FAQ
What are shards?
Shards are the currency used on Maliven. 100 shards = $1. You use them to unlock and read stories.
How do I buy shards?
You can buy shards two ways: by card, or with crypto (Cash App, Bitcoin, Strike, and more). Both add shards to the same balance. Use whichever you prefer.
How does paying by card work?
In your wallet, choose an amount and tap “Pay with card via PayShards.” A secure card page from PayShards, our card-payment partner, opens in a new tab. Enter your card and pay. Your shards appear in your Maliven wallet automatically, usually within seconds. No extra account is needed.
Does Maliven see my card details?
No. Your card goes only to the secure card page, never to Maliven. Maliven never sees or stores your card. It only knows your shards arrived.
Do my card shards and crypto shards combine?
Yes. However you fund them, all your shards live in one Maliven balance and are spent the same way.
Do shards expire?
No. Shards stay in your balance until you use them.
How do I read a story?
Open a story, unlock it with shards, then read it anytime in your library. You never have to buy it again.
Is my reading private?
Yes. Your reading and library stay private to your account. Authors never see who bought or read their work, and your activity isn’t shown publicly. For payment privacy too, crypto is always an option.
I’m an author: how do I get paid?
Authors earn 70% of every sale in shards (75% while you have a live free title), tracked in your dashboard. Cash out anytime: from just $1 with a Lightning address (instant, no fees taken out), or from $10 via on-chain Bitcoin or manual USD (Zelle, Cash App, or a mailed check).
Can I get a refund?
Book purchases are refundable within 24 hours if you've read less than 30%. After that, all sales are final. Refunds return shards to your wallet. Request a refund in your Library, or read the full refund policy.
How do I contact support?
Sign in and click Contact at the bottom of any page, or go straight to Support. Pick a topic, tell us what's going on, and a person replies. You'll get an email when we answer, and the conversation stays on your Support page.
How do I report a book?
We don’t pre-screen or police what authors publish, so we rely on readers to tell us when something needs attention, and we really appreciate every report. To report a book, sign in and open the book’s page. Under the buy button, click “Report this book,” check what applies (you can pick more than one), and add a note if you want. A person on our team looks at every report. Reports never remove a book automatically; they only let us know.