Where Your Money Is Held

In Short

Your donation does not go straight to the campaign owner. It is held in Donation Center's escrow wallet until the campaign ends and has been reviewed. Only then is it released — or refunded if the campaign cannot go ahead.

The Journey of a Donation

1. You donate — You pay in any supported cryptocurrency. The payment is a blockchain transaction with its own transaction ID.
2. Held in escrow — The amount is recorded against the campaign and kept in Donation Center's escrow wallet for as long as the campaign runs.
3. The campaign ends — Either on its end date or when the campaign owner closes it.
4. Review — Our team reviews the campaign before any money moves: Is the campaign what it said it was? Have the campaign owner's identity and payout details been verified?
5. Release — The full support amount raised is released to the campaign owner (or to the organization the campaign was opened for).

When a Donation Is Refunded

Because the money is still in escrow, it can be returned to donors when:

• the campaign is cancelled before it ends;
• the campaign was opened as all or nothing and did not reach its goal;
• the campaign is stopped for breaking the campaign rules.

Once money has been released to the campaign owner, refund requests go to the campaign owner. The cancellation and refund policy has the full rules.

Where a refund is sent

A refund goes back, in principle, to the address the payment came from. If that address cannot receive it — for example, a payment sent from an exchange — we ask you for another address before sending the refund.

Why Escrow?

• Donors know their money only moves after a campaign has run its course and been reviewed.
• Campaign owners get a clear, predictable release at the end of the campaign.
• Everyone can check that a donation happened: every crypto payment is a public transaction on the blockchain.

Who Is Responsible for What

Donation Center is an open platform: it provides the infrastructure, holds the funds in escrow and reviews campaigns. Each campaign — its purpose, its promises and how the money is used — is the responsibility of the person or organization that runs it.

FAQ

Can a campaign owner withdraw money before the campaign ends?

No. Funds stay in escrow until the campaign ends and has been reviewed.

How can I check that my donation arrived?

Keep the transaction ID of your payment. You can look it up on a public blockchain explorer, and you can follow your donations under "My Donations" in your account.

What does the review look at?

That the campaign matches its description and follows the campaign rules, and that the campaign owner's identity and payout details have been verified.