Use case - selling a domain and digital goods through escrow
How to safely sell a domain, account or licence for 2000 USDC: the risk of takeback, handover order, file verification by hash and the checking window.
In this article
Digital goods are handed over in minutes, so escrow can seem unnecessary here. In fact the opposite is true: it is with digital things that a unique risk arises - takeback. The seller handed over a domain or account, the buyer paid, and then the seller "recovers access" through support or email. The buyer is left without the goods. Let us see how to handle this. For the overall deal scheme see the lifecycle.
How digital goods differ
| Property | Physical item | Digital item |
|---|---|---|
| Handover | days | minutes |
| Copying | impossible | possible (file, key) |
| Takeback | almost impossible | possible (access recovery) |
| Checking | inspection | depends on type |
| Dispute | visible in photos | logs and screenshots needed |
Participants and terms
- Olga sells a domain name.
- Paul buys it.
- The guarantor - an expert in the domain market.
The price is 2,000 USDC, the network is Base. A 7-day deal.
Step 1. The terms
The terms describe not only the subject but the handover procedure (principles):
Subject: the domain example.com, registered at registrar R, registered until 2029-03-01.
Handover: transfer to the buyer's account at the same registrar (push) or handing over the authorisation code.
Cleanliness: the domain has no lien, disputes or locks; the WHOIS record confirms the seller as owner (screenshot).
Checking: within 48 hours after handover the buyer checks: the WHOIS owner is the buyer, the domain is managed from their account, DNS works.
Confirmation: the buyer confirms the deal after checking.
Protection: the seller undertakes not to contact the registrar's support to get the domain back.Step 2. The order of actions
- Paul creates the offer as the buyer and deposits 2,000 USDC in the contract.
- Olga checks that the money is already in the contract and accepts the offer (the status becomes "Active").
- Olga transfers the domain to Paul's account.
- Paul checks it within 48 hours. If all is in order, he confirms.
The calculation at a 2% guarantor rate: platform 20, guarantor 2% of 1,980 = 39.60, Olga receives 1,940.40 USDC.
The main protection: order and checking
Takeback is possible when the buyer confirmed receipt too early. The rules:
- Do not confirm at once. Give yourself time to check. Domain: control in the registrar's panel, change of contacts and password, DNS. Account: change of email, password, bindings, two-factor protection.
- Close the doors. After receipt change all recovery methods: email, phone, 2FA keys.
- Check for locks. Many registrars impose a transfer lock period (for example 60 days) after a change of owner or registration. Clarify it beforehand and account for it in the terms.
- Confirm only after a real check. It is the confirm button that releases the money.
Verifying a file by hash
If you hand over a file (a design, a database, a program), include in the terms its SHA-256 hash (what a hash is). The buyer computes the hash locally and compares: if it matches, the file is the same and cannot be swapped unnoticed. Example:
File: logo-pack.zip
SHA-256: 3b7e…c91aSuch a check takes seconds and rules out "received the wrong file".
Other kinds of digital goods
Licences and keys. Check with the vendor that the key has not been used and is not tied to someone else's account. It is better to activate it before confirmation (in the checking window).
Game accounts. The rules of most games forbid selling accounts, and the previous owner can regain access through support. This is a high risk that escrow does not fully remove. Assess whether you are ready for it.
Subscriptions and access. Record exactly what is transferred (role, rights, term).
Source code and works. Handover through a repository with commit history; rights and licence in the terms.
Crypto assets and NFTs. If the asset is on an address, check it in a block explorer. The Coin-Trust escrow accepts ERC-20 tokens and the main coin, but not NFTs (why).
A disputed case
Paul received the domain and confirmed the deal, but two days later Olga asked the registrar to return it, and the domain went back to her. The money has already been paid out - there is no dispute, because the deal is closed. This case shows why not to confirm too early and why the protection is built in advance: the checking window, change of contacts, transfer lock.
If Paul had noticed the problem before confirming, he could have opened a dispute. The guarantor would have requested from Olga proof of handover and from Paul screenshots of the loss of control, and issued a ruling (how to collect evidence).
Final tips
- For the buyer: check everything in the checking window, change the recovery methods, and confirm only after that.
- For the seller: do not try to get the goods back after receiving the money, keep the handover log.
- For both sides: detailed terms, a neutral guarantor and a trial transfer for a small amount if it is permissible (how to choose a guarantor).
What to read next
See a similar scenario with a physical item: sale with delivery. Or study how scammers try to bypass protection: the red flags.
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