When a deposit has not arrived
- Author
- CRYPTO PORT Editorial
- Published
- Updated
- Reading time
- 6 min
In short
Before you panic and send again, work through it in order. Start with the transaction ID on a block explorer to confirm the transfer itself went through. Then check that the network and address you used match what the receiving side specified. If both look right, it is most likely waiting to be credited on the exchange's side; if you still cannot tell, contact the official support channel with your records attached.
Key points
- The first thing to find is the transaction ID, from the sending side's history
- A block explorer lets you check confirmation status yourself
- Choosing the wrong network is a classic cause, and it often cannot be undone
- However anxious you are, do not resend. Duplicating the transfer doubles the damage
Definition
The state where a transfer has been sent but has not appeared in the receiving balance — either because it is still unconfirmed on the network, or because it is confirmed but the receiving service has not credited it yet.
The first move is not to resend — it is to capture your records. Open the history screen of the exchange or wallet you sent from and note five things: the transaction ID (also called the TxID or transaction hash), the time, the amount, the destination address and the network you selected. With those five you can do almost all of the checking yourself. Without them, support has very little to investigate.
Next, put the transaction ID into a block explorer for the network you used. If it shows as confirmed or successful, the transfer completed on the network. If it still says pending, the network has not processed it yet. If the explorer cannot find it at all, either the transaction never reached the network, or you are looking at an explorer for a different network. 'How to read a block explorer' covers this in detail.
If it is confirmed but still not in your balance, check the destination. Does the address match exactly what the receiving side's deposit screen showed, and is the network the one they specified? The same address format is valid on several networks, so sending over a network the recipient does not support leaves the funds stranded. Whether the receiving service can do anything about it depends entirely on the operator, and many state plainly that they cannot — in which case the assets may not be recoverable.
If both the address and the network are right, you are most likely waiting to be credited. Exchanges set a required number of confirmations per asset and will not credit the balance until it is reached; congestion and maintenance windows push this out further. Most operators publish their confirmation requirements, so compare that figure against what the explorer shows for your transaction.
If you are still in the dark after all that, contact official support — reached through the official app or a site you have bookmarked yourself — and include the five details you noted. While you wait for a reply, people may appear in your DMs or in comment threads claiming to be support or offering recovery. All of them are scams. Legitimate support does not reach out to you first in a DM.
Watch out for
- · Do not resend the same transfer. If it turns out it was merely waiting to be credited, the duplicate may not come back
- · Anyone approaching you on social media, in comments or by DM offering to 'fix your deposit problem' is a scam; they will ask for a fee payment or for your seed phrase
- · Assets sent over the wrong network often cannot be recovered, and exchanges are under no obligation to help case by case. Do not plan around getting them back
Frequently asked questions
The explorer says confirmed, but hours later it still is not credited.
Check whether the transaction has reached the required number of confirmations for that asset, and whether the receiving service is in maintenance. If neither explains it, contact official support with the transaction ID and timestamp. Avoid asking around on social media while you wait.