Sent crypto to the wrong network: what now?

Many coins exist on several networks at once. USDC, for instance, is issued on Ethereum, Solana, Base and others. When you withdraw, you choose the network, and the receiving side has to support that same network. Our network overview explains how the choice works.

First, look up the transaction

Find the transaction ID in your withdrawal history and search for it in the explorer of the network you used; see what a blockchain explorer is. Note which network, which address and whether the transaction is confirmed. An unconfirmed transfer is merely delayed, not lost.

Then work out who controls the receiving address

Your own wallet. Networks built on Ethereum's design, such as Base, Arbitrum One and BNB Smart Chain, use the same address format. If you hold the seed phrase for the address, the same address is yours on the other network too. Add that network to your wallet, as MetaMask's support pages explain, and the funds will appear. To move them back, you will need a little of that network's own coin to pay the fee.

An exchange. If you sent to an exchange deposit address over a network the exchange does not support, contact its support team with the transaction ID. Coinbase and Kraken both describe when they can recover such deposits. It is not guaranteed, it can take weeks and there may be a charge.

Someone else, or nobody. If the address belongs to a third party who will not cooperate, or to no one at all, there is nothing to undo. Blockchain transactions are final.

Forgot a memo or destination tag?

For coins such as XRP and Stellar, exchanges often use a single deposit address for all customers and tell them apart with a memo or destination tag. Without it, the coins reach the exchange but cannot be credited automatically. This is usually fixable: send support the transaction ID and your account details.

How to avoid it next time

• Check which networks the recipient supports. On our network pages, each coin shows which licensed exchanges let you withdraw over which network; see Ethereum for an example.
• Send a small test amount to any new address first.
• Fill in the memo or tag whenever the recipient asks for one.
• Watch out for wrapped versions with familiar names; see what a wrapped token is.

If you are unsure which network your wallet uses, leave your coins on the exchange until you know. Our wallet guide compares the main options, and the comparer shows where you get the most crypto for your euros in the first place.