November 4, 2026. From today, eBay's new U.S. eBay balance Terms and Conditions apply to existing users, and eligible US sellers are enrolled in eBay balance automatically after an identity check that starts at or after a new seller's first sale or an existing seller's next qualifying sale. Withdrawing money to your bank on demand "is the default setting", and Value Added Resource reports that sellers on daily, weekly, biweekly or monthly payouts have their schedule switched to on-demand until they set it again.
Key numbers
| Item | Number |
|---|---|
| Terms effective for existing users | November 4, 2026 |
| Terms for new sellers enrolled from (effective on acceptance) | October 21, 2026 |
| Default way to move money to your bank (payout schedules optional) | On-demand withdrawal |
| Automatic payout with no withdrawal (after your most recent sale) | At most 330 days |
| Wait before you can request a withdrawal, new balance | Up to 12 hours |
| Interest on the balance (not FDIC pass-through insured) | None |
eBay's U.S. balance Terms and Conditions and Value Added Resource's report, read on 4 November 2026.
What changed for US sellers
- Enrollment is automatic. The terms apply, on acceptance, to new sellers enrolled on or after October 21, 2026, and took effect for existing users on November 4. "You do not need to take any action to enroll in eBay balance", eBay says; identity checks can ask for your date of birth, social security or taxpayer identification number, or a photo ID. Value Added Resource says eBay notified sellers on October 20.
- On-demand withdrawals are the default. You can still choose a payout schedule in your payout preferences; eBay says a frequency "at least weekly" also enables on-demand withdrawals, while a less frequent schedule "may extend the time funds appear as Processing". eBay reserves "the right to modify or discontinue the availability of scheduled Payout options in the future, with notice". Value Added Resource says sellers have to restore their frequency by hand, under Payments, Summary, Your Preferences in Seller Hub, and notes eBay has not confirmed that path after November 4.
- There is no opt-out short of leaving eBay. Once you accept the terms, "your use of the eBay balance Account becomes a condition to using your eBay account", and you close the balance by closing your eBay account. Value Added Resource notes that Spendable Funds, the program eBay introduced in 2022, already worked that way once you joined; what is new is that joining is no longer a choice.
- It is not a bank account. The balance "does not constitute a deposit", earns no interest and is not eligible for FDIC pass-through insurance.
- The fine print. Sellers registered in New Mexico, and accounts under suspension, restriction or payout block, are not eligible for now. eBay pays out available funds no more than 330 days after your most recent sale if you make no withdrawal in that time, and a newly opened balance can take up to 12 hours before you can request a withdrawal. The balance can pay for shipping labels and promoted listings fees.
What it means for operators
In our view the main risk is cash flow. If your bookkeeping expects eBay deposits on a fixed day and your schedule was switched to on-demand, as Value Added Resource reports, money waits in the balance until you withdraw it or set a schedule again, so we would check the payout setting in Seller Hub this week. Labels and promoted listings paid from the balance mean less reaches the bank, so we would record the balance as its own account in your books and reconcile it with your sales reports. If you run eBay beside your own store, we would also check that month-end reports pick up the balance.
If you are building a sales channel of your own, our Shopify developers build and maintain stores as part of our e-commerce services, and our Shopify app reviews compare the apps those stores run on. Two days ago Amazon changed its own seller rules too: see Amazon's new seller insurance requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
For eligible US sellers, yes. eBay's balance terms took effect on November 4, 2026 for existing users and apply, on acceptance, to new sellers enrolled from October 21, and enrollment happens automatically after an identity check that starts at or after a new seller's first sale or an existing seller's next qualifying sale. Sellers registered in New Mexico are not eligible for now.
Not without closing your eBay account. eBay's terms say that once you have an eBay balance account, using it becomes a condition of using your eBay account, and that you may close the balance by closing your eBay account.
Set a payout schedule in your payout preferences. Value Added Resource reports the setting sits under Payments, Summary, Your Preferences in Seller Hub, and that existing schedules reset to on-demand withdrawals on enrollment, though eBay had not confirmed the steps after November 4. eBay says it may change or discontinue scheduled payout options with notice.
No. eBay's terms say the balance is stored value, not a deposit, earns no interest and is not eligible for FDIC pass-through insurance. If you make no withdrawal, eBay sends available funds to your linked account no more than 330 days after your most recent sale.