Transferring cryptocurrencies from a wallet to the wrong blockchain (e.g. USDT should have been transferred to the ERC-20 network, but was actually transferred to the BSC network) may result in the asset not reaching the destination address directly. Recovering this part of the asset depends on the situation, and the following are some common solutions.
I. Common Situations and Solutions
1.The transferring address is correct, but the network is wrong.
If the target address supports receiving assets transferred to the wrong network, the assets may still be stored on the target address. You can follow the steps below to retrieve them:
- Add tokens using the correct network:
- Log in to the target wallet.
- Manually add the asset's network (e.g. BSC or Polygon) to the wallet.
- After the network switch, add the token contract address and view the asset.
- Contact Customer Service:
If the target address belongs to an exchange account, contact the customer service of that exchange and provide the following information:
- TxID (transaction hash).
- Transfer amount.
- Target address.
The exchange may be able to help you process the funds.
2.Wrong address and network
- If the address itself is invalid (not the destination wallet address), this usually means that the asset has been lost because it did not successfully reach any controlled address.
- At this point it is recommended:
- Contact the transferring platform or wallet service provider, explain the situation and provide transaction details (TxID, etc.).
- Recover the address yourself: If you have a private key or mnemonic for the target address, you can try to import it into a wallet that supports misrouting networks (e.g. MetaMask).
Ⅱ.the detailed operation steps
Scenario 1: switch to wallet, but the network selection is wrong
1.Switch wallet network:
If your target wallet supports multi-chain (e.g. MetaMask, Trust Wallet), switch to the network of the wrong transfer (e.g. BSC, Polygon).
2.Add tokens manually:
Add the address of the token contract on the mis-transferred network in your wallet (you can find the address of the token contract through the blockchain browser).
3.Check the asset balance:
If the token balance is on the wrong network, you can transfer the tokens back to the right network via cross-chain bridge.
4.Contact the exchange's customer service:
Provide detailed information about your transaction, including:
- Transaction hash (TxID).
- Transaction hash (TxID). Transfer amount and token name.
- Send address and receive address.
The Exchange may be able to assist you in restoring the misdirected assets to your account.
Note: Additional fees may apply for recovery.
Scenario 3: Complete transfer to the wrong address and network
1.Try to recover it yourself:
If the private key of the misrouted address is under your control, you can import the address into a wallet that supports the misrouted network.
Import method:
- Get the private key or mnemonic.
- Select the “Import wallet” function in the wallet that supports the target network and enter the private key or mnemonic.
- Switch networks and add the address of the token contract, check the asset balance.
2.Ask the technical team or community for help:
- You may need to seek help from the technical team if you are unable to handle the process on your own (at a higher cost).
- Provide transaction information and verify that you are the actual owner of the funds.
III. Avoiding future transfer errors
1.Ensure network consistency:
- Before transferring money, double-check that the blockchain networks used by the transferring and receiving addresses are consistent (e.g., ERC-20 to ERC-20, BSC to BSC).
2.Test small transfers:
- Test small amounts first to ensure that the funds can be successfully transferred before proceeding to large amounts.
3.Save key transaction information:
- Save the transaction hash, transfer address and destination network information so that you can contact the platform if necessary.
IV. Summary
Asset retrieval for wallet transfer to the wrong chain mainly depends on the following factors:
- Whether the target address supports assets from the wrong network.
- Whether the receiving address is a personal wallet or an exchange account.
- Whether you have the private key or mnemonic of the target address.