US Customs Pledges to Refund $130 Billion in Unlawful Tariffs, Develops Dedicated Payment System

After the US Supreme Court overturned the tariffs, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) must process about $130 billion in refunds, affecting importers’ cash flow, cross-border settlements and supply-chain financing. Some companies have even used their refund claims as collateral, making the payout schedule a significant risk for the trade-finance market.

CBP has now pledged to develop a dedicated automated payment system that is expected to be ready within 45 days of the announcement, helping importers recover funds ruled to have been unlawfully collected. Recent reports put the first wave of refunds at about $127 billion. FedEx, DHL and UPS have also begun taking action, indicating that major logistics companies are accelerating efforts to reclaim the tariffs.