Depositing crypto from a personal wallet to an exchange without losing it

Moving coins from your own wallet to an exchange looks like the reverse of a withdrawal, but the responsibility sits mostly with you. The exchange gives you a deposit address, and whatever you send to it is processed according to the asset and network it arrives on. If you choose a network the exchange does not support for that address, forget a memo, or paste an address that was swapped by malware, the funds may not be credited and recovery can be slow or impossible. This routine breaks the deposit into small checks so you can send with confidence on any of the large exchanges.

Generate the deposit address fresh each time

Open the deposit page inside the exchange app, choose the exact coin, and then choose the network. The address shown depends on both. Do not reuse an address saved months ago in a note or chat, because supported networks can change. If the page shows a memo or tag field, it is required for that deposit and must be entered in your wallet as well. Read any notice on the deposit page about minimum amounts or suspended networks before you continue.

Match the network in your wallet exactly

In your personal wallet, select the same network the exchange listed. Similar sounding networks are not interchangeable, and a token on one chain is not automatically visible on another. Paste the address and compare the first and last several characters against the exchange screen. If your wallet shows a different network name format, look up the network in the exchange help centre rather than guessing which one matches.

Send a small test first

For the first deposit on any coin and network combination, send a small amount and wait for it to appear in your exchange balance. Deposits need a number of network confirmations before they are credited, and the deposit history usually shows the progress. Once the test arrives, send the remaining amount using the same address and memo. Keep the transaction hash from your wallet, because it is the main piece of information support will ask for if anything goes wrong.

When a deposit does not show up

First check the transaction hash in a block explorer to confirm it was actually sent and confirmed on the network you intended. Then review the exchange deposit history and any notices about delays on that network. If the network or memo was wrong, read the exchange's official guidance on incorrect deposits before taking any further step, and contact support only through the official channels. Ignore strangers on social media who offer to recover deposits for a fee.

Risk boundary: South Africa Crypto Guide

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Scenario checkpoint

• Generate a fresh deposit address in the exchange app for the exact coin and network.
• Enter the memo or tag in your wallet whenever the deposit page shows that field.
• Send a small test amount and wait for it to be credited before sending the rest.
• Save the transaction hash from your wallet for every deposit you make.