Wind-down policy

Last updated: 2026-04-30

wausernames is operated by a small team and depends on Meta's username transfer policy continuing to be feasible. If we ever decide — or are forced — to wind the marketplace down, the contract below applies. It binds wausernames unilaterally so users have certainty about how funds, trades, and data are handled.

Trigger

Any of the following starts the 60-day clock:

• WhatsApp / Meta revokes username transferability.
• Wausernames loses access to its primary verification provider with no viable replacement.
• Wausernames decides to discontinue the marketplace for commercial reasons.
• Regulatory action makes continued operation impossible in our home jurisdiction (UK).

Day 0 — public notice

• Banner on every page linking to this document.
• Email every user with a verified address.
• Listings stop accepting new buyers; existing trades continue under the state machine.

Day 0 to Day 30 — close listings, complete or refund in-flight trades

• New listings disabled. Existing listings remain visible read-only for the notice period.
• In-flight trades continue if verification is still possible; if not, all unfinalised trades are refunded to buyers.
• Disputes raised before Day 30 are heard under the standard tier process. The external panel pool is informed at Day 0 to ensure availability.

Day 30 to Day 60 — settle, exhaust insurance fund

• All captured trades that hit SETTLEMENT_HOLD before Day 30 settle on their published date — wind-down does not accelerate or delay settlements that were already on the calendar.
• The insurance fund is honoured for every dispute that arises before Day 60. Any insurance fund balance remaining after the last possible dispute resolves is distributed pro-rata to users with open buyer-side disputes ahead of any platform residual.
• Stripe Connect accounts continue to receive payouts on their normal schedule; we do not freeze or claw back seller payouts.

Day 60+ — read-only archive + data export

• The site moves to a read-only archive: trade records, dispute decisions, and insurance fund history remain accessible to users via their account for one year.
• Each user can export their personal data and trade history as JSON / CSV. Export instructions are sent at Day 60.
• One year after Day 60, all user data is deleted (or anonymised where retention obligations require) and the archive is taken offline.

Order of priority on residual funds

1. Refunds to buyers with open disputes.
2. Insurance fund obligations to buyers awaiting make-whole.
3. Outstanding seller payouts.
4. External arbitrator panel fees owed.
5. Any remaining residual is recognised by the platform.

Communications

Status updates published weekly during the wind-down period at this URL. Questions: [email protected] (active only during a wind-down event).