# HOLD Payments ## How it Works An invoice is a smart contract that must be settled before the receiver can access the funds of the invoice. This is done by the receiver returning the preimage (proof of payment) to the sender. However, the receiver can choose to delay releasing the preimage, or completely reject the payment. Some situations where HOLD invoices are useful are: * Games where you only pay if you lose, but lock up your funds in advance to ensure the payment is made * A bond which you only pay if you break a contract (similar to a rental deposit) * P2P trading escrows ## Alby HOLD Payments Please note that HOLD payments will not appear in the transaction list while they are pending or canceled (i.e. in the HOLD phase). The payment amount is deducted from your balance during the HOLD phase and returned afterward. However, if you completed the payment successfully using the Alby Browser Extension, you will see the specific HOLD payment listed among other payments for that connected site (e.g. RoboSats). ## Lightning apps that use HOLD invoices * [Robosats](https://learn.robosats.com/) ## 📖 Further resources * [How to build conditional payment logic into your app](https://getalby.com/blog/build-conditional-payment-logic-into-your-app) --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://guides.getalby.com/user-guide/browser-extension/features/hold-payments.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.