These U.S. eBay balance Terms and Conditions are effective upon acceptance for new sellers who are
enrolled in an eBay balance Account on or after October 21, 2026, and effective upon November 4, 2026
for existing users of the eBay balance Account.
The previous version of these terms are available here.
I. Introduction
These U.S. eBay balance Terms and Conditions (“U.S. balance Terms”) supplement and are incorporated by
reference into the eBay Payments Terms of Use
(the “Payments Terms”) and set out the terms on which eBay Commerce Inc. (“we,” “us” or “eCI”) will
provide you an eBay balance Account (defined below) to receive and hold funds disbursed to you by us. The
eBay balance Account is a limited-purpose stored account that can only be used as set forth in these
Terms.
By using or attempting to use eBay balance, you are forming a binding contract with eCI and you
acknowledge that you have read, understand, and agree to all of the terms and provisions set forth in
these balance Terms. In the event of a conflict between these U.S. balance Terms and the Payments Terms,
these U.S. balance Terms will control. All capitalized terms used in these U.S. balance Terms which are
not otherwise defined, shall have the same meanings assigned to them in the Payments Terms.
These U.S. balance Terms contain provisions that govern how claims you and we have against each other are
resolved (see “Complaints and Legal Disputes” section below). By agreeing to these terms, you are agreeing
to submit claims that you have against us or our agents to binding and final arbitration pursuant to the
Agreement to Arbitrate set forth in the Payments Terms (see Part II, Section 5 (“Legal
Disputes”), Subsection 5.2 (“Agreement to Arbitrate”)), unless you opt out. If
you do not opt out: (1) you will only be permitted to pursue claims against us or our agents on an
individual basis, not as a plaintiff or class member in any class or representative action or proceeding
and (2) you will only be permitted to seek relief (including monetary, injunctive, and declaratory relief)
on an individual basis.
II. Obtaining an eBay balance Account
An “eBay balance Account” is an electronic stored value account issued to you by us to receive and hold
funds payable to you under the Payments Terms and these balance Terms. The eBay balance Account is a
limited-purpose account that may only be used to receive and manage payouts of your sales proceeds, make
purchases on eBay sites, pay for selling expenses (such as shipping labels and promoted listings), and
fund disbursements to your Linked Financial Account. The eBay balance Account is not a bank account or a
checking account, and is not a general-purpose prepaid account; the balance of funds reflected in your
eBay balance Account is a stored value balance and does not constitute a deposit. You will not earn
interest on funds held in your eBay balance Account, nor is the eBay balance Account eligible for FDIC
pass-through insurance.
Eligibility and Enrollment
All eligible sellers will be automatically enrolled in eBay balance after successful completion of our
identity verification process, which will be initiated at or following your first sale (for new
sellers) or your next qualifying sale (for existing sellers). To verify your identity, we may require
you to provide certain identifying information to us such as your full name, date of birth, address,
social security number, taxpayer identification number and/or government-issued photo ID (such as a
driver’s license). Enrollment in eBay balance is conditioned on successful completion of this identity
verification process. You do not need to take any action to enroll in eBay balance; enrollment occurs
automatically once we have successfully verified your identity in accordance with our policies and
procedures. If you do not provide required information, or if we cannot verify your identity using the
information provided, you will not be enrolled in or have access to eBay balance unless and until
verification is successfully completed.
If you are an individual obtaining an eBay balance Account in connection with selling on the eBay
platform as an individual, you must be at least 18 years old and reside in the United States
(including its territories). If you are obtaining an eBay balance Account for a business that sells on
the eBay platform, the business must be organized in, operating in, or a resident of the United States
(including its territories). At this time, you are not eligible for eBay balance if:
- Your eBay account is subject to suspension, restriction, or payout block.
- You are an individual selling on eBay and your registered address is in New Mexico, or if selling
on eBay as a legal entity, the legal entity registered address is in New Mexico.
If you become a resident of New Mexico after enrolling in eBay balance, we may require you to provide
certain identifying information (such as your photo ID) to continue using your eBay balance Account.
Re-Verification
We may require you to re-verify your identity if you make certain changes to your account information,
including changes to your name or address, or at periodic intervals as required by applicable law or
our internal policies. We may also require re-verification if your account data becomes stale or if we
are unable to confirm the accuracy of your information. Failure to complete required re-verification
may result in suspension of your access to eBay balance and your ability to receive payouts until
re-verification is successfully completed.
Identity Verification Failure and Suspension
If identity verification is not completed or does not succeed, your access to eBay balance, including
your ability to receive payouts will be suspended until verification is successfully completed. We will
notify you of the verification failure and provide you with the opportunity to remedy the failure by
providing additional or corrected information. Access to eBay balance and related features will be
restored promptly upon successful re-verification.
Account Security
We use adaptive, risk-based authentication methods to protect your eBay balance Account and help verify
your identity when you access or use your eBay balance. These methods may include device recognition,
silent authentication, trusted device signals, one-time verification codes, or other low-friction
verification tools. From time to time, we may require you to complete additional account authentication
or verification procedures to confirm the security of your device or access to your account. We may
temporarily restrict access to funds in your eBay balance Account if we cannot verify your eBay
account, if you access your account from a new device, or if we suspect that your eBay account has
been accessed without your authorization. For example, as a security precaution, we may temporarily
suspend your ability to use your eBay balance for Balance Purchases for up to forty-eight (48) hours
following a change to your phone number.
III. Adding funds to your eBay balance Account
Once you’ve opened an eBay balance Account, you agree to receive any amounts payable to you by us
to your eBay balance Account. These amounts include but are not limited to:
- Proceeds from sales of items listed on eBay sites, net of applicable fees and taxes.
- Credits.
- Refunds for purchases made on eBay.com with your eBay balance (a “Balance Purchase”).
You may not add funds to your eBay balance Account from any external sources such as a bank account
(including your linked bank account), credit card or debit card. You may not use the eBay balance Account
to receive payments from any third parties. The funds in your eBay balance Account are denominated in USD.
Fund Status
The total balance of funds in your eBay balance Account will appear as “Your Total Balance.” Your Total
Balance includes funds shown as “Processing” and “Available.” In certain circumstances, applicable law
or our internal policies may require us to hold all or a portion of the proceeds from a sale you make
on an eBay site. These funds will appear as “On Hold” and will not be credited to your eBay balance
Account unless and until the status of such funds changes to either Processing or Available. You agree
and understand that the status of funds and sales proceeds, as reflected in the breakdown of Your Total
Balance and amounts On Hold, determines how you are able to access and use such funds. For instance:
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”Processing” funds. After a buyer has confirmed payment for an order, we will deduct
applicable fees and expenses from the buyer’s payment, and credit the proceeds to Your Total Balance.
These funds will appear as “Processing” while we process the payment. Unless subject to a hold (as
described below), Processing funds will typically become Available funds within two business days.
Actual processing times are determined by us, at our discretion, and may vary depending on your
account settings and features. Processing funds are part of your eBay balance and may be used
immediately for Balance Purchases and selling expenses (such as shipping labels and promoted
listings).
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”Available” funds. Funds shown as “Available” reflect the portion of Your Total
Balance that is available for disbursement to your Linked Financial Account or the debit card
associated with your Linked Financial Account. You may request on-demand disbursements of your
Available funds at any time. For additional terms related to the disbursement of Available funds,
please see Part IV, Section 4 “Payouts and Withdrawals” below. Your Available funds form part of
your eBay balance. Disbursements of your Available funds will reduce Your Total Balance.
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”On Hold” funds. We may place a hold on proceeds from your sales on eBay sites as
required by applicable law or our internal policies. Funds marked as “On Hold” do not belong to you
and are not credited to your eBay balance Account. You may not use funds marked as “On Hold” for
Balance Purchases, Payouts, or Withdrawals. In limited circumstances, we may use funds marked as On
Hold to send a refund to a buyer on your behalf.
IV. Using your funds
1. Payments for purchases on eBay.com
Subject to the limits set forth below, you may use your eBay balance to pay for Balance Purchases you
make on eBay.com. You may also use your eBay balance to pay for certain selling expenses on eBay,
including shipping labels and fees for promoted listings or other advertising services. By electing to
use your eBay balance at checkout or to apply your eBay balance towards your order total when placing
an offer or bid, you are instructing eCI to deduct funds from your eBay balance in the amount
specified. If your eBay balance is not sufficient to cover the total amount of the order, you must fund
the remaining amount using another payment method. By opening an eBay balance Account, you agree that
we may make your eBay balance your default payment method at checkout when you have eBay balance funds
available to you. You may choose another available payment method before completing your purchase.
Limits on Balance Purchases
We may choose not to present your eBay balance as an accepted form of payment at checkout on eBay.com
in our sole discretion. For security purposes, we may also limit the number of checkout attempts that
can be made using your eBay balance during the same user session. Your Balance Purchases are also
subject to transaction and usage limits. These limits are dynamic and may be based on your individual
seller risk profile, account history, and other factors. Your current applicable limits are available
in Seller Hub or My eBay.
We may raise, lower, or waive transaction or usage limits at our sole discretion. If we change your
limits, we will notify you through the eBay Message Center and/or by email.
2. Payments for shipping labels
You may use your eBay balance to pay for shipping labels by selecting “Your funds” from
among the payment options displayed to you when ordering your shipping label. If the cost of the
shipping labels exceeds your eBay balance, you must fund the remainder of the shipping label cost from
your Linked Financial Account or other payment method on file.
3. Payments for refunds
You may issue refunds to buyers that are funded using eBay balance. If funds associated with a
particular transaction are On Hold and a refund related to that specific transaction is approved, we
will use the funds On Hold to fund that refund. If the amount of the refund exceeds the total amount of
your eBay balance and/or any funds On Hold, as applicable, you must fund the remainder of the refund to
the buyer from your Linked Financial Account or other payment method on file.
If we issue a refund to a buyer on your behalf to settle a buyer protection claim or payment dispute,
you authorize us to collect reimbursement for the refund by deducting the amount from:
4. Payouts and Withdrawals
Linked Account
You must have a Linked Financial Account (such as a bank account) associated with your eBay account to
receive disbursements of your Available funds. Subject to the Payments Terms, you may change your
Linked Financial Account at any time.
On-Demand Payments & Payout Schedules
You may request on-demand disbursements of your Available funds to your Linked Financial Account at any
time (a “Withdrawal”). This is the default setting to transfer funds from your eBay balance
Account to your Linked Financial Account.
If you wish to receive automatic Payouts on a recurring schedule, you may set a Payout Schedule by
selecting a Payout frequency from among the available scheduling options in your Payout preferences.
Choosing a Payout frequency that is at least weekly will also enable Withdrawals of Available funds on
demand, but choosing a less frequent Payout Schedule may extend the time funds appear as Processing
before they become Available. We reserve the right to modify or discontinue the availability of
scheduled Payout options in the future, with notice to you as provided in these balance Terms.
Regardless of the disbursement option you choose, we will automatically disburse any Available funds in
your eBay balance Account to your Linked Financial Account no more than 330 days following your most
recent sale if you have not otherwise requested a Withdrawal during that time.
Waiting Period
At any time that your eBay balance Account is enabled or re-enabled for Withdrawals, we may
temporarily delay the ability for you to request a Withdrawal while we change the configurations on
your eBay balance Account. For example, when you first open an eBay balance Account, you may
experience a delay of up to 12 hours before you may request a Withdrawal.
V. Deductions for Fees and Expenses
You authorize us to recoup Owed Amounts from Your Total Balance in your eBay balance Account. Owed
Amounts are defined in the Payments Terms and include any amounts owed to us or our Affiliates incurred in
relation to your use of the eBay Services. If Your Total Balance is zero or negative, we will collect Owed
Amounts from you as otherwise described in the Payments Terms.
VI. Holds
We reserve the right to manage the risks associated with providing you an eBay balance Account by placing
restrictions on your access to your funds when deemed necessary, as described in
Part I, Section 5 (“Using
Managed Payments”) of the Payments Terms.
For example, we may place a hold to address identity verification issues, suspected fraud or unauthorized
access to your account, or risks associated with refunds, buyer protection claims or payment disputes. We
may also place a hold to comply with applicable law, including anti-money laundering and sanctions
requirements, or a binding court or government order. Where permitted by applicable law, we may also
place a hold in response to a request from law enforcement or a regulatory authority.
We may place holds on proceeds from your transactions or Your Total Balance in your eBay balance Account.
If funds are subject to a hold, you may not access the funds for any Balance Purchases, Payouts or
Withdrawals. If we hold proceeds from particular transactions, such held funds related to the transaction
may be used for a refund to a buyer to resolve a cancellation, return, buyer protection claim, or payment
dispute related to this transaction.
We may restrict your use of eBay balance and cancel or freeze Withdrawals or Payouts of your proceeds as
necessary for fraud, risk management, or compliance purposes.
If we place a hold on your funds, we will notify you through the eBay Message Center and/or by email,
except to the extent that providing notice is prohibited by applicable law or a binding court or
government order.
VII. Closing your eBay balance Account
We may close your account at any time by terminating our Payment Services in conformity with Part I, Section 10 (“Term,
Termination”) of the Payments Terms.
Once you accept these balance Terms and obtain an eBay balance Account, your use of the eBay
balance Account becomes a condition to using your eBay account. You may close your eBay
balance Account by closing your eBay account as described in Part I, Section 10 of the Payments Terms
referenced above. You may not close your eBay balance Account:
- to evade investigation;
- if you have a Balance Purchase pending;
- if you have any Processing funds; or
- if any portion of Your Total Balance is subject to a hold.
Effect of Termination
Within a reasonable time following closure of your account, we will send the portion of Your Total Balance
that is not subject to a hold to your Linked Financial Account, or such other account owned by you,
subject to our approval. Termination of this Agreement will not affect the
rights or liabilities of either party accrued until termination and/or any terms intended (expressly or
implicitly) to survive termination, including the obligation to pay amounts owed to us relating to your
activities prior to termination.
VIII. Complaints and Legal Disputes
You agree that any claim or dispute that has arisen or may arise between you and us relating to your use
of the services described in these balance Terms will be resolved in accordance with Applicable Law and
the provisions set forth in the Payments Terms, including the Agreement to Arbitrate, which will, with
limited exception, require you to submit claims you have against us or our agents to binding and final
arbitration, unless you opt out of the Agreement to Arbitrate (see
Part II, Section 5 (“Legal
Disputes”), Subsection 5.2 (“Agreement to Arbitrate”)). If you do not opt out:
(1) you will only be permitted to pursue claims against us or our agents on an individual basis, not as a
plaintiff or class member in any class or representative action or proceeding and (2) you will only be
permitted to seek relief (including monetary, injunctive, and declaratory relief) on an individual basis.
IX. Unauthorized Transactions
An “Unauthorized Transaction” occurs when funds are transferred from Your Total Balance (such
as transfers for Balance Purchases and Withdrawals) and you did not authorize such transfer and you
receive no benefit from such transfer. eBay balance is a limited-purpose financial account. It is not a
general-purpose prepaid account or checking account and may only be used for eBay purchases, selling
expenses (such as shipping labels and promoted listings), and withdrawals to your Linked Financial
Account. If you become aware of an Unauthorized Transaction involving your funds, or a delay or error
involving your funds, you should notify us immediately by using the Contact Us link
available on our
Help
Hub page. We will investigate and address all Unauthorized Transactions reported to us, in
accordance with our policy. We may lock your eBay account and/or disable the ability to use your eBay
balance for Balance Purchases while we complete the investigation. As part of our investigation, we may
require additional identity verification steps consistent with our adaptive authentication practices
described in these balance Terms.
Unauthorized Transactions do not include transactions initiated by any person that you have furnished
passwords, codes or other credentials used to access your account, or fraudulent transactions initiated by
you, or someone else working in concert with you. You acknowledge your responsibility for maintaining the
security of all passwords, codes, or other login credentials used to access your account, subject to
eBay’s seller protection policies, for any transactions made or actions taken using your eBay
account.
X. Miscellaneous
1. Privacy
We may collect and use personal data about you to provide services to you under these balance Terms,
including personal data we have previously collected. In certain circumstances, we may share this
information with our affiliates in the eBay Inc. corporate family, or with non-affiliated entities that
we use to provide Payment Services to you. You may find more details about the information we collect,
share and use in the Consumer Privacy
Notice.
By entering into these balance Terms, you acknowledge receipt of the Consumer Privacy
Notice and you agree to receive the Consumer Privacy Notice at our website now and on an ongoing
basis.
2. Assignment
You may not transfer or assign your rights to your account or any funds held in your account to any
third party without our prior written consent. We may transfer or assign any or all rights or
obligations at any time.
3. Modification
We may modify these balance Terms at any time. We will notify you of amended terms by posting a revised
version of the terms on our website, or by sending notice to you via the eBay Message Center. Modified
terms shall become effective no earlier than fourteen (14) days following the date of notice.
4. Dormant accounts
If you do not log in to your account for two or more years, we may close your account, and escheat
(send) any funds still held in your eBay balance Account to your state of residency or as otherwise
required by Applicable Law. We will determine your state of residency based on the state listed in the
registered address for your account. If your address is unknown or registered in a foreign country, the
funds in your account will be escheated to the State of Delaware. Where required, we will send you a
notice prior to escheating any funds in your account. If you do not respond to this notice, the balance
in your account will be escheated to the applicable state. If you would like to claim any escheated
funds from the applicable state, please contact the applicable state’s unclaimed property
administrator.