Your funds
The most expensive mistake in crypto: sending on the wrong network
A transfer sent on the wrong network does not bounce back. It either never arrives or arrives somewhere that is very hard to reach. Here is how it happens and how to make sure it never happens to you.
How it happens
Exchanges let you withdraw the same coin on several networks: USDT on Ethereum, Tron, BNB Smart Chain and others. The address fields look alike and the network is often a small drop-down chosen from a list. Choosing Ethereum or Tron when the address is on BNB Smart Chain is an easy slip to make in a hurry.
Why it cannot simply be reversed
Blockchains have no undo button and no central office to call. Once a transfer is confirmed, it is final. Coins sent on a network the receiving address does not use may be impossible to recover, and even where recovery is technically possible, it is slow, manual work with no guarantee.
The three-second check
Your fourdigits deposit address is on BNB Smart Chain, and the Deposit screen says so next to it. When you withdraw from an exchange, the network must read BNB Smart Chain, BEP20 or BSC. If it reads anything else, stop. Then compare the first and last few characters of the address before you confirm.
Send a small amount first
The first time you send from a new exchange or wallet, send a small test amount and wait for it to arrive in your fourdigits Wallet. Once it has, you know the route works. The extra network fee is a few cents; the peace of mind is worth much more.