Escrow.com
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Financial services |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Founder | Fidelity National Financial |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, California , United States |
Area served | Global |
| Products | Internet escrow services for e-commerce, global trade, online auctions, domain name transactions, vehicles, industrial machinery, general merchandise, milestone payments, broker escrow, trade transaction protection |
| Owner | Freelancer Technology Pty Limited |
| Parent | Freelancer Technology Pty Limited |
| Website | www |
Escrow.com is a privately owned internet escrow service provider based in San Francisco, CA. Originally launched in 1999 by Fidelity National Financial, the company was acquired by Freelancer.com in 2015 for $7.5 million.
History
The inception of Escrow.com occurred under Fidelity National Financial after Bank of America completed its acquisition of Loans.com. In 2002, Fidelity divested the business through a trade agreement, and subsequently, a private investor took ownership in 2004. Today, Escrow.com operates as a subsidiary of Freelancer Technology Pty Limited.
Overview
Escrow.com offers escrow solutions tailored for e-commerce, global trade, online auctions, and retail platforms including eBay, GoDaddy, and AutoTrader.com. Its services extend to domain name transactions as well as high-value assets such as automobiles and industrial machinery. The company maintains a strategic alliance with the United States Department of Commerce, contributing to President Obama’s National Export Initiative.
The organization has provided expert commentary on the International Trade Administration’s blog ‘Tradeology’ and has been featured in sector-specific publications like SEMA News and EXPORT Magazine. Furthermore, Escrow.com played a role in integrating ‘Escrow Service’ into the ITA’s Trade Finance Guide.
By 2013, Escrow.com had processed transactions exceeding two billion dollars in total value. The firm prioritizes fraud mitigation and partners with the Internet Crime Complaint Center, an initiative supported by the FBI, NW3C, and BJA, reinforcing its position as a leader in secure online payment facilitation.
Services
Escrow.com protects transaction integrity by holding buyer funds securely, confirming deposit receipt, and releasing payments only after the buyer receives the goods, ensuring security for both parties involved.
- Vehicle Escrow: Facilitates secure payment and delivery processes for vehicle purchases.
- Domain and Website Escrow: Ensures domain or website ownership transfers only after payment confirmation.
- Domain Name Holding Escrow: Retains domains in escrow while buyers complete installment payments.
- General Merchandise Escrow: Provides protection for buyers and sellers across diverse product categories.
- Milestone Escrow: Disburses funds contingent upon buyer approval of project milestones.
- Broker Escrow: Allows brokers to confidentially manage three-party transactions with security.
- Trade Transaction Protection: Secures cross-border trade deals for exporters and importers.
Licenses
| State | License Type | Regulator |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | Escrow | Arizona Department of Financial Institutions |
| Arkansas | Money Transmitter | Arkansas Securities Department |
| California | Escrow | California Department of Business Oversight |
| Colorado | Money Transmitter | Colorado Division of Banking |
| Georgia | Seller of Payment Instruments | Georgia Department of Banking and Finance - Non-Depository Financial Institutions Division |
| Idaho | Escrow | Idaho Department of Finance |
| Illinois | Money Transmitter | Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation |
| Iowa | Money Transmitter | Iowa Division of Banking |
| Kansas | Money Transmitter | Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner |
| Maine | Money Transmitter | Department of Professional & Financial Regulation - Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection |
| Mississippi | Money Transmitter | Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance |
| Missouri | Sale of Checks | Missouri Division of Finance |
| Montana | Escrow | Montana Division of Banking and Financial Institutions |
| Nebraska | Money Transmitter | Nebraska Department of Banking & Finance |
| New Hampshire | Money Transmitter | State of New Hampshire Banking Department - Consumer Credit Division |
| New Mexico | Escrow | New Mexico Financial Institutions Division |
| North Carolina | Money Transmitter | North Carolina Office of the Commissioner of Banks |
| North Dakota | Money Transmitter | North Dakota Department of Financial Institutions - Consumer Division |
| Ohio | Money Transmitter | Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Financial Institutions |
| Oklahoma | Money Transmitter | Oklahoma Banking Department |
| South Dakota | Money Transmitter | South Dakota Division of Banking |
| Texas | Money Transmitter | Texas Department of Banking |
| Washington | Escrow | Washington Department of Financial Institutions |
| West Virginia | Money Transmitter | West Virginia Division of Banking |
- Escrow.com possesses 42 financial services licenses across numerous states, enabling extensive operational coverage.
Collaborations
- National Independent Automobile Dealers Association
- Specialty Equipment Marketing Association (SEMA)
- eBay
- GoDaddy
- DomainNameSales.com
- United States Department of Commerce
- International Trade Administration
- United States Commercial Service
- BizBroker24.com