Introduction​

I'm constantly researching ways to improve the code for the Equillar contract, and I recently discovered the OpenZeppelin libraries for Stellar.

While exploring them, I realized that many of the functionalities I had implemented already existed in reliable, community-maintained libraries, so I decided to refactor parts of the contract code to leverage these tools. The result was a cleaner and more readable contract. My intention in this post is to share how I refactored these parts and what improvements I achieved.

One of the most critical aspects of any investment platform is ensuring that investors receive their payments reliably and on time. At Equillar, we have implemented an automated system that constantly verifies the payment capacity of each active investment contract. In this article, we will explore how this mechanism works internally.

I would like to share in this post an important change we've implemented in Equillar: migrating from SecretBox to AEAD (Authenticated Encryption with Associated Data) to protect sensitive data such as the private keys of the system wallets.

If you've worked with blockchain payments, you've likely encountered this classic problem: how do you know which payment corresponds to which user or project when everyone sends funds to the same address? In Stellar, the traditional solution has been to use memos, but today we'll tell you how Equillar has evolved toward a more elegant and secure approach using Stellar Muxed Accounts.

One of the most interesting challenges when working with blockchain is maintaining precise synchronization between on-chain transactions and our off-chain system. In this article, I'll share how i've solved this challenge in Equillar: how I convert the result of a Soroban smart contract call into a PHP Doctrine entity, achieving an exact replica of the blockchain state in our database.

When creating the equillar smart-contract, one of the most important decisions was how to structure commissions. Instead of applying a single fixed percentage, we have implemented a dynamic commission system that rewards larger investments with lower rates. This approach incentivizes significant capital contributions while maintaining a fair and accessible base rate for smaller investors.

Introduction​

When building decentralized applications that interact with smart contracts, one of the most critical aspects is proper error handling. In Equillar, a PHP/Symfony-based platform for learning and prototyping blockchain solutions, we demonstrate an error handling strategy that bridges the gap between Rust smart contracts and a PHP backend application.

In this article, I'll explain how to manage contract errors end-to-end, from definition in Rust to user-friendly messages in PHP applications.

What you'll learn: How to implement a robust error handling system between smart contracts and web applications.

Introduction​

Equillar is a PHP/Symfony-based fintech platform that serves as both an educational resource and a local development foundation for prototyping blockchain solutions. This article explores how Equillar uses PHP-Stellar SDK to perform blockchain operations, providing insights into integration patterns you can apply in your own projects.

What you'll learn: How to integrate PHP applications with Stellar blockchain, from key-pair generation to smart contract deployment and execution.

Introduction​

Lately, I've been fascinated by the intersection of blockchain technology, smart contracts, and the fintech world. The potential to create transparent, efficient, and accessible financial systems using decentralized technologies has captured my imagination.

As a developer who's spent considerable time working with PHP and Symfony, I found myself constantly thinking: "What if I could combine the reliability and developer experience of these mature technologies with the innovation of blockchain?"