Deposits, escrow, and identity checks

Some auction companies require a minimum amount of available escrow before bidding opens. The company sets its auction requirement, while the marketplace owns one reusable USD escrow pool for your eligible auctions.

Your registration shows any additional escrow needed for that auction. In your escrow account, choose a verified card, enter an amount, review the terms, and select Authorize card hold. A hold may reduce your available card credit; no cash is taken just by authorizing it. Its expiry appears in your escrow activity.

Checking registration requirements does not reserve money. Bids, max bids, wins, and bidding strategies can reserve available escrow across eligible auctions.

• Complete identity verification in your profile and add a verified card in Payment methods before authorizing a hold.
• Review active commitments and card-hold expiry times so your bidding cover stays available.

Where invoice capture is available, the authorization form asks you to accept terms allowing eligible holds to be charged and applied to invoices. The auction's policy determines whether escrow can pay invoices and whether it is applied automatically or needs staff approval. Captured cash is money already taken from your card; it can remain in escrow until applied to an invoice or returned.

If the form says invoice capture is not active, the hold supports bidding but will not pay invoices. Check your invoice's payment status and remaining balance rather than treating a card hold as payment.

• Before a hold expires, select a verified card and use its Renew action in escrow activity. Review and accept the current capture terms when requested, then check that the replacement hold is confirmed.
• When Release card hold is available, review the amount and choose Confirm full release. Card holds are released in full; a release cannot leave current commitments uncovered.
• For captured cash, enter an amount up to the available return limit in Return captured cash, then choose Confirm return. Funds covering bids, wins, or pending escrow activity may not be available to return.
• Your card issuer controls when released credit or returned cash appears, so the change may not be immediate.

Ask the auction company about its auction-specific requirement. Contact marketplace support if your shared escrow balance, card hold, or account-level escrow status looks wrong.