Temu's New Policy Confirms Payment Settlement Cycle as 'Within 90 Days'

On February 28, Temu updated its Merchant Cooperation Framework Agreement, explicitly stating that the platform's payment settlement cycle is "within 90 days," meaning funds will automatically be credited to sellers' accounts within 90 days after meeting settlement conditions. The agreement specifies that sellers can subsequently apply for payment through the designated payment service provider as prompted. However, any disputes regarding settlement data must be raised within five calendar days of the data's release, accompanied by sufficient evidence; failure to do so will be deemed as acceptance of the data's accuracy. The phrasing "within 90 days" rather than a fixed 90-day period is seen as granting the platform significant operational flexibility—if payments are completed in 80 or 89 days, it would not constitute a breach. Industry insiders note that Temu's payment cycles vary by store type and operational model: domestic stores typically settle within 7–14 days, while cross-border or fully managed stores may require 30–45 days. For many sellers, extending the settlement period beyond 50 days could impose substantial cash flow pressure, potentially leading to liquidity crises. Additionally, e-commerce platforms are tightening fund policies overall. Amazon has announced that starting March 12, 2026, it will implement the "DD 7" fund reserve policy, holding funds for seven days after order delivery—potentially extending actual payment cycles to 21 days or longer, further exacerbating sellers' cash flow challenges. [Source: Ebrun Go. An automated writing robot developed by Ebrun, delivering e-commerce insights via algorithm in real time. This AI is still young; feedback is welcome at run@ebrun.com or via comments to help it improve.]