What to do when a deposit does not arrive
- Author
- CRYPTO PORT Editorial
- Published
- Updated
- Reading time
- 6 min
In short
When a deposit does not show up, do not resend in a panic. Check on a block explorer whether the transaction has confirmed. If it has confirmed but has not credited, the usual causes are a network mismatch, a missing destination tag, or maintenance on the receiving side. Note the transaction ID, time and amount, and contact the receiving service's support.
Key points
- First check the transaction's state — unconfirmed or confirmed — on a block explorer
- If it is confirmed but not credited, suspect a network mismatch, a missing tag, or maintenance
- Having the transaction ID (hash) is the precondition for any support enquiry
- Do not resend until you know the cause; you risk repeating the same mistake
Definition
The situation where crypto you sent has not appeared in the recipient's balance within the expected time. The cause can lie with the sender, the network, or the receiving service.
The first question is whether you should simply be waiting. A transfer is recorded on the blockchain and is not credited until it reaches the number of confirmations the recipient requires. During congestion that can take well over half an hour, and the normal time differs enormously by asset. Ten minutes is too soon to declare it lost. Start by checking that the withdrawal shows as completed in the sending service's history.
Next, note the transaction ID (hash) — the long string shown in the withdrawal record that uniquely identifies the transfer. Searching it on a block explorer tells you whether it confirmed, how many confirmations it has, and which address it went to. 'How to read a block explorer' covers this. At that point you can separate 'it has not arrived yet' from 'it arrived but was not credited'.
If it sits unconfirmed for a long time, congestion or the fee setting may be responsible. For a withdrawal from an exchange, the exchange sets the fee, so there is generally nothing for you to do but wait. If the state does not change, raise it with the sending service's support, quoting the transaction ID.
If it is confirmed but not credited, the issue is on the receiving side. Three causes dominate: the wrong network was selected, a destination tag or memo was omitted, or the recipient is in maintenance or having an incident. For the third, the recipient's notices page usually says so, which is why it is worth checking first. The other two you cannot fix yourself, so they go to support.
When you write in, include the transaction ID, the sending address, the destination address, the network you chose, the date and time with the time zone stated, the amount, and whether you entered a tag. With all of that, the investigation moves faster. And until the cause is known, do not send again — the same settings will produce the same result. 'How to contact exchange support' explains the process.
Watch out for
- · Never contact a third party advertising 'fund recovery'. Such offers exist to collect an up-front fee or to extract your seed phrase
- · Reach support only through the official app or site of the service concerned. Fake support reached via search adverts is common
- · Resending before the cause is known is the classic way to double the loss
Frequently asked questions
Can funds sent on the wrong network be recovered?
Only if the receiving service offers a recovery process, in which case it may be credited after investigation. Whether they do, how long it takes and what it costs vary by operator, and some cases cannot be recovered. Enquire early with the transaction ID.