The Transparency factor accounts for 15% of every Trust Score. It reflects how openly and how long a site has operated. The longer a site has run under the same identity, and the more clearly it presents who is behind it, the more accountable it is.
Why transparency matters
When you send money to an online service, it helps to know who is on the other side and that they have been around. A site that has operated openly for years is easier to trust - and to hold accountable - than a brand-new operator with no history and no visible business information.
What the factor is based on
The main measurable signal is operating history: how long the site has been running. A longer, uninterrupted track record raises the factor; a very new site has not yet built that history, though it is not penalized beyond simply lacking the longevity bonus.
Our editorial assessment also considers how clearly a site presents its business information - things like a visible company name, contact details, and terms of service. This feeds the editorial baseline rather than a fixed points checklist.
New sites
A new domain is not treated as a red flag on its own. It simply has not built up an operating history yet. Combined with strong reviews, solid protections, and healthy traffic, a newer site can still earn a good overall score.
If you believe a site's information is outdated or incorrect, let us know through our Contact page. See How Trust Scores are calculated for the full factor breakdown.