How Milestone Payments Work
AdeptLink milestone-protected payments release funds in stages as each delivery milestone is verified on every cross-border order — so buyers only pay for what is delivered and confirmed against the specification.
Milestone-protected paymentsare built into every order and free for buyers. They remove the two biggest risks in cross-border B2B trade: buyers paying for goods they never receive, and suppliers shipping on credit to unknown counterparties. Both sides transact with certainty — see pricing for the full fee breakdown.
The 4-step milestone flow
Buyer confirms the order
The buyer places the order and authorizes the payment plan. The supplier is notified and can begin production or preparation immediately, knowing the milestone plan is locked in.
No commission is charged until the order is completed.
Supplier ships goods
With the order confirmed, the supplier prepares and ships the goods. Tracking information is uploaded to the AdeptLink order dashboard — the buyer can follow shipment progress in real time without leaving the platform.
AdeptLink integrates with DHL, FedEx, UPS, SF Express and 200+ carriers for automatic tracking.
Buyer inspects and confirms receipt
When goods arrive, the buyer inspects them against the purchase order specification. If everything is correct, the buyer confirms the delivery milestone in the dashboard. If there is a problem, the buyer opens a dispute instead — the milestone stays unreleased.
You have 14 days from delivery confirmation to open a dispute.
Payment milestone releases to supplier
Once the delivery milestone is verified, that stage of the payment is released to the supplier through the buyer's own payment provider. AdeptLink coordinates the release trigger but does not hold or move the funds itself. Suppliers typically receive cleared funds within 1-3 business days depending on their bank.
If a dispute is open, the milestone remains unreleased until the Trust team mediates a resolution.
Milestone Payments FAQ
The most common questions about AdeptLink's milestone-protected payment system.
- What are milestone-protected payments and why do they matter for cross-border orders?
- Milestone-protected payments split an order's payment into stages tied to verifiable delivery milestones — for example, order confirmation, shipment, and confirmed receipt. Each stage is only released once its milestone is met. In cross-border trade this lowers the risk of paying for goods that never arrive or do not match spec, without requiring the supplier to ship on credit. Both sides transact with more confidence.
- What happens if the goods don't match the order or never arrive?
- If goods arrive damaged, incomplete, or materially different from what was ordered, you can open a dispute within 14 calendar days of the confirmed delivery date. The AdeptLink Trust team reviews evidence from both parties (photos, packing lists, tracking records, supplier communications) and mediates a resolution — typically within 72 hours. The affected payment milestone stays unreleased until the dispute is resolved or closed.
- Does AdeptLink hold my money?
- No. AdeptLink is not a bank or a money transmitter and does not hold your funds. Payments are made through your own payment provider; AdeptLink coordinates the milestone schedule and the release triggers, so a stage is only released to the supplier once its delivery milestone is verified.
- What does milestone protection cost?
- Milestone protection is included in the standard order flow. AdeptLink charges a commission only when an order is completed — see the pricing page for the full fee breakdown. There is no separate charge to buyers for using milestone-protected payments.