FinishAfter uses seconds since the Ripple Epoch.
Timed XRP Escrow Guide
Time-locked XRP escrow separates maturity from expiration.
A timed XRP escrow can prevent release before a specified ledger time. If an optional expiration is included, the escrow can later become ineligible for completion and eligible for cancellation.
FinishAfter
Maturity is the earliest time the escrow can complete.
Before FinishAfter, an EscrowFinish transaction fails. After that time, the escrow is ready to finish unless it has already crossed an applicable CancelAfter expiration.
It is immutable after creation.
Ledger close time controls the comparison.
Actual timing follows validated ledger closes.
Ready state
Mature does not mean automatically delivered.
Once FinishAfter passes, someone still submits EscrowFinish. If the transaction is valid and the escrow has not expired, successful validation delivers the funds to the destination.
No automatic payment occurs at maturity.
Anyone may submit the finish transaction.
The destination is fixed at creation.
Successful completion removes the Escrow object.
CancelAfter
Expiration ends the window for successful completion.
When CancelAfter has passed, EscrowFinish fails. The expired object remains until an EscrowCancel transaction successfully returns the funds to the sender.
Expiration and refund are separate events.
Cancellation is unavailable before expiration.
Anyone may submit the cancellation.
The return goes to the original sender.
Operational use
Timed escrow works for objective ledger-time rules.
It can lock funds until a future time, but it cannot independently determine whether off-chain work was delivered. Applications must coordinate any human review before triggering ledger actions.
Use exact UTC and Ripple Epoch conversions.
Leave room for ledger-close timing.
Monitor open escrows after expiration.
Explain who is responsible for finishing or cancelling.
Official XRPL references
Verify the protocol behavior.
Ledger features and amendments can evolve. Check the current XRP Ledger documentation before implementing or funding a transaction.
Frequently asked questions
Time-Locked XRP Escrow Explained
What does FinishAfter mean?
It is the earliest ledger time after which an escrow may be successfully finished.
What does CancelAfter mean?
It is the expiration time after which the escrow can no longer finish and becomes eligible for cancellation.
Does XRP release automatically after FinishAfter?
No. An EscrowFinish transaction must still be submitted and validated successfully.
Can a time-locked escrow omit expiration?
Some XRP escrows can omit CancelAfter, in which case they do not expire and cannot be cancelled through expiration.
Explore XRPL Infrastructure →See the commercial solution and payment workflow.Read More Payment Guides →Explore crypto escrow, milestone contracts and safer internet work.Follow the Money →Understand verification, release, refunds and fee routing.Review the Risks →Understand what payment infrastructure can and cannot protect.
Rules before risk
Structure the agreement before money or work changes hands.
Create a wallet-based contract with defined milestones, deadlines, review rules and XRP settlement instructions.