Urban Trip is a group travel savings product that is still being built. This centre explains, in plain language, what we plan to do, where money would go, and the rules we plan to follow.
Where we are today: Urban Trip is not yet available to the public and does not currently hold, receive or send any customer money. Anything shown on our website or in a demonstration uses example data and mock money.
Draft means the text is written but has not yet been reviewed by our legal advisers and is not in force.
Planned describes how we intend to operate once we launch. It is a plan and not a statement of what is in place today.
To be confirmed marks items that depend on a legal opinion, a partner, or a regulator.
[Grey boxes] mark details we have not yet filled in, such as registration numbers and partner names.
A note on these drafts: They are written to be reviewed and finalised by qualified South African legal counsel. Publishing a draft is not a statement that Urban Trip is licensed, approved, or compliant with any law or standard. We will mark each document as in force only after that review.
Where Urban Trip stands today
Version 0.1 · 31 October 2026
StatusNot yet available to the public. No customer funds are held.
What is true today
Company: Urban Trip is registered in South Africa. Registration number 2026 / 877067 / 07.
Product: in development. The website and app screens show the planned product.
Customer funds: none are held. We will not accept customer money until a licensed bank or regulated payments partner is in place and the approvals that apply are confirmed.
Demonstrations: any demo uses mock money and example data. No real payment is made.
What we are working on
Legal advice on the registrations and structure the product needs.
Discussions with prospective banking and payments partners.
A test version of the app using mock money.
Not an investment
Urban Trip is a savings and trip-planning tool. It does not offer interest, returns, investments or loans. Money saved in a trip fund is for that trip.
Travel prices and listings
Flights, stays, prices and places shown on our website are examples. Real availability and prices will be shown before you confirm any booking.
Planned operating model · Version 0.1 · 31 October 2026
Pick a scenario to see where the money goes, who holds it at each step, and what is recorded. Members' money and Urban Trip's own money follow separate paths and never mix.
Planned model. This is how we intend to operate once a licensed partner is in place. Names marked To be confirmed are not yet chosen. Nothing here describes money held today.
What is recorded
Account
Debit
Credit
The rules behind the diagram
Two paths, never mixed. Members' money goes only to the client-funds account. Our income goes only to the company account. Company costs are never paid from the client-funds account.
Every balance is traceable. A ledger records each contribution, booking and withdrawal against a member, a trip and a payment reference.
Daily reconciliation. The total of all member balances is compared with the bank balance each business day. Any difference is investigated the same day.
Withdrawals go back to the member. Only to a bank account verified as belonging to the same person.
Holds, not promises. A withdrawal or booking puts the money on hold first, so the same money cannot be spent twice, even by two requests at the same moment.
Retries are safe. Every payment request carries a unique key, so a double tap or a retry never pays twice.
The records can't be edited. A mistake is fixed with a new, opposite entry. Nothing is rewritten or deleted.
No lending, no investing. Money in the client-funds account is not lent, invested or used as security.
The app and website, member experience, ledger, support, running KYC and AML processes with partners, handling complaints.
No
Building
Licensed bank or regulated provider
Holds the client-funds account, safeguards member money and sets the account rules.
Yes
To be confirmed
Payments provider
Collects monthly contributions and processes payouts and withdrawals.
Only in transit
To be confirmed
Identity verification provider
Verifies identity and bank account ownership.
No
To be confirmed
Booking supplier
Provides flights and stays through an interface (API).
Receives payment for bookings
To be confirmed
Card issuer
Virtual trip cards funded from a member's share. Planned for a later release only.
Not in first release
Later
Legal and tax advisers
Confirm the licensing route, account structure and the company's tax position.
No
To be appointed
The full list of service providers will be published on the Partners and processors page once chosen.
Safeguarding policy
Draft v0.1 · Planned · For legal review
Draft for legal reviewNot in force. Describes how we intend to operate once a licensed partner is in place.
1. Purpose
This policy sets out how Urban Trip intends to protect money that members put into trip funds, so that it is available to them whatever happens to Urban Trip as a company.
2. Principles
Member money is held in an account with a licensed bank or regulated partner, kept apart from Urban Trip's own money.
The legal form of that arrangement (segregated, designated or trust account) To be confirmed with legal counsel and the partner before launch.
Member money is not Urban Trip's money. It is not used to pay company costs, lent, invested or offered as security.
Company income (commissions, subscriptions) is held in a separate company account.
3. Records
A ledger records each member's balance by trip, with a reference to every payment in or out.
The sum of all member balances must equal the balance of the client-funds account.
4. Reconciliation
Compared each business day. Differences are investigated the same day and recorded.
A monthly report to the directors shows balances, reconciliations and any exceptions.
If the numbers do not match, payouts pause automatically until two people have investigated and resumed them.
5. Access and approvals
Moving money out of the client-funds account requires two authorised people, or a system rule agreed with the bank.
No one at Urban Trip may move client money to a company account except to correct a recorded error, with two approvals.
6. Our booking fee
When a booking is confirmed, only the supplier's cost leaves the client-funds account. Our fee stays in it, recorded as money owed to Urban Trip.
The fee moves to the company account only through a transfer approved by two different people, and only for fees already earned.
7. If a payment is reversed after the money was used
If a payment is clawed back (for example a failed debit order) after the member already withdrew or spent it, the shortfall is recorded as owed by that member.
The client-funds account is topped up from company money, approved by two different people, so other members are never affected. Urban Trip bears that loss.
8. If Urban Trip stops trading
A written wind-down plan returns each member's balance to their own verified bank account.
The plan is reviewed every year and before any change of partner.
9. Review
Reviewed at least once a year, and whenever our partners, product or the law changes. Owner: [DIRECTOR NAME].
Withdrawals and refunds policy
Draft v0.1 · Planned · For legal review
Draft for legal reviewNot in force. Time limits and limits below are proposals.
1. Your right to withdraw
You can withdraw your own balance from a trip fund. The amount you can take out is what you have paid in, less your share of any booking already paid from the fund.
2. How it works
Choose the trip and the amount in the app. The app shows the most you can withdraw.
We check the request against your identity and account details.
Money is sent to your own bank account that we have verified. We do not pay third parties.
3. Checks on a withdrawal
Your balance drops as soon as you ask, so the same money can't be requested twice.
The bank account must be in your own name. A newly added account can be used after 24 hours.
Daily and per-request limits apply To be confirmed.
If most of a recent payment is withdrawn straight away, two people at Urban Trip review it first. If it is rejected, the money returns to your balance.
4. Timing
Target: within [X] business days of a request. Banks and payment systems can add time. We will show an expected date before you confirm.
5. Limits
Daily and monthly withdrawal limits To be confirmed with our partner bank. Limits are shown in the app.
6. Bookings
When a booking is paid from the fund, each member's share is recorded. Those shares can't be withdrawn.
If a supplier refunds a booking, the refund returns to the trip fund and to each member's share.
Cancellation and change rules are set by the supplier and shown before you book. See Travel booking terms.
7. Failed or reversed payments
A contribution counts only after it clears. If it is reversed, the amount is taken off your balance and the group sees the change.
8. Fees
Any fee for a withdrawal is shown before you confirm. See Fees.
9. Account closure
If you close your account or we close it, your remaining balance is paid to your verified bank account.
Fees and pricing
Draft v0.1 · Planned · For legal review
Item
What you pay
When shown
Saving in a trip fund
Free
On sign-up
Booking flights and stays
Any service fee is shown with the price [FEE TBC]
Before you confirm
Withdrawals
[FEE TBC]
Before you confirm
Currency conversion
The rate and any margin are shown
Before you confirm
Business plan
Agreed per business
In the order form
How Urban Trip earns money
Commissions from travel partners on completed bookings.
Subscription fees from business customers.
Later: income related to trip cards, if we offer them.
We do not earn from members' pooled savings: no interest, no investment returns, no lending.
Third-party fees
Your bank may charge its own fees. We can't see or control those.
Identity checks (KYC) policy
Draft v0.1 · Planned · For legal review
Draft for legal reviewThe exact checks depend on our partners and legal advice.
1. Why we check
To protect members from fraud and to meet our duties under laws that apply to handling money, including anti-money-laundering law (see AML policy).
2. When
Before a member can pay in or withdraw.
Again if details change or something looks unusual.
3. What we ask for
Name, date of birth, identity document and a selfie to match it, using a verification provider To be confirmed.
Proof that the bank account you withdraw to is yours.
For business accounts: company registration details and the people authorised to act.
4. Who can use Urban Trip
People aged 18 or over. Joining a trip does not require paying, but paying in and withdrawing do require verification.
5. If we can't verify you
We explain why, offer a way to correct it, and return any money held under the Withdrawals policy.
Anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist-financing policy
Draft summary v0.1 · Planned · For legal review
Draft for legal reviewA full programme will be written with our legal advisers and approved by the directors before launch.
1. Commitment
Urban Trip will not knowingly be used to launder money or finance crime. We plan to follow the laws that apply to us, including the Financial Intelligence Centre Act, and to confirm with counsel which duties apply to us directly and which our bank partner carries.
Monitoring: automated rules to flag unusual patterns, such as money paid in and withdrawn quickly, many small payments from unrelated people, or activity inconsistent with a trip.
Limits: per-payment and per-period limits set with our bank partner.
Sanctions and risk checks: screening of members against recognised lists, through our verification provider.
Withdrawals: only to a verified account in the member's own name.
Freezing: the ability to pause an account or fund while we investigate.
3. Reporting
A named compliance officer [NAME] will receive internal alerts, decide on reports to the authorities where the law requires, and keep a record of decisions.
4. Training and records
Everyone working on Urban Trip is trained when they start and every year.
Records are kept for the period the law requires. See Retention schedule.
5. Review
Yearly, and after any significant incident or change in law.
Security and incident response
Draft summary v0.1 · Planned · For legal review
1. Principles
Collect the least data we need.
Encrypt data in transit and where stored.
Give each person access only to what their job needs, and log it.
Keep card and bank details with regulated partners and not on our own systems wherever possible.
2. Planned controls
Area
Control
Accounts
Verified sign-up, device checks, optional extra sign-in steps, alerts for new devices.
Payments
Payments handled by regulated partners. Withdrawals only to verified accounts.
Systems
Separate test and live environments, reviewed code changes, regular software updates.
Staff access
Named accounts, minimum access, extra approval to move money, access removed on leaving.
Testing
Independent security testing before launch and at least once a year To be confirmed.
Backups
Regular encrypted backups and a tested restore process.
3. If something goes wrong
Contain: stop the problem spreading and protect money first.
Assess: what happened, whose data or money is affected.
Tell: affected people, our banking partner and the regulators where the law requires, as soon as reasonably possible.
Fix and learn: correct the cause and record what we changed.
4. Reporting a problem
Email [SECURITY EMAIL]. We will respond within [X] business days.
Data retention schedule
Draft v0.1 · Periods are proposals · For legal review
Data
Why we keep it
Proposed period
Account details
To run your account
While open, then [X]
Identity verification records
Legal duties on handling money
At least the period the law requires To be confirmed
Payment and ledger records
Accounting, tax, disputes
At least the period the law requires To be confirmed
Booking records
Supplier changes and disputes
[X] after the trip
Support messages
To help you and improve
[X]
Marketing preferences
To respect your choices
Until you withdraw consent
Security logs
Fraud and incident investigation
[X]
After the period ends we delete the data or make it anonymous, unless the law requires us to keep it.
Regulatory status
Version 0.1 · 31 October 2026 · For legal review
Plain statement: We have not yet received any licence or approval to hold customer money. The table lists the areas we are assessing with legal advisers. A "to be confirmed" status means we do not yet know whether it applies to us or who must hold it.
Area
Why it matters
Status
Company registration
Urban Trip is a registered company.
Done 2026 / 877067 / 07
Payments law (National Payment System Act)
Collecting money from many people to pay others may need registration or an arrangement with a licensed provider.
To be confirmed
Banking law
Whether a pooled savings arrangement counts as deposit-taking, and how a partner bank holds the money.
To be confirmed
Financial services conduct
Whether any activity needs a financial services licence.
To be confirmed
Anti-money laundering (FICA)
Registration and customer-checking duties.
To be confirmed
Exchange control
Applies if money crosses borders or is held in foreign currency.
To be confirmed
Data protection (POPIA)
How personal information is collected and used.
Policy drafted
Consumer protection
Fair terms, clear pricing, cancellations and refunds.
Terms drafted
Electronic transactions
Online contracts and information we must show.
Terms drafted
Tax
Company tax and VAT registration, and tax on commissions.
Adviser to confirm
We will update this page as each item is confirmed.
Controls matrix
Planned · Version 0.1 · 31 October 2026
Each risk to members' money or data, what we plan to do about it, who owns it, and where to read more.
This page will list every company that handles member money or personal information for Urban Trip, what it does, and where it is based.
Function
Provider
Data or money handled
Location
Client-funds account
[PARTNER BANK]
Member money
[ ]
Payments
[PAYMENTS PROVIDER]
Payment instructions and references
[ ]
Identity verification
[KYC PROVIDER]
Identity documents, selfies
[ ]
Booking supply
[BOOKING API]
Traveller names, trip details
[ ]
Cloud hosting
[HOSTING PROVIDER]
App data
[ ]
Email and messages
[MESSAGING PROVIDER]
Names, contact details
[ ]
Terms of use
Draft v0.1 · For legal review · Not in force
Draft for legal reviewWritten for review by South African legal counsel. Not yet in force.
1. Who we are
Urban Trip ("we", "us") is a company registered in South Africa, number 2026 / 877067 / 07, address [ADDRESS]. Contact: admin@urbantrip.travel.
2. What Urban Trip does
Urban Trip lets groups save together for a trip, see who has paid, and book travel from the shared fund. We are not a bank. Money you pay in is held by our banking partner under the Safeguarding policy.
3. Your account
You must be 18 or older and complete our identity checks before paying in or withdrawing.
Give accurate information and keep your sign-in details safe.
One person, one account. Don't let others use yours.
4. Trip funds
Each trip has one fund. Members pay in their own share.
Your balance is the amount you paid in, less your share of any booking.
Nobody else in the group can withdraw your balance.
The trip's creator can set the target and date. Changes that affect money need each member's consent in the app.
5. Paying in and withdrawing
See Withdrawals and refunds. A payment counts once it clears. Limits and fees are shown before you confirm.
We will provide the service with reasonable care and skill.
Nothing in these terms removes rights you have under consumer protection law.
Subject to that, we are not liable for the acts of suppliers or for losses we could not reasonably foresee. To be confirmed by counsel
10. Ending your account
You can close your account at any time. We may suspend or close it if you break these terms or the law requires it. Your balance is returned under the Withdrawals policy.
11. Changes
We will give notice before changing these terms in a way that affects you.
12. Disputes and law
See Complaints. South African law applies To be confirmed.
Privacy policy
Draft v0.1 · For legal review · Not in force
Draft for legal reviewWritten to follow South Africa's Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). Final text to be settled with counsel.
1. Who is responsible
Urban Trip, 2026 / 877067 / 07, is the responsible party. Our information officer is [NAME], admin@urbantrip.travel.
2. What we collect
You give us: name, email, phone, date of birth, identity document, selfie, bank account details, trip details.
From using the app: payments and balances, device information, how you use features.
From partners: verification results, payment confirmations, booking confirmations.
3. Why we use it
Purpose
Basis
Run your account and trip funds
To perform our agreement with you
Check identity and prevent fraud and money laundering
Legal obligation and legitimate interest
Process bookings
To perform our agreement with you
Contact you about your account
Our agreement and legitimate interest
Marketing
Your consent, which you can withdraw
4. Who we share it with
Only the partners listed on Partners and processors, and authorities where the law requires. We do not sell personal information.
5. Other countries
Some partners may store data outside South Africa. We will only allow this where the law permits and the data is protected to a similar standard.
Ask us to correct or delete it, unless the law requires us to keep it.
Object to certain uses and withdraw consent for marketing.
Complain to us, or to the Information Regulator.
8. Children
Urban Trip is for people 18 and over. Members may list a child's name for a trip only as a traveller, with the adult's responsibility. To be confirmed by counsel
Our website and app may store small pieces of data on your device. This page will list each one before launch.
Type
Purpose
Needs consent?
Essential
Sign-in, security, remembering your choices
No
Preferences
Language and display settings
Planned: yes To be confirmed
Analytics
Understanding how the site is used
Yes
Marketing
Measuring and improving adverts
Yes
At the time of writing, this website sets no tracking cookies. You will be able to change your choices at any time from a link in the footer.
Acceptable use policy
Draft v0.1 · For legal review
You may not use Urban Trip to:
Break the law, or help someone else do so.
Launder money, hide the source of money, or pay in money you aren't entitled to use.
Move money in and out in a way that has no connection to a trip.
Use someone else's identity, account or bank details.
Pretend to run a trip to collect money from others.
Attack, probe or overload our systems, or try to get around security.
Harass other members, or upload unlawful or harmful content.
Use the service for gambling, investments, lending, or collecting donations as a business.
What happens if you do
We may pause or close your account, hold a fund while we investigate, and report to the authorities where the law requires. We will explain why where we can, and return your balance under the Withdrawals policy unless the law prevents it.
Travel booking terms
Draft v0.1 · For legal review
Draft for legal reviewWhether Urban Trip acts as agent or principal for bookings is To be confirmed.
1. Who supplies the travel
Flights, stays and other travel are supplied by third parties. We arrange and pay for bookings on your group's behalf. The supplier's terms apply to the travel itself.
2. Before you book
We show the total price, what is included, any fee we charge, and the supplier's cancellation and change rules.
The group's fund must hold enough money to cover the booking.
Each member's share is recorded when the booking is paid.
3. Changes and cancellations
Allowed only as the supplier's rules permit. Any refund goes back to the trip fund and to each member's share.
4. Travel documents and your responsibilities
You are responsible for passports, visas, health rules and insurance. We recommend travel insurance.
5. Commissions
We may earn a commission from travel partners. It does not add to the price you pay unless we show a fee.