Why do I need to stake before buying?

Stake to Take protects sellers on payment methods where a completed payment can later be disputed. It currently applies to Venmo and PayPal orders. Cash App and other payment methods do not currently require stake.

Every 1 USDC of available stake gives you 1 USDC of protected buying power. If an order needs more than you have available, Peer shows the exact shortfall.

When you start a protected order, Peer locks stake equal to the order amount. The lock remains through that payment method's dispute window. It becomes available again after the window ends and the lock is released. If a chargeback is upheld, the seller can be paid from the locked stake.

Open Staking in Peer to add or withdraw stake and review active locks. Available stake can be withdrawn immediately; stake backing an active order cannot be withdrawn until its lock is released.

Only authorize another wallet to use your stake if you trust its owner. New orders from that wallet can lock your USDC, and an upheld chargeback can consume it. Removing access prevents new locks but does not change existing ones.