Payment Policy

This Policy applies to all payment activities conducted through or in connection with the XB2BX.COM platform, including purchase orders, subscription fees, service charges, promotional transactions, and any other monetary exchange facilitated by the Platform.

1.1 Definitions

• Buyer — any User who initiates a purchase of goods or services on the Platform.
• Seller / Supplier — any registered business entity or individual offering goods or services for sale.
• Transaction — any financial exchange, order confirmation, or payment instruction processed via the Platform.
• Escrow Account — a ring-fenced holding account managed by XB2BX.COM or an authorised third-party processor pending order fulfilment.
• Payment Processor — any third-party financial institution or payment gateway engaged by XB2BX.COM.
• Chargeback — a reversal of a payment transaction initiated by a cardholder's issuing bank.

XB2BX.COM accepts the following payment instruments subject to regional availability, regulatory approval, and ongoing risk assessments:

3.1 Authorization

All payment transactions require explicit authorization from the Buyer prior to processing. By submitting a payment, you confirm that you are the authorised holder or signatory of the payment instrument, and that funds are legitimately available.

3.2 Order Confirmation

An order is considered confirmed only upon receipt of a successful payment authorization code and issuance of an XB2BX.COM Order Reference Number (ORN). Email confirmation is dispatched within 15 minutes of successful authorization. Pending or failed transactions do not constitute confirmed orders.

3.3 Settlement to Suppliers

Funds are held in escrow from the time of Buyer payment until fulfilment milestones are met (see Section 6). Net settlement to Suppliers occurs according to the following schedule:

• Standard B2B orders: 3–7 business days after confirmed delivery or milestone acceptance.
• Enterprise contract orders: per negotiated payment milestones stated in the Purchase Agreement.
• Subscription and SaaS fees: on the billing date, subject to successful collection.
• Delayed or disputed orders: settlement withheld pending resolution (see Section 7).

All prices listed on XB2BX.COM are displayed in the Seller's nominated currency. At checkout, Buyers may view indicative converted amounts in their local currency for informational purposes only. The transaction is settled in the Seller's nominated currency unless a dual-currency agreement exists.

4.1 Foreign Exchange

Where currency conversion is required, XB2BX.COM applies the mid-market exchange rate at the time of transaction, plus a conversion margin of up to 1.5%. Buyers are advised to verify the exchange rate with their bank or card issuer as additional FX charges may apply at their end.

XB2BX.COM charges fees to facilitate platform operations, fraud prevention, payment processing, and escrow management. All fees are subject to change with 30 days' written notice to registered Users.

All fees are exclusive of applicable taxes, VAT, GST, or withholding taxes, which shall be borne by the relevant User in accordance with their local tax obligations.

XB2BX.COM operates a mandatory Escrow Protection Program for qualifying transactions. Funds paid by a Buyer are held in a segregated escrow account until the agreed fulfilment conditions are verified.

6.1 Escrow Release Conditions

• Buyer confirms receipt and acceptance of goods or services within the platform.
• Automatic release is triggered 7 business days after confirmed delivery if no dispute is raised.
• For milestone-based contracts, each milestone payment is released upon written acceptance by the Buyer.
• Early release may be authorised by the Buyer at any time via the platform dashboard.

6.2 Buyer Protection Guarantee

Buyers are eligible for full refund under the XB2BX.COM Buyer Protection Guarantee if:

• Goods ordered are not delivered within 30 days of the confirmed dispatch date (or agreed contractual timeline).
• Goods received are materially different from the product description or sample provided.
• Goods are damaged, defective, or non-conforming upon documented inspection.
• The Seller account is found to have engaged in fraudulent misrepresentation.

7.1 Cancellation & Refund Eligibility

• Orders cancelled within 24 hours of placement (and before dispatch confirmation) receive a full refund.
• Orders cancelled after dispatch are subject to the Seller's return policy and applicable restocking fees.
• Digital goods, custom-manufactured products, and perishables are generally non-refundable once order is confirmed unless defective.
• Subscription fees are non-refundable for the current billing cycle; cancellation takes effect at the next renewal date.

7.2 Dispute Resolution Process

7.3 Chargebacks

Users who initiate a chargeback through their bank or card issuer while a platform dispute is open may be suspended pending investigation. Abuse of the chargeback mechanism constitutes a violation of these terms and may result in permanent account termination and recovery of associated costs.

XB2BX.COM employs enterprise-grade fraud detection and prevention systems, including machine learning transaction monitoring, 3D Secure 2.0 (3DS2) authentication, and real-time risk scoring on all transactions.

8.1 User Security Obligations

• Users must maintain strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on all payment-enabled accounts.
• Users must immediately report any suspected unauthorised access or suspicious activity to security@xb2bx.com.
• Sharing account credentials with third parties is strictly prohibited and voids any fraud liability protection.
• Users must ensure that payment instruments used on the Platform are legally owned or authorised by them.

XB2BX.COM is certified to PCI DSS Level 1 — the highest standard for payment card data security. We do not store full card numbers, CVV codes, or sensitive authentication data on our servers. All payment data is tokenised and processed via our certified payment gateway partners.

9.1 Data We Collect

• Transaction metadata (amount, currency, timestamp, order ID, payment method type).
• Billing address and identity information for fraud prevention and KYC compliance.
• Bank account details (IBANs/account numbers) provided for wire transfers — encrypted at rest using AES-256.
• Device fingerprints and IP addresses for fraud scoring purposes.

9.2 Third-Party Data Sharing

Payment data may be shared with: (a) our authorised payment processing partners under binding data processing agreements; (b) regulatory authorities and financial intelligence units upon lawful request; (c) fraud prevention networks on an anonymised basis. We do not sell or rent payment data to any third party for marketing purposes.

All Users have rights over their personal and financial data processed by XB2BX.COM. These rights are enforceable under applicable law including the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and analogous legislation globally.

To exercise any of the above rights, submit a verifiable request to privacy@xb2bx.com with proof of identity. We will respond within 30 calendar days (GDPR) or 45 days (CCPA). California residents additionally have the right to opt out of the "sale" of personal information — though XB2BX.COM does not sell personal data.

Transactions on XB2BX.COM may be subject to a range of international regulations including import/export controls, customs duties, trade finance regulations, and local tax laws. It is the User's responsibility to ensure compliance with all applicable laws in their jurisdiction.

11.1 Tax Obligations

• XB2BX.COM collects and remits VAT/GST where required by law as a deemed supplier (EU VAT OSS, UK VAT, Australian GST, etc.).
• Buyers are responsible for import duties, customs clearance fees, and local consumption taxes not collected at point of sale.
• Sellers are solely responsible for income tax, corporate tax, and any withholding tax obligations on their earnings.
• Annual transaction summaries are available to all Users for tax filing purposes via the dashboard.

11.2 Export Controls

Certain goods and technologies traded on the Platform may be subject to export control regulations (including US EAR, EU Dual-Use Regulation, or UK Export Control Order). Sellers of controlled items must maintain all required export licences and remain solely liable for export compliance violations.

12.1 Platform Liability Limitations

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, XB2BX.COM's total aggregate liability arising out of or related to any payment transaction shall not exceed the greater of: (a) the transaction value in dispute, or (b) USD $5,000. XB2BX.COM is not liable for indirect, consequential, punitive, or incidental damages.

12.2 User Indemnification

Users agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless XB2BX.COM, its officers, directors, employees, and agents from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising from: (i) breach of this Policy; (ii) fraudulent or unauthorised transactions; (iii) violation of applicable law; or (iv) disputes with other Users of the Platform.

XB2BX.COM maintains a strict policy of compliance with all applicable international sanctions, anti-money laundering (AML) regulations, and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) requirements.

13.1 Prohibited Users & Transactions

• Users on OFAC (US), UN, EU, or UK Consolidated Sanctions Lists are prohibited from accessing the Platform.
• Transactions with counterparties in comprehensively sanctioned countries are strictly prohibited.
• Transactions involving prohibited goods (weapons, narcotics, counterfeit goods, child exploitation material) are forbidden and will be reported to authorities.
• Shell companies, nominees, or structures designed to obscure beneficial ownership are prohibited.

13.2 KYC / KYB Verification

All Sellers and high-value Buyers are subject to mandatory Know Your Customer (KYC) or Know Your Business (KYB) verification before payment capabilities are fully activated. This includes identity verification, business registration documents, and beneficial ownership declarations. Enhanced due diligence applies to accounts with monthly transaction volumes exceeding USD $50,000.

XB2BX.COM reserves the right to update, modify, or replace this Payment Policy at any time. Material changes will be notified as follows:

• Email notification to all registered Users at least 30 days prior to changes taking effect for material amendments.
• Platform banner notification visible upon login for at least 14 days following policy publication.
• Version history is maintained and accessible at xb2bx.com/legal/payment-policy/history.
• Continued use of the Platform following the effective date of any amendment constitutes acceptance of the revised Policy.

If you do not agree to any amendments, you must cease use of the Platform and contact support to arrange account closure and any outstanding settlement.

For any questions, complaints, or concerns relating to this Payment Policy, please contact the appropriate team below. Response times are within 2 business days for standard enquiries and 24 hours for urgent security matters.