation corpora, retrieval bases, RLHF preference pairs, and high‑quality labels for specific domains.

• Quants, fintech and macro researchers (alternative "alt" data): source unique signals such as geolocation logs, credit card transactions, social media sentiment, satellite imagery, or web traffic.

• Product and analytics teams: behavioral logs, funnels, churn/propensity modeling, segmentation, and market analysis.

• Crypto and onchain teams: entity clustering/labeling, MEV/flow analysis, L2/bridge monitoring, DeFi/NFT metrics, grants impact, custom indices, governance data.

• Index and benchmark researchers: factor datasets, custom baskets, rebalance snapshots, methodology features, and backtest panels.

If the exact dataset doesn’t exist yet, Issue an RFP with scope, budget, timeline, and preferred PSDLA variant. Sellers can propose builds or joins that match your needs.

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1) Prerequisites

• Account created and verified.

• Payment ready: USDC funded digital wallet on Base (or Stripe if applicable).

• Know your budget range, timing, and acceptable licenses (see PSDLA).

2) Find datasets or issue an RFP

• Use search + filters to shortlist listings; search by modalities, size, use cases, domains, keywords.

• Open each listing and skim the Data Card for: provenance, schema, quality notes (coverage/missingness), updates, and PSDLA variant.

• If the dataset doesn’t exist or needs bespoke specs, issue an RFP with your high‑level needs (modality, scope, budget, deadline, license expectations).

3) Choose how to acquire

Buy Now Use when you deem the price is fair and you need the data immediately. One‑step checkout to download.

Sealed‑Bid Auction Use for price discovery when market value is uncertain. Submit your best offer with an optional expiration; seller choices to accept bid or not.

RFP (Request for Proposals) Use when commissioning new or customized data. Commission needs; sellers respond with proposals. Read how to issue an RFP.

Rule of thumb Known product → Buy Now.

Unclear price → Auction.

Custom/absent supply → RFP.

4) Checkout & download

• Confirm license terms and price/bid; select payment and finalize.

• After purchase, download is available in your data studio.

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Mini FAQ

Can I trial a dataset?

If a listing offers samples, it will say so. Otherwise, request a sample or issue an RFP for a subset.

What if I need a specific license term?

The default license is a PSDLA variant, but buyers with specific needs can request licensing changes through the Datalab.

How do dataset updates work?

Sellers can publish new versions (the Datalab captures changelogs). Any updates will be noted in the dataset cards. Check the stated cadence and acquire the new version if you need it.

What payment methods are supported?

USDC stablecoins on Base by default. Stripe integration in progress.