How escrow works here

Coins sit in the middle

When you pay, your Bitcoin does not land directly in the vendor's wallet. The market places the coins into an address its own software controls, which works like a digital safety deposit box. The vendor sees the balance confirm, but cannot touch it yet. That arrangement proves the money exists before shipping starts, which is what rules out fake balance screenshots.

Admins settle arguments

If a buyer claims non-receipt, the market's administrators step in. They are not a neutral third party the way a bank mediator would be. They are the shop owners reviewing chat logs and proof-of-postage images, and their decision is final. In practice that means the speed of a resolution depends on how many cases are pending in a given week.

Release times vary

A normal release happens automatically within minutes of your confirmation click, with no hidden delay added by the platform. If a dispute opens, the timeline stretches. Most contested orders take three to seven days to resolve, and a complicated case involving a missing tracking number can drag longer than that. Plan around that before you buy in bulk.

Where protection fails

Escrow covers the process, not necessarily the outcome. If you mark an item complete before opening the package, you have waived your rights. Likewise, if a vendor mislabels a quantity and you bought it knowing the listing was vague, the admin may side with the seller. Escrow guards against theft. It does not guard against poor judgement on your end.