Two ways to track earnings
Before you integrate, decide who keeps track of what each user has earned. Funding, checks, payment methods, and settlement work the same either way.The objects
Flow of funds
A payout names the user, the amount, and the payment method the user chose. ZBD holds the payment details, so the payout only refers to the method. The amount comes out of your pool when the payout is initiated, and off the user’s earnings too if ZBD tracks them. Fees for the payment method come out of the payout by default, so the user receives less than the amount sent. If the user’s currency differs from your funding currency, ZBD converts at the quoted rate.When to pay out
You decide when payouts happen. Common patterns:- The user asks to cash out in your product
- You run payouts on a schedule, like weekly or monthly
- You pay automatically once a user’s earnings reach a threshold you set
Checks
Every payout goes through the same checks before any money moves. If one fails, the request is rejected with an error code and nothing is debited.Payout statuses
Once the checks pass, a payout starts as Initiated, moves to Processing, and ends as either Completed or Failed, never both. A completed payout can occasionally come back as Returned.
A webhook fires on every status change, so you don’t need to poll. Settlement timing depends on the method and the user’s country. See Payout Methods.
When a payout fails or is returned
Nothing is ever partially paid. Where the amount goes depends on who tracks earnings:
Common reasons a payout fails: