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Michelle Steinmetzer, PresidentConvenience and transparency have become defining expectations across the real estate transaction, driving the adoption of digital processes at nearly every stage. Yet earnest money, one of the most critical steps, has remained dependent on paper checks, manual verification and fragmented communication. Limited visibility leaves stakeholders uncertain about where funds stand, while manual verification processes add security risks and administrative burden.
TrustFunds is changing that by bringing earnest money into the digital transaction workflow while building trust and visibility into every step of the process.
The first company in the U.S. to facilitate digital earnest money, TrustFunds connects buyers, agents, brokers and designated earnest money holders through the same workflow. It modernizes trust in real estate by turning earnest money into a transparent and connected workflow within the multiple listing service (MLS) ecosystem.
“We’re not simply digitizing a payment; we’re creating confidence among all parties involved in the transaction,” says Michelle Steinmetzer, President.
TrustFunds’ platform connects the MLS, buyers, agents, brokers and designated earnest money holders within a shared workflow, giving every authorized participant visibility into the same transaction. By removing administrative friction from the transaction, TrustFunds enables professionals to spend less time managing payment logistics and more time serving their clients.
Making Every Payment Step Visible
TrustFunds gives participants visibility into where funds stand without requiring repeated status checks. Agents can initiate earnest money requests directly from their existing MLS workflow, allowing them to incorporate digital earnest money into established processes. Electronic submission allows buyers to send earnest money at any time, eliminating delays caused by travel, scheduling conflicts, office hours or physical delivery. Once the payment is submitted, automated status notifications keep relevant parties informed through processing and final deposit.
TrustFunds was designed with security as a foundational principle. Buyers enter banking information directly, eliminating the need to share sensitive financial details through emails, text messages or paper forms. Instead of relying on manual follow-ups to track whether funds have been submitted, received or deposited, participants share a real-time view of each transaction. That lets them focus on resolving issues rather than locating information.
Every transaction is electronically tracked, time-stamped and documented, creating a complete audit trail from payment initiation through final deposit.
The platform also incorporates verification, monitoring controls and reporting capabilities that support fraud prevention and regulatory compliance. Documentation retention, user permissions and account-holder controls provide the accountability needed to accommodate varying trust-account and regulatory requirements across markets.
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We're not simply digitizing a payment; we're creating confidence among all parties involved in the transaction.
In 2026, it completed its SOC 2 Type I audit and is currently in the process of securing the SOC 2 Type II compliance. The audit reinforces its commitment to maintaining strong controls around security, availability and data protection.
Driving Adoption through Existing Industry Relationships
In a highly relationship-driven industry like real estate, agent advocacy is an important driver of growth. When agents have a positive experience, they share it with colleagues, brokerages and teams.
TrustFunds builds adoption through relationships within the real estate industry. Its Sales team establishes the connections that bring the platform into new markets, while its Support team works with agents and brokerages to activate users. Across its markets, TrustFunds’ platform has exceeded 50 percent adoption rates, with the highest-performing markets reaching up to 80 percent.
“Once professionals see the transparency, security and efficiency, the conversation shifts from ‘Why would I change?’ to ‘Why weren’t we doing this sooner?’” says Steinmetzer.
As the industry continues to evolve, TrustFunds is focused on developing solutions that simplify transaction workflows, enhance security, and deliver greater value to real estate professionals and their clients.
By bringing earnest money out of the black box and into a transparent digital workflow, TrustFunds is creating a more transparent, secure and connected transaction experience for buyers, agents, brokers and other earnest money holders.
Earnest Money Payments without the Blind Spots
Earnest money still exposes a surprisingly manual fault line in otherwise digital real estate transactions. Contracts may be signed online, and activity tracked inside transaction systems, yet payment delivery can still depend on paper checks, office hours and personal follow-up. That gap creates more than inconvenience. A delayed deposit can affect contract deadlines, while copied checks, emailed images and unattended paperwork expose sensitive bank information.
Payment status is often the first buying test. Agents need to know whether a buyer has submitted funds, while brokers or escrow holders need confirmation that processing has begun and the deposit has cleared. A system that merely accepts an electronic payment but leaves status buried in a separate portal does little to reduce follow-up. Useful platforms provide timely updates and clear exception flags, supported by accessible records and automated notifications.
Security requires equal scrutiny because earnest money sits inside a fraud-prone stage of the transaction. Buyers should enter banking details directly into a protected payment environment rather than sending information through email or paper forms. Electronic time stamps and retained transaction records help establish who initiated a request and how the payment progressed. Access must also reflect each participant’s role so that visibility does not become unnecessary exposure.
Workflow fit determines whether those controls are used consistently. Agents are unlikely to adopt a separate application that demands another login, account setup or repeated data entry during an active deal. Integration with the multiple listing services or established transaction environments reduces that friction. The payment request should begin where the agent already works and connect the buyer to the approved earnest money holder without forcing staff to relay confirmations manually.
Accountability extends beyond the front-end experience. Brokerages, title agencies and law firms may follow different trust account procedures or documentation rules. Decision-makers should examine permissions and reporting depth alongside record retention and onboarding requirements for each holder. The platform must support local process differences without allowing each office to create an uncontrolled workaround.
Availability matters as well. A buyer may receive an accepted offer after business hours or while traveling, and the contractual clock does not pause until a branch opens. A secure payment link that remains available around the clock removes the physical handoff while giving relevant parties early notice that funds are in motion. Faster submission is useful, but earlier visibility into problems is the more important gain.
TrustFunds emerges as a leading option with its MLS-integrated process designed specifically for earnest money. Agents can initiate requests from an existing environment without requiring buyers to create an account or download an app. It gives authorized parties role-based status visibility and a documented payment history from initiation through final deposit.
Electronic tracking and user permissions are reinforced by reporting and retained documentation that support regulated trust account processes. For real estate organizations aiming to remove paper handling without creating a disconnected payment channel, TrustFunds merits close consideration.
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