> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://developers.ligdicash.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Payout use cases

> Refunds, salaries, winnings, paying service providers — choosing the right payout method for each context.

The choice between Customer payout and Merchant payout depends on the recipient and the final destination of the funds. This page presents the most common use cases and the recommended method for each.

## Order refund

A customer requests a refund after a cancellation or a product return. You need to send back the amount they paid.

**Recommended method:** Merchant payout (`/pay/v01/straight/payout`)

The customer does not necessarily have a LigdiCash account. Merchant payout sends directly to their mobile money number, with no prerequisite on their side.

<Warning>
  LigdiCash contractual fees apply to every payout, including refunds. The customer will not necessarily receive the exact amount they paid. Plan for this difference in your refund policy.
</Warning>

<Steps>
  <Step title="Retrieve the customer's mobile money number">
    Use the number the customer provided when they paid — it is available in the original payin callback via `operator_id` and `customer`.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Initiate the payout">
    Call `POST /pay/v01/straight/payout` with the refund amount and a `transaction_id` linked to the original order.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm via callback">
    Wait for the callback on your `callback_url`. Once `status: "completed"` is received, update the order status and notify the customer.
  </Step>
</Steps>

```json Example custom_data theme={null}
{
  "transaction_id": "REFUND-ORD-2024-001"
}
```

## Salary payments

You need to pay salaries to employees or field agents on their mobile money accounts.

**Recommended method:** Merchant payout (`/pay/v01/straight/payout`)

Recipients do not necessarily have a LigdiCash account. Merchant payout lets you send directly to any mobile money number.

<Warning>
  Merchant payout is not instant. For bulk payments, send the requests sequentially and track each returned `token`. Only consider a payment finalized when you receive the `status: "completed"` callback.
</Warning>

## Distributing winnings and cashback

You want to credit winnings, rewards, or cashback to your users — to spend on your platform or withdraw to their mobile money.

**Recommended method:** Customer payout (`/pay/v01/withdrawal/create`)

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Winnings usable on the platform">
    Use `top_up_wallet: 1` — funds arrive in the user's LigdiCash wallet. They can use them to pay on LigdiCash platforms. Withdrawing to mobile money is left to their initiative.

    **Ideal for:** cashback, loyalty credits, game winnings kept within the LigdiCash ecosystem.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Winnings paid directly to mobile money">
    Use `top_up_wallet: 0` — funds arrive first in the user's LigdiCash wallet, then LigdiCash automatically triggers the transfer to their mobile money. The user receives the funds with no action required.

    **Ideal for:** tournament winnings, bonuses, rewards the user should receive in cash.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Paying agents and service providers

You need to pay freelancers, field agents, or suppliers who delivered a service.

**Recommended method:** Merchant payout (`/pay/v01/straight/payout`)

Service providers usually do not have a LigdiCash account. Merchant payout sends directly to their mobile money number, whatever the operator — provided that the corresponding sub-account is funded.

<Note>
  If you regularly pay to several different operators, monitor your balances per sub-account from the LigdiCash Dashboard. A payout fails if the sub-account of the recipient's operator is insufficient, even if your other sub-accounts have a credit balance.
</Note>

## Summary table

| Use case                      | Method          | `top_up_wallet` |
| ----------------------------- | --------------- | --------------- |
| Customer refund               | Merchant payout | —               |
| Salaries and compensation     | Merchant payout | —               |
| Cashback / platform credits   | Customer payout | `1`             |
| Winnings paid to mobile money | Customer payout | `0`             |
| Paying service providers      | Merchant payout | —               |

## Related pages

* [Customer payout](/en/payment-api/payout/to-ligdicash-wallet)
* [Merchant payout](/en/payment-api/payout/to-mobile-money)
* [Verify the status of a payout](/en/payment-api/payout/verify-status)
* [The LigdiCash merchant account](/en/concepts/merchant-account)