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Escrow on Ethereum

Ethereum mainnet is where Vaultion’s escrow contract was first deployed and where it carries the widest token list: USDC, USDT, DAI and PYUSD. It is also the only network where you choose the dispute path at creation. Every other network settles disputes through Vaultion-assisted review; on Ethereum you can instead hand a dispute to Kleros, a decentralized court that Vaultion does not control.

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Ethereum rail facts

NetworkEthereum mainnet, chain id 1

StablecoinsUSDC, USDT, DAI, PYUSD (ERC-20)

WalletsMetaMask, Rabby, Coinbase Wallet, Ledger through any of them, and any WalletConnect wallet.

GasPaid in ETH. The highest of the six networks; two transactions to create, one to release, more if there is a dispute.

DisputesYour choice at creation: Kleros arbitration or Vaultion-assisted review.

Challenge windowOn the assisted path, 12, 24 or 72 hours, chosen at creation.

Buyer review periodChosen at creation. When it ends without a dispute, the funds can be released to the seller.

FeeTiered, 4%, 3% or 2%, paid once at creation. A Kleros arbitration fee applies only on the Kleros path and only if a dispute is raised. See fees explained.

ExplorerEtherscan. The escrow contract source is verified there.

How an Ethereum escrow runs

Create and fund

Describe the deal, name the other party, choose the stablecoin, the amount, the buyer review period and the dispute path. On the assisted path you also choose the challenge window. Approve the token, then fund. The fee is its own transfer at creation.

The seller delivers

Off-chain, as agreed. Both sides get email notifications as the escrow changes state.

The buyer releases, or the review period runs

Release sends the funds to the seller. If the buyer does nothing and raises no dispute, the funds can be released to the seller once the review period ends.

Dispute, if needed

On the assisted path, either side opens a dispute, both submit evidence, a Vaultion reviewer rules, and the chosen challenge window runs before the ruling is finalized. On the Kleros path, the raiser pays the arbitration fee in ETH, the other side has a fee window to match it, and staked jurors vote. Full detail in what happens in a dispute and Kleros arbitration.

Collect

After a ruling, finalizing credits the winner inside the contract and they collect with their own wallet.

Kleros or assisted review?

Both paths run on the same verified contract and charge the same Vaultion fee. The difference is who rules if the deal goes wrong, and what that costs.

Choose KlerosWhen you want a dispute path with no reliance on Vaultion. Independent, randomly drawn jurors rule, the ruling is appealable, and Vaultion has no key to reverse it. The disputing party pays a Kleros arbitration fee in ETH, and if the other side never matches it within the fee window, the paying party can claim by default.

Choose assisted reviewWhen you want a faster, fee-less resolution and are comfortable trusting Vaultion to rule fairly. A Vaultion reviewer decides, the chosen challenge window runs, and a freeze-only guardian can pause a ruling but never redirect funds. This is not decentralized.

Either wayFunds stay in the contract until release, refund or a finalized ruling. Vaultion never holds them, on either path.

Ethereum or an L2?

If you want Kleros, Ethereum mainnet is the only option. If you would take assisted review anyway, Arbitrum and Base run the same contract with the same stablecoins minus PYUSD, at a fraction of the gas. The Kleros path is the reason to pay for mainnet.

Frequently asked

Which stablecoins work on Ethereum escrow?

USDC, USDT, DAI and PYUSD, all as ERC-20 tokens at their issuers’ mainnet addresses. Ethereum mainnet is the only Vaultion network that carries all four.

What is the difference between Kleros and assisted review?

Kleros is a decentralized court: randomly drawn, staked jurors vote on the evidence, the ruling can be appealed to a larger panel, and the party raising the dispute pays a Kleros arbitration fee in ETH. Vaultion cannot pick the jurors or reverse the outcome. Assisted review is fee-less and faster, but it is not decentralized: a Vaultion reviewer rules, and you are trusting that reviewer.

Can I switch dispute paths after the escrow is created?

No. The arbitrator is written into the escrow at creation and shown on the escrow page before either side funds. If you want the other path, create a new escrow.

How much does gas cost on Ethereum?

More than on any other Vaultion network. Creating an escrow is two transactions, an ERC-20 approve and the create, and at busy times their combined gas can exceed the Vaultion fee on a small deal. For deals under a few hundred dollars, Arbitrum, Base, BNB Chain, TRON or Solana are usually the better fit.

Is the Ethereum contract verified?

Yes. The escrow contract source is verified on Etherscan and linked from the escrow page and the security page. The verify guide walks through what to check before you fund.

Keep reading

Kleros arbitration How the decentralized path works, and what you trust.What happens in a dispute Evidence, ruling, window, collection.Escrow on Arbitrum The same contract model at a fraction of the gas.

Create an escrow on Ethereum

Connect an Ethereum wallet, pick USDC, USDT, DAI or PYUSD, choose Kleros or assisted review, and the funds lock in the contract until the deal is done.

Create an escrow