# Escrow Ledger & Financial Settlements

Tumr operates an immutable, double-entry financial ledger that protects both merchants and courier fleets against non-payment or fraudulent fulfillment.

The Escrow Lifecycle

1. Reservation Phase: When an order is created, the system executes an atomic balance check:
2. ```
3. Merchant Available Balance -= Order Fare (e.g. ₦2,500.00)
4. Merchant Escrow Balance += Order Fare (e.g. ₦2,500.00)
5. ```
6. Settlement Phase (Delivery Verification): Once the recipient provides their 6-digit OTP to the rider:
7. ```
8. Merchant Escrow Balance -= ₦2,500.00
9. Carrier Wallet Balance += ₦2,050.00 (Net Fare after 18% Platform Take)
10. Platform Reserve Wallet += ₦450.00 (18% Platform Take)
11. ```
12. Cancellation Phase: If an order is cancelled prior to pickup:
13. ```
14. Merchant Escrow Balance -= ₦2,500.00
15. Merchant Available Balance += ₦2,500.00
16. ```