Pay safely. Get paid safely.
A regulated escrow service for buyers and sellers across the Middle East. Flat fee, no surprises.
Most online deals in the region happen one of two ways: cash on delivery, or wire transfer based on trust. Both have obvious problems. Mint Souq Escrow is the third option — and it's the only one where neither party can be cheated by the other.
How it works
Buyer initiates
On any listing above AED 1,000, the buyer clicks "Buy with Escrow". A unique reference number (MS-XXXXX) is generated.
Buyer transfers funds
Buyer wires the agreed amount to the Mint Capital escrow account, with the reference number. We confirm receipt within hours.
Seller ships / delivers
Once we mark the funds "Paid", the seller releases the item. Both parties see the status update on their dashboard in real time.
Buyer confirms
Buyer inspects the item. If happy, they click "Release funds". The seller is paid out, minus the flat fee.
The fee
A flat 5% on the transaction value
Charged once. Deducted from the seller's payout. Buyers pay nothing extra. No tiers, no monthly fees, no per-listing charges.
For a AED 50,000 car, the seller pays AED 2,500 in escrow fees and receives AED 47,500. The buyer pays AED 50,000 — the agreed price — into escrow and receives the car. That's it.
Where the money sits
Escrow funds are held in a dedicated client account at ADIB Bank, segregated from Mint Capital Investment LLC's operating capital. This is the same structure regulated brokerages use for client funds — it means even in a worst-case scenario where Mint Capital itself faces financial trouble, escrow funds are not company assets and cannot be touched by creditors.
What happens if something goes wrong
Item not as described
If the buyer receives the item and it doesn't match the listing, they can open a dispute instead of releasing funds. Mint Souq's resolution team reviews the listing photos, the messages between buyer and seller, and any evidence either party provides. Resolution typically takes 2–5 business days.
Seller doesn't deliver
If the seller has been paid (status: "Paid") but doesn't deliver within the agreed timeframe, the buyer can request a refund. We'll attempt to contact the seller; if they don't respond within 5 business days, the buyer is refunded in full and the seller's account is suspended.
Buyer changes their mind
Once funds are released, the transaction is final — same as any other purchase. Before release, refunds are at the seller's discretion. We encourage both parties to be clear about return policies in the listing.
Eligibility
- Both buyer and seller must have verified phone numbers.
- Sellers receiving more than AED 10,000 in a single escrow transaction must also be ID-verified.
- The minimum escrow transaction is AED 100. Below that, escrow fees would consume too much of the value.
- Some categories — community/free-stuff, services with non-deliverable outputs — are not eligible for escrow.
Common questions
Is this regulated?
Mint Souq Escrow is operated by Mint Capital Investment LLC, an investment firm registered in Dubai. We follow the same client-money handling standards required of regulated financial entities.
Do I need a Mint Capital account separately?
No. Your Mint Souq account is all you need. The escrow account is opened automatically the first time you transact.
How long does the buyer have to inspect?
By default, 7 days from the seller marking the item shipped/delivered. After 7 days without a dispute, funds auto-release. Both parties can mutually extend this window for items that take longer to inspect (e.g. used vehicles requiring a mechanic check).
What payment methods can the buyer use?
Bank transfer to the escrow account is the default — works in every country we operate in. Card-based and instant payment options are on our roadmap and will be announced when available.