Payout Terms

1How Earnings Are Calculated

1.1 Tier-Based Earnings

Your Net Earnings for each sale are determined by the pricing tier you selected for the Content at the time of sale.

Free Content earns no Net Earnings.

1.2 Calculation Rules

• Net Earnings are calculated based on the verified purchase amount confirmed by Apple App Store or Google Play, applying the tier mapping in effect at the time of purchase.
• Later changes to your pricing tier do not change Net Earnings recorded for prior sales.
• Music videos bundled with a track are included at no separate price; you receive the track tier earnings only.
• For purchases made through Apple App Store or Google Play, the listed price includes the store's fee (typically 30%). Your Net Earnings are the same regardless of which store the Listener used.

1.3 No Itemized Deduction

The difference between the listed price and your Net Earnings amount covers all costs associated with delivering the Service, including app store fees, payment processing, infrastructure, content delivery, customer support, content moderation, and Dewel's platform fee. We do not itemize this difference as a per-cost pass-through, and you are not entitled to an audit of its components. The earnings tier you accepted at upload is the full and final amount you are entitled to per sale.

2When Earnings Become Eligible for Payout

2.1 Hold Period

Net Earnings from a sale do not become eligible for payout immediately. Each sale enters a hold period during which the corresponding payment must clear from the originating store and the applicable refund window must close. This protects both you and Listeners against refunds, chargebacks, and reversed transactions.

We are working toward a settlement-based eligibility model, in which Net Earnings become eligible only after the originating store has settled the underlying transaction with Dewel and any refund window has closed. We may transition to that model at any time and will update these Payout Terms accordingly. In the interim, the 30-day hold approximates the same outcome for the large majority of transactions.

2.2 Refunds and Chargebacks

If a sale is refunded, charged back, or otherwise reversed by Apple App Store, Google Play, or another payment provider:

• The corresponding Net Earnings will be removed from your unpaid balance if the payout has not yet been disbursed.
• If the Net Earnings have already been paid to you, the amount will be netted against your future earnings. If your future earnings do not cover the reversal within a reasonable period, Dewel reserves the right to invoice you for the difference, recover from any pending payouts, or pursue other lawful means of recovery.
• Refunds and chargebacks may occur up to ninety (90) days, or longer for certain payment methods, after the original transaction.

2.3 Fraud and Suspicious Activity

We may extend the hold period or place additional reserves on your account if we have a reasonable, good-faith belief that:

• sales attributed to your Content are fraudulent, manipulated, or involve self-purchases or stream/play manipulation;
• your account, payout details, or identity verification are compromised;
• a third-party rights claim has been asserted against your Content; or
• we are required to do so by law or by Stripe.

Extended holds are not a forfeiture; they are a delay pending resolution.

3Minimum Payout Threshold

3.1 Threshold

The minimum payout amount is $25.00 USD. We do not process payouts below this threshold.

3.2 Accrual

If your eligible Net Earnings are below $25.00, they remain in your unpaid balance and accrue with future eligible earnings until the threshold is reached.

3.3 Forfeiture of Sub-Threshold Balances

• If your account is inactive for twenty-four (24) consecutive months (no new sales, no logins, and no balance activity) and your unpaid balance is below the minimum threshold, the remaining balance may be forfeited. We will attempt to notify you at the email address on file at least thirty (30) days before forfeiture.
• If your account is terminated and your final unpaid balance is below the minimum threshold, the remaining balance may be forfeited unless you provide alternative payout instructions within ninety (90) days of termination.
• These forfeiture rules exist to allow Dewel to close out dormant balances. They do not apply to balances above the minimum threshold.

4Payout Schedule

4.1 Current Schedule

Payouts are currently on-demand and reviewed by Dewel staff. We aim to process payout requests on a regular cadence, typically monthly, but we do not guarantee a specific schedule.

4.2 How to Request a Payout

When your eligible balance reaches the minimum threshold, you may request a payout through the artist dashboard. Dewel will:

• verify the eligible balance;
• confirm that your Stripe Connect account is in good standing;
• approve the payout; and
• initiate the transfer to your Stripe Connect account.

We may request additional information or documentation before approving a payout where there is a question about the sale, the artist account, or compliance.

4.3 Future Automation

Dewel may move to an automated payout schedule in the future. We will notify you before any such change.

5Stripe Connect

5.1 How Payouts Are Delivered

Dewel uses Stripe Connect (Express accounts) to deliver payouts. To receive payouts, you must:

• complete Stripe's onboarding process, including identity verification;
• provide tax information required by Stripe (such as IRS Form W-9 for U.S. artists or Form W-8BEN for non-U.S. artists);
• connect a valid bank account or other payout method supported by Stripe in your country; and
• keep your Stripe Connect account in good standing.

5.2 Stripe's Terms Apply

Your Stripe Connect account is governed by Stripe's own terms of service, including the Stripe Connected Account Agreement. You agree to those terms directly with Stripe. Dewel is not a party to your relationship with Stripe and is not responsible for:

• Stripe's onboarding decisions, including rejection or suspension of your Stripe Connect account;
• holds, reserves, or restrictions placed by Stripe on your account;
• delays in transfers caused by Stripe;
• Stripe's fees, currency conversion rates, or banking partner behavior; or
• the accuracy of tax forms (such as Form 1099-K) issued by Stripe.

5.3 If Stripe Cannot Process Your Payout

If Stripe is unable to process payouts to you (for example, due to incomplete onboarding, identity verification problems, or sanctions restrictions), your Net Earnings remain accrued in your Dewel balance until Stripe issues are resolved. Dewel does not deliver payouts outside of Stripe.

5.4 Failed Payouts

If a payout fails (for example, because of a closed bank account or rejected transfer), the amount returns to your unpaid balance. We will notify you and ask you to update your payout details. We may retry failed payouts at our discretion.

6Tax Responsibility

6.1 Stripe Issues Your Tax Documents

Stripe issues required tax documents, such as IRS Form 1099-K for U.S. artists or equivalent international forms, directly to you. Dewel does not issue separate tax documents for your earnings on the Service.

6.2 Your Tax Responsibility

You are solely responsible for:

• reporting your earnings to relevant tax authorities;
• paying any income tax, self-employment tax, sales tax, value-added tax, or other taxes owed;
• complying with tax laws in your country of residence and any other applicable jurisdiction; and
• paying any royalties, license fees, or revenue shares owed to co-writers, co-producers, featured performers, sample owners, or other rights participants.

6.3 No Tax Advice

Dewel does not provide tax advice. Consult a qualified tax professional if you have questions about your tax obligations.

6.4 Withholding

Dewel may withhold from payouts where required by law, including backup withholding under U.S. tax law if you fail to provide a valid taxpayer identification number through Stripe.

7Currency

Payouts are made in U.S. Dollars (USD). If your bank account is denominated in another currency, Stripe will convert the payout at the exchange rate Stripe applies at the time of transfer. Currency conversion fees, where applicable, are determined by Stripe.

8Reserves and Holdbacks

In addition to the standard hold period in Section 2.1, Dewel may place a reserve or holdback on your account if:

• your sales pattern shows unusually high refund or chargeback rates;
• we receive a credible third-party rights claim affecting your Content;
• a regulatory or legal authority requires it;
• we are notified of fraud, identity theft, or account compromise affecting your account; or
• your account is under review for a possible Agreement violation.

Reserves are temporary holds, not forfeitures. We will release reserves once the underlying issue is resolved.

9Earnings Disputes

9.1 Notice Period

If you believe your Net Earnings have been calculated incorrectly, you must notify us in writing within ninety (90) days of the date the disputed earnings appear in your dashboard. Disputes raised after 90 days may not be considered.

9.2 How to Submit

Send disputes to legal@dewelnetwork.com with:

• the specific sales or payout amounts in question;
• the dates of the relevant transactions;
• the basis of your dispute (calculation error, missing sale, incorrect tier, etc.); and
• any supporting evidence.

9.3 Review

We will review your dispute and respond within thirty (30) business days. Our determination is final, subject to your other rights under the Artist Agreement and applicable law, including your right to bring a claim under Section 13 of the Artist Agreement.

9.4 Records

You acknowledge that the records maintained by Dewel and the originating stores (Apple App Store and Google Play) are the authoritative record of sales and earnings. Dewel is not required to provide raw sales data beyond what is shown in your artist dashboard.

10Right to Modify

10.1 Modifications

Dewel may modify these Payout Terms from time to time. We will notify you of material changes and require your acceptance through the Service before the changes apply to you.

10.2 Prospective Effect

Modifications to pricing tiers, hold periods, minimum thresholds, or payout schedules apply prospectively only. They do not retroactively change the calculation of earnings on prior sales or the eligibility status of prior earnings.

10.3 Required Modifications

Modifications required by law, regulation, or by Stripe may apply with shorter notice or immediately if necessary to maintain compliance.

11Contact