Stripe is holding your funds: reserves, the 120-day question, and what gets them released

The short answer

When Stripe holds your funds, it is usually one of three things: a reserve (a share of your money set aside for a fixed period), a payout delay while Stripe waits on verification or reviews your…

Three reserve types: fixed (released on one date), rolling (released sale by sale) and a balance transfer (part of what you already have)

Why: disputes above 0.75%, a refund spike, annual billing or credits, long delivery windows, a sudden jump in volume

What to send: bank balance and transaction history, financial statements and management accounts, plus clear refund and cancellation policies

Cash tied up: about rate × monthly volume × days ÷ 30. A 25% reserve over 90 days holds roughly three-quarters of a month's sales