---
title: "Manage your reserve account"
description: "Understand and manage the reserve account in your platform."
url: "https://docs.adyen.com/platforms/manage-reserve-account"
source_url: "https://docs.adyen.com/platforms/manage-reserve-account.md"
canonical: "https://docs.adyen.com/platforms/manage-reserve-account"
last_modified: "2026-06-01T15:33:15+02:00"
language: "en"
---

# Manage your reserve account

Understand and manage the reserve account in your platform.

[View source](/platforms/manage-reserve-account.md)

The reserve account of your platform is a type of balance account that is linked to the liable account holder. Having a reserve account enables you and your users to make transfers that result in a negative balance.

The reserve account is different from the [reserved compensation account](/platforms/manage-liable-accounts#reserved-compensation-account). The reserved compensation account is used to cover for negative balances caused by processing refunds or chargebacks. In contrast, the reserve account covers for negative balances caused by transfers initiated by you or your users.

For example, you need a reserve account when your platform is configured to [pay out the current balance](/platforms/payout-amount#pay-out-current-balance) of your users. Paying out the current balance may result in a negative balance on your users' accounts if they have future negative balance changes. To cover for these negative balances, Adyen uses the funds in your reserve account as collateral.

## How it works

When you make a transfer request that results in a negative balance in your user's balance account:

1. Adyen verifies the balance in your reserve account. The reserve account must have enough funds to cover for the negative balance, otherwise the transfer request fails.
2. Adyen blocks funds as collateral in your reserve account. The amount of the collateral is equal to the negative balance caused by the transfer request.
3. Adyen processes the transfer.
4. When the user's balance account receives enough funds to compensate the negative balance, Adyen unblocks the collateral.

## Managing the balance of your reserve account

We recommend that you constantly check the available balance in your reserve account. If your reserve account does not have enough available balance, Adyen cannot authorize transfers that result in negative balances.

When needed, you can increase the available balance in your reserve account by:

* [Transferring funds internally](/platforms/internal-fund-transfers) from another balance account.
* Using the reserve account to [receive funds from split payments](/platforms/automatic-split-configuration).
* [Topping up](/platforms/top-up-balance-account) your reserve account.
