Why a crypto swap sometimes gets held, and what happens next
A held swap is stressful. Why deposits get paused, what is usually asked, and how to get things moving again.
Most swaps finish without anyone looking at them. Now and then one gets paused. It feels alarming, but the reasons are almost always routine, and almost every held swap ends with the swap completing or a refund.
Why deposits get held
Every incoming deposit is screened with blockchain analytics tools that score where the coins came from. A deposit is paused when that score crosses a line. The usual triggers are these.
- Coins that recently passed through a service flagged for theft, scams or sanctions.
- Coins from a mixer or a known high risk exchange.
- An unusually large amount compared with normal traffic.
Often the sender did nothing wrong. Coins pass through many hands, and a payment you received from someone else can carry history you never saw.
What gets asked
Usually the question is where the coins came from. That might be a short explanation, a screenshot of a withdrawal from an exchange, or in some cases identity documents.
What we do
If a swap is held, open the contact page or write to our Telegram bot with your swap ID. We handle it with you and follow up until there is an answer. One contact, start to finish.
How to avoid it
Send from a wallet you control, with coins whose history you know. For large amounts, message our private desk before you send and one person stays with you until the coins arrive. More on our AML and large swaps page.
Quick answers
Will I lose my coins if a swap is held?
Usually not. A held deposit is either released after the check or refunded to your refund address. The exception is funds linked to theft or sanctions, which may legally have to be frozen.
How do I get a held swap moving?
Open a ticket with your swap ID. A person at SwapAnonymously works through it with you and tells you exactly what is needed.
Ready to swap? See the live rate. No account needed.
