Terms of Service

1. Introduction and Acceptance

Welcome to HivePay. These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your use of the HivePay payment gateway service ("Service"). By using our Service, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, please do not use our Service.

HivePay is a payment facilitation service that provides a user interface for processing payments between buyers and merchants through various payment providers. We do not hold, manage, or have custody of any user funds.

2. Description of Service

2.1 What HivePay Does

• Provides a unified payment interface for merchants to accept payments
• Connects buyers with various payment providers (cryptocurrency networks, card processors, etc.)
• Tracks payment session status and notifies merchants of payment events
• Charges a service fee to merchants for payment processing facilitation

2.2 What HivePay Does NOT Do

• We do not hold funds — All payments flow directly between buyers and merchants through payment providers
• We do not provide refunds — Refund requests must be directed to the merchant
• We do not guarantee merchant fulfillment — We are not responsible for the delivery of goods or services purchased
• We are not a bank or financial institution — We are a technology service provider

3. User Obligations

By using HivePay, you agree to:

• Provide accurate information when making payments
• Use the Service only for lawful purposes
• Not attempt to circumvent security measures or abuse the Service
• Not use the Service for money laundering, fraud, or any illegal activity
• Accept responsibility for all transactions made using your payment methods

4. Merchant Terms

4.1 Service Fees

HivePay charges merchants a percentage-based fee for each successful payment transaction. The current fee rate is disclosed via our API when creating payment sessions and may be retrieved programmatically.

4.2 Fee Collection

Fees are collected as separate transactions at the time of payment completion. For cryptocurrency payments, the fee is deducted as a separate blockchain transfer operation. For card payments, fees are processed through the payment provider's platform.

4.3 Merchant Responsibilities

• Merchants are responsible for fulfilling orders and providing customer support
• Merchants must handle refund requests directly with buyers
• Merchants must comply with all applicable laws and regulations
• Merchants must keep their API keys secure and confidential

5. Payment Sessions

5.1 Session Expiration

Payment sessions have a limited validity period (typically 30 minutes). If a payment is not completed within this timeframe, the session expires and the buyer must request a new payment link from the merchant.

5.2 Late Payments

In some cases, a payment may be confirmed after a session has expired (e.g., blockchain confirmations). Such payments will still be processed and reported to the merchant. Merchants are responsible for determining how to handle late payments according to their own policies.

5.3 Payment Providers

Different payment methods are processed by different third-party providers. Each provider has its own terms of service and processing times. HivePay is not responsible for delays or issues caused by third-party payment providers.

5.4 Currency Conversion

For payments involving HIVE cryptocurrency, conversion rates to USD are obtained from the official Hive blockchain internal market via Hived API nodes. These rates reflect the current market conditions on the Hive decentralized exchange at the time of the transaction.

Price locking: The USD to HIVE exchange rate is locked at the moment the payment session is created. This ensures price stability during the payment window and protects both buyers and merchants from market fluctuations while the payment is being processed.

HBD (Hive Backed Dollars) is treated as equivalent to 1 USD for all fee calculations and display purposes. This assumption is based on HBD's design as a stablecoin pegged to the US Dollar. HivePay does not guarantee the actual market value of HBD and is not responsible for any discrepancies between HBD's theoretical value and its actual trading price.

6. Disclaimers and Limitations

6.1 No Custody of Funds

HivePay never holds, controls, or has access to user funds. All payments are processed directly through third-party payment providers and blockchain networks. We cannot freeze, reverse, or access any funds at any point in the payment process.

6.2 Service Availability

We strive to provide reliable service, but we do not guarantee uninterrupted availability. The Service may be temporarily unavailable due to maintenance, updates, or circumstances beyond our control.

6.3 Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, HivePay shall not be liable for:

• Any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages
• Loss of profits, revenue, or data
• Delays or failures in payment processing by third-party providers
• Merchant failure to fulfill orders or provide refunds
• Unauthorized access to your accounts due to your failure to secure credentials
• Fluctuations in cryptocurrency values

6.4 "As Is" Service

The Service is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement.

7. Prohibited Activities

You may not use HivePay for:

• Money laundering or terrorist financing
• Fraud or scams
• Purchasing illegal goods or services
• Circumventing sanctions or export controls
• Any activity that violates applicable laws

We reserve the right to report suspicious activity to law enforcement and cooperate with investigations.

8. Intellectual Property

The HivePay name, logo, and all related trademarks, service marks, and graphics are our property. You may not use our branding without prior written permission, except as necessary to indicate that your service uses HivePay for payment processing.

9. Termination

We may suspend or terminate access to the Service at any time, with or without cause, and with or without notice. Upon termination, pending payment sessions may still be processed, but new sessions cannot be created.

10. Eligibility

You must be at least 18 years of age to use this Service. By using HivePay, you represent and warrant that you are at least 18 years old and have the legal capacity to enter into these Terms. If you are using the Service on behalf of a business or legal entity, you represent that you have the authority to bind that entity to these Terms.

11. Governing Law

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with applicable laws. Any disputes arising from these Terms or your use of the Service shall be resolved through binding arbitration or in the courts of competent jurisdiction.

12. Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. Your continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the modified Terms.

13. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality, or unenforceability shall not affect any other provision of these Terms, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect. The invalid or unenforceable provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it valid and enforceable while preserving the original intent.

14. Contact Information

For questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us at:

Email: [email protected]