Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing and using Holdyn ("the Platform," "we," "us," or "our"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. Holdyn is a secure payment protection platform where funds are held safely by Stripe until work is delivered and approved. If you disagree with any part of these terms, you may not access the service. These terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Holdyn.

2. Description of Service

Holdyn provides a secure payment protection and transaction management platform designed to protect both senders and receivers in business transactions. Funds are held securely by Stripe, a licensed payment processor. Our services include:

• Secure Payment Protection: Funds are held securely by Stripe until work is delivered and approved
• Event-Based Payments: Break projects into phases with conditional fund releases
• Transaction Creation: Create, sign, and manage detailed payment transactions with custom terms
• E-Signatures: Electronic signature capture for legally binding transaction approvals
• Dispute Resolution: Built-in mediation process for disagreements between parties
• Automatic Release: Automatic fund release after delivery within configurable approval windows (1-30 days)
• Built-in Messaging: Direct communication between transaction parties with file sharing
• Holdyn AI Assistant: AI-powered help for understanding transactions and terms
• Notification Services: Multi-channel alerts (in-app, email, SMS) for transaction events
• Calendar & Deadline Tracking: Payment event reminders and deadline management
• Recurring Transactions: Auto-renewal options for ongoing business relationships
• PDF Export: Download and share transaction documents

3. User Accounts and Verification

To use our service, you must create an account and complete verification. Requirements include:

• Age Requirement: You must be at least 18 years old to use Holdyn
• Email Verification: Verify your email address to activate your account
• Registration Options: Create an account with email/password or sign in with Google
• Accurate Information: Provide truthful and complete personal/business information
• KYC Verification: Complete Know Your Customer verification for payment processing
• Stripe Account: Connect a Stripe account for receiving and sending payments
• Account Security: Maintain strong passwords and protect your login credentials
• Unauthorized Access: Notify us immediately of any unauthorized account access
• Account Responsibility: You are responsible for all activities under your account

Account statuses include: unverified, email_verified, kyc_pending, verified, and suspended. Full platform functionality requires verified status.

4. User Roles

Users participate in transactions as one of two roles:

• Sender: The party funding the transaction who deposits funds securely via Stripe and approves deliveries
• Receiver: The party providing services who receives funds upon milestone completion

Users can act as both sender and receiver across different transactions. Both parties must approve transactions before they become active.

5. Fees and Payments

Holdyn uses a transparent, geography-based fee model for protected transactions:

• Domestic Transaction Fee: 1.5% of the transaction amount (capped at $1,500)
• International Transaction Fee: 2.5% of the transaction amount (capped at $2,500)
• When Charged: The fee is charged once at funding and is non-refundable once a transaction has been funded
• Wallet Charges: No Holdyn platform fee (only Stripe processing fees apply)
• Wallet Withdrawals: Standard 0.5% (capped $15), Express 1.5% (no cap)
• Wallet Transfers: Free ($0)
• Currency: Transactions are processed in USD (additional currencies may be supported)
• Refunds: Dispute resolution outcomes and platform policies apply

All payment processing is handled securely through Stripe with bank-grade security. For detailed pricing information, please visit our Pricing page.

6. Transaction Lifecycle

Transactions on Holdyn follow a defined lifecycle:

• Draft: Transaction is being created and edited
• Pending: Transaction is awaiting approval and signatures from both parties
• Active: Both parties have signed; funds can be deposited and milestones tracked
• Completed: All milestones have been delivered and funds released
• Disputed: A dispute has been filed and is under review
• Cancelled: Transaction was cancelled before completion
• Archived: Transaction has been archived for record-keeping

7. Payment Events and Fund Release

Transactions consist of one or more payment events, each with its own payment terms:

• Event Triggers: Manual, timeframe-based, or fixed date
• Release Modes: Automatic (after approval window) or manual (requires explicit approval)
• Approval Window: Configurable 1-30 day period for sender to approve or dispute delivery
• Delivery Notes: Receivers can submit notes and documentation with deliveries
• Extension Requests: Either party can request deadline extensions
• Automatic Release: If sender does not respond within the approval window, funds release automatically

All amounts are stored and processed in minor units (cents) for precision.

8. Dispute Resolution

Holdyn provides a built-in dispute resolution process:

• Filing: Either party can file a dispute on a transaction or specific milestone
• Evidence: Both parties can submit evidence and documentation
• Review: Holdyn administrators review disputes impartially
• Fund Lock: Disputed funds are automatically locked during resolution
• Resolution Outcomes: Favor sender, favor receiver, split, or refund
• Status Flow: Open → Under Review → Resolved/Escalated → Closed

By using Holdyn, you agree to participate in good faith in the dispute resolution process and accept final decisions made by Holdyn administrators.

9. Electronic Signatures

Holdyn uses electronic signatures for transaction approvals:

• E-signatures are captured when approving transactions
• Signature snapshots are stored securely for audit trails
• E-signatures are legally binding under applicable electronic signature laws
• Both parties must sign for a transaction to become active

Legal Validity: Electronic signatures on Holdyn are intended to be legally binding and enforceable under the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (E-SIGN Act), the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA), and similar laws in other jurisdictions. By using our e-signature feature, you agree that your electronic signature has the same legal effect as a handwritten signature.

10. Messaging and Communication

Holdyn provides built-in messaging between transaction parties:

• Direct one-to-one conversations between senders and receivers
• File and image sharing capabilities
• Message history is retained for record-keeping
• Messages may be reviewed in case of disputes
• Users must communicate respectfully and professionally

11. Holdyn AI Assistant

Holdyn offers an AI-powered assistant to help users understand their transactions:

• Ask natural language questions about transaction terms, milestones, and status
• Get summaries of complex transaction details
• AI responses are informational and do not constitute legal advice
• The AI has access to your transaction data to provide context-aware responses

12. User Responsibilities

By using Holdyn, you agree to:

• Comply with all applicable local, state, national, and international laws
• Provide accurate information in transactions and communications
• Act in good faith when fulfilling transaction obligations
• Respond to milestone deliveries within reasonable timeframes
• Not use the platform for illegal activities, fraud, or money laundering
• Not attempt to circumvent platform security or payment protections
• Respect intellectual property rights of all parties
• Maintain appropriate security measures for your account

13. Prohibited Activities

The following activities are strictly prohibited:

• Fraudulent transactions or misrepresentation of services
• Money laundering or financing of illegal activities
• Creating fake accounts or impersonating others
• Filing false disputes or providing false evidence
• Harassment, abuse, or threatening behavior toward other users
• Attempting to bypass payment protections through off-platform payments
• Sharing account credentials with unauthorized parties
• Using automated systems to abuse platform features

14. Data Usage and Privacy

We handle your data according to our Privacy Policy, including:

• Secure Storage: Transactions and documents stored with encryption
• KYC Data: Identity verification data is encrypted and protected
• Payment Data: Handled securely through Stripe (we do not store card details)
• Confidentiality: Business information treated as confidential
• Backups: Regular backups of user data for disaster recovery
• Retention: Data retained according to legal and business requirements
• Third Parties: Data shared only with essential service providers (Stripe, AWS)

15. Intellectual Property

Regarding intellectual property rights:

• The Holdyn platform, logo, and branding are owned by Holdyn
• Users retain ownership of content they upload to the platform
• Users grant Holdyn a license to display and process their content for service delivery
• Transaction content remains the property of the respective parties

16. Service Availability

While we strive for high availability:

• We do not guarantee uninterrupted or error-free service
• We may perform maintenance with advance notice when possible
• We are not liable for losses due to service interruptions
• Third-party services (Stripe, AWS) are subject to their own availability

17. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law:

• Holdyn is not liable for disputes between users beyond facilitating resolution
• We are not responsible for the quality of work delivered between parties
• Our liability is limited to fees paid for the specific transaction in question
• We are not liable for indirect, incidental, or consequential damages
• Users are responsible for their own tax obligations

18. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Holdyn, its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses arising from your use of the platform, violation of these terms, or infringement of any third-party rights.

19. Termination

Regarding account termination:

• You may close your account at any time (pending transactions must be resolved first)
• We may suspend or terminate accounts for violations of these terms
• We may suspend accounts pending investigation of suspicious activity
• Upon termination, held funds will be handled according to transaction terms
• We may modify or discontinue services with reasonable notice

20. Modifications to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms of Service at any time. Material changes will be communicated via email or platform notification. Continued use of the platform after changes constitutes acceptance of the modified terms. We encourage you to review these terms periodically.

21. Governing Law

These terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with applicable laws. Any disputes arising from these terms or use of the platform shall be resolved through the dispute resolution mechanisms provided by Holdyn or, if necessary, through binding arbitration.

22. Contact Information

For questions about these terms or our services:

• Use the Support Tickets section in your dashboard
• Visit our Contact page at holdyn.io/contact
• Email us at support@holdyn.io

We aim to respond to all inquiries within 24-48 business hours.