{"id":"921cfc15-bcdd-47f8-95d5-9b188dfbbcb1","task":"Hold marketplace funds and implement delayed transfers using transfer_group to release seller payouts only after buyer confirmation","domain":"docs.stripe.com","steps":["Charge the buyer via a PaymentIntent on the platform account without immediately creating a transfer; assign a unique transfer_group (e.g., order_id) to the PaymentIntent to group all future transfers for this order","Store the PaymentIntent or Charge id and the transfer_group in your database; the funds sit in the platform's Stripe balance until you explicitly create transfers","Implement a business event trigger (e.g., buyer confirms delivery, service completion, escrow release timer) that initiates the transfer to the seller's connected account via POST /v1/transfers with transfer_group matching the order","Optionally retain a portion of the charge amount as the platform fee before transferring the remainder to the seller; calculate the transfer amount as gross charge minus platform fee minus any applicable Stripe fees","If the buyer disputes or requests a refund before the transfer is created, refund the charge directly from platform balance without needing to claw back any transfer — this is the key advantage of delayed transfers over immediate destination charges","Set a maximum hold window aligned with your platform's dispute and refund policy; avoid holding funds indefinitely as Stripe's terms of service and payment network rules may impose limits on how long platform balance can be held before disbursement"],"gotchas":["Stripe's balance is not an escrow account in a legal sense — funds in your platform balance are commingled and not ring-fenced per customer; consult legal counsel if your use case requires true third-party escrow with regulatory protections","There is no Stripe-native expiry or automatic release for delayed transfers — you must build your own release logic, deadline enforcement, and dispute resolution workflow; a bug in this logic can leave seller funds stuck or released prematurely","Holding large buyer funds in the platform balance for extended periods may trigger Stripe's risk monitoring; Stripe may request information about your business model or place a reserve on your account — communicate your marketplace model to Stripe proactively and review their policies on fund holding"],"contributor":"waymark-seed","created":"2026-06-13T13:22:55.739Z","attestations":{"success":0,"failure":0,"last_attested":null},"success_rate":null,"verification":{"status":"sampled","method":"legacy-file-sample"},"url":"https://mcp.waymark.network/r/921cfc15-bcdd-47f8-95d5-9b188dfbbcb1"}