Some of the most exciting talent on ralli is under 18. The earlier we can support an athlete, the more difference that support makes — but under-18s need something different from adult athletes: their own voice on the platform, with a parent or guardian firmly in control of the money and admin. This guide is the plain-English version of exactly how that works today.
For the full walk-through with screenshots and the dashboard flow, see the dedicated Guardians & under-18s page.
The model in one line
Athlete owns the profile. Guardian owns the wallet. Everything below is a consequence of that split.
How the flow actually works
1. Athlete applies and gets approved
Under-18 athletes apply through the same application form as everyone else. They list a parent or guardian and provide consent during the application. Once the ralli team approves them, their profile goes live immediately — they can be discovered, start building Founding Backers and earn ARP right away.
2. Athlete invites their guardian
From their wallet page the athlete sends a secure magic-link invite to the parent or guardian listed on their application. There's no admin ticket and no waiting on ralli — it's a one-tap invite.
3. Guardian signs up and is auto-linked
The guardian follows the link, creates an account with the same email that was on the application, and is instantly linked to their athlete. From that moment on, the guardian sees the athlete's wallet inside their own ralli account.
4. Guardian completes wallet & Stripe KYC
The guardian completes Stripe identity verification (KYC) in their own name, on behalf of the athlete, and nominates the bank account payouts will land in. Until this is done, credits can accrue in the athlete's wallet but cannot be withdrawn.
5. Payouts flow to the guardian-controlled bank
Withdrawals leave the athlete's ralli wallet and land in the guardian-verified bank account, ring-fenced for the athlete's costs. There's a clean paper trail from every backer to every payout.
6. Auto-transition at 18
When the athlete turns 18, the wallet, Stripe account and withdrawal rights transition to the athlete. The profile they've spent years building — bio, backers, milestones, story — stays entirely intact.
Who does what
- Athlete owns: profile, bio, photos, updates, milestone submissions, backer thanks and community voice.
- Guardian owns: Stripe KYC, bank details, withdrawals, financial documentation and account safety oversight.
Safeguarding is designed in
ralli's safeguards for under-18 athletes are baked into the product, not bolted on:
- Community messages to U18 athletes are moderated. Profanity, contact-info sharing and inappropriate content are blocked before they ever reach the athlete.
- Report and block controls are available on every message.
- No under-18 access to money. Withdrawals sit with the verified guardian.
- Verified identity for the responsible adult through Stripe KYC.
- Guardian visibility — the guardian can see wallet activity and community interactions from their own dashboard.
- Clear escalation — safeguarding concerns route straight to the ralli team at hello@rallihq.co.
How members back a guardian-managed athlete
From a member's point of view, backing a guardian-managed athlete works exactly the same as backing any other athlete on ralli: allocate ralli Credits, earn ralli Rewards™ points (at the standard 10:1 ratio, or 10:3 for launch boost athletes), and pick up bonus drops when the athlete hits a verified milestone.
What changes is the signal. A Guardian managed badge on the profile tells members this is a young athlete on a safeguarded path — one where every dollar is traceable and every interaction is moderated.
FAQs
Does the athlete need to wait for the guardian to sign up before their profile is live?
No. Once approved, the athlete's profile is live immediately. The guardian invite unlocks withdrawals — not visibility.
What if the guardian never sets up the wallet?
Credits stay safely in the athlete's wallet. ralli will nudge the athlete and guardian at 30, 60 and 90 days. Any allocations can be reversed if a wallet is never set up — no backer is left out of pocket.
Can the athlete post their own updates?
Yes. The athlete's voice, story and updates are theirs. The guardian's job is the money and the safety net, not the storytelling.
What happens at 18?
Ownership of the wallet and Stripe account transitions to the now-adult athlete. Nothing about their public profile changes.
Ready to get started?
If you're a young athlete (or a parent of one), start with the Guardians & under-18s guide, then head to the application. Approval usually lands within a few days, and your profile can be live the moment you're approved.