sekrd holds all payments in escrow to ensure that buyers always get what they paid for, and creators always get paid for what they deliver. Neither party can be cheated.
What is escrow?
Escrow is a financial arrangement where a neutral third party holds funds on behalf of two parties in a transaction. The funds are only released when agreed conditions are met.
On sekrd, when a buyer posts a dare, the reward is immediately locked in escrow. The creator can see the full dare and the locked reward — they know the money is real and guaranteed. The buyer cannot simply take the money back once the creator has accepted and started working.
This protects both sides:
- Creators know they'll be paid if they deliver
- Buyers know their money is safe if the creator doesn't deliver
The escrow lifecycle
Dare created — funds locked
Buyer posts a dare and completes payment. The funds are held in sekrd escrow. The dare is now live and guaranteed.
Creator reviews
Creator sees the dare with the locked reward visible. They have up to 48 hours to accept or decline.
Dare accepted — clock starts
Creator accepts and the deadline begins. Funds remain locked. Creator cannot access them yet.
Dare declined — full refund
If the creator declines or the dare expires unaccepted, 100% of the reward is returned to the buyer automatically.
Content delivered
Creator uploads completed content through the sekrd portal. Buyer receives private access.
Escrow released
Buyer confirms delivery → escrow releases 80% to creator immediately. If the buyer doesn't confirm within 48 hours, funds auto-release to the creator.
What if there's a dispute?
If a buyer believes the delivered content doesn't match the dare description, they can open a dispute within 48 hours of delivery. The dispute process:
- Buyer submits a dispute with a reason
- sekrd reviews the original dare description and submitted content within 72 hours
- Funds remain frozen during the review
- sekrd's decision is final: full release to creator, full refund to buyer, or partial split
Abuse of the dispute system (e.g., disputing valid content to avoid payment) is grounds for account suspension.
How your funds are protected
sekrd uses a regulated payment processor to handle all transactions. This means:
- Escrowed funds are tracked separately from sekrd's operating account
- Payments are processed over encrypted, secure channels
- Refunds and payouts are executed automatically by the system — no manual intervention required for standard cases
- Every transaction generates a verifiable record
Quick questions
Can sekrd keep my funds?
No. Escrowed funds are only released on completion, dispute resolution, or automatic refund — outcomes defined by the dare contract, not sekrd staff.
What if I need a refund?
Declined and expired dares are refunded automatically. If you have a dispute after delivery, open it within 48 hours and our team will review within 72 hours.
Are there any escrow fees?
No separate escrow fee. The 20% platform fee (charged to creators on completed dares) covers all payment processing costs.