For sellers whose payouts are frozen
Payment provider holding your money?
Stripe, PayPal, Shopify Payments and Square can hold your balance after closing or limiting an account, but not without limits. Work out what they can fairly keep, then send a formal complaint asking for the rest.
Your position
Formal complaint and release request
If they don't move
How payout holds work
When a provider closes or limits an account, it usually keeps some of the balance to cover chargebacks and refunds that can still arrive from past sales. Card disputes can be raised months after a payment, which is why holds often last several months.
How long can PayPal hold my money?
PayPal's user agreement lets it hold funds for up to 180 days after a limitation or closure, where reasonably needed to protect against liability. Past that date, ask for the balance in writing and quote the agreement.
How long can Stripe hold my money?
Stripe states the length of a reserve in its notification email and reviews it a few days before it ends. If your Dashboard's Balances page shows an appeal option, use it. Otherwise contact support with your documents. When Stripe closes an account, ask for the release date in writing.
What helps get money released sooner?
Show that your risk is low: fulfilment and delivery records, a low dispute rate, refunds already handled, and clear answers to any questions they asked. Ask them to release the amount above your real exposure now, rather than all or nothing.
Is this legal advice?
No. It's information and a letter template. Larger sums may be worth a lawyer's review.
Checked 14 October 2026 against PayPal's user agreement and Stripe's reserves help pages, plus the UK and EU payment-services complaint rules.