The exact rules
When the Money Actually Moves
“Escrow on every deal” is a claim anyone can make. Here is ours in checkable form: the whole rule, in order, mirrored from the deal room that enforces it. Nothing releases until every line is true.
The buyer funds the full amount, in escrow
The whole sale price goes to Escrow.com, the licensed escrow provider, before anything transfers. It never touches a Kairos account.
Both sides sign the APA
The asset purchase agreement is signed and on the deal before the handover starts. No signature, no transfer.
Every critical asset is handed over and ticked off
Each one has to move and be marked done. One critical item still open blocks the close. The exact list, straight from the handover playbook the deal room runs on:
- Transfer the Shopify store
- Re-verify Shopify Payments for the new owner
- Move the Google Ads account
- Transfer the domain
The buyer confirms the handover
The buyer is the one who closes the deal, not us and not the seller. Their confirmation is what moves it to closed.
Only then do the funds release
Escrow pays out on close. Our success fee is auto-deducted at that moment, before the seller is paid. Cancel before close and no fee is charged - we only get paid when you do.
The wider picture - read-only data, NDA leak tracing, the audit log - lives on Security & escrow. What happens after the money moves is on After the close.
Escrow, Explained
Can You Explain Escrow for a Beginner?
Escrow is money held by a neutral third party until both sides deliver. On a Kairos deal that party is Escrow.com. The price is funded, the asset purchase agreement is signed, every critical asset changes hands, and the buyer confirms. Only then is the seller paid. Escrow.com's published schedule charges 1.9 percent between 50,000 and 200,000 dollars, with a band minimum. On Kairos, buyer and seller split it.
What Conditions Must Be Met Before Escrow Funds Release on a Kairos Deal?
Funds release only after the full amount is funded in escrow, the asset purchase agreement is signed, every critical asset is handed over, and the buyer confirms the transfer. Our fee is auto-deducted at that moment, before the seller is paid. Escrow.com holds the money outside Kairos, and its own terms of service govern the payout.
What Happens If a Critical Asset Is Still Missing?
The buyer's close is blocked while any critical asset is still missing. There are 4 critical items, and every one of them has to be done: the Shopify store, Shopify Payments, the Google Ads account, and the domain. The owner of each item marks it complete, and the buyer signs off once the list is clear.
What Happens When the Parties Disagree About the Handover?
A disputed critical transfer item stays open, so the buyer cannot confirm the handover and the deal cannot close. A non-critical item can still be open when the money releases, and Kairos chases it afterwards. The parties can resolve the item and continue, or cancel before close. On cancellation Kairos charges no success fee, and the EUR 250 offer deposit is released in full.
Can an Administrator Confirm the Handover for the Buyer?
No administrator can confirm the handover on the buyer's behalf. An administrator can force the deal's status, and a forced close settles the offer deposit, but it never releases the escrow or instructs the provider. ZenoX, the agency behind Kairos, moves the Google Ads account, and ticking that item off leaves the money in escrow. The buyer's confirmation is what closes the deal and instructs the payout.
A Rule You Can Read Beats a Promise You Must Trust
Every Kairos deal will close under these exact conditions. The list gets the first verified stores, and the rules are already written.