Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsTo judge whether you can get crypto back from an exchange, verify the exact legal entity serving your account, read its custody and withdrawal terms, and check the asset and network you plan to use. A familiar brand name, a regulator listing, or a proof-of-reserves report alone does not establish that your assets are segregated, that every withdrawal route is available, or that a transfer cannot be delayed.
Start with the entity that holds your account
An exchange brand may use different companies and contracts for different countries, products, or account types. The terms that apply depend on the entity and service you actually use—not just the name on the app.
- Find the contracting entity. Check the account agreement and custody terms for the company name, its country, the governing law, and the dispute process.
- Identify the service and account type. Establish whether the terms cover custody and administration, a hosted wallet, execution only, or a combination. Do not assume one product’s terms apply to another.
- Check the relevant regulator’s register. Look up the named company and confirm that its registered or authorized service matches the one in your agreement.
- Record what you checked. Note the date, because online terms and supported networks can change.
A regulator listing is useful for confirming a firm’s status and authorized services; it is not by itself a guarantee of asset protection or access to withdrawals in every country.
Read the custody terms for control, use, and insolvency
Look for direct answers to these questions before leaving a meaningful balance on the platform:
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- Who controls the keys? Does the provider hold them, or delegate custody to another firm? If custody is delegated, identify the custodian, its location, and the law governing that arrangement.
- How are customer assets held? Are they operationally and legally separate from the provider’s assets? Are balances in pooled addresses, individually assigned addresses, or another arrangement?
- May the provider use the assets? Check for permission to lend, pledge, rehypothecate, stake, or otherwise use customer crypto. Note whether a separate product or opt-in changes the answer.
- What rights does the contract assert in insolvency? Read the treatment of customer assets and the process for returning assets or access credentials. Contract language matters, but the practical outcome can also depend on the governing law and the custodian’s location.
- How are balances and incidents handled? Check how the provider records positions, supplies statements, protects assets, and responds to security incidents.
For providers and services within its scope, EU MiCA offers specific reference points. Article 75 covers custody-agreement topics, custody policies, records of client positions, statements, return procedures, and segregation: MiCA Article 75. Article 70 addresses safeguarding ownership rights, especially in insolvency, preventing use of client crypto for the provider’s own account, and the safeguarding and separate identification of certain client funds: MiCA Article 70. These provisions should not be treated as rules for every exchange, service, or customer jurisdiction.
Custody location can matter as well as the contract’s governing law. Switzerland’s FINMA warned on 12 January 2026 that “If the custody takes place abroad, additional complex legal issues may arise – especially if the custodian becomes insolvent.” Read the FINMA announcement on crypto custody risks in its Swiss context.
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Check withdrawals for the exact asset and route
Withdrawal availability is not necessarily the same for every token, network, destination, or account. Check the current terms and status for each material holding, not just a general page saying that withdrawals are supported.
- Asset and network: Confirm the exact ticker and chain. Check that the destination accepts that asset on that network; a compatible ticker on a different chain is not enough.
- Destination rules: Look for restrictions on wallet types or addresses, and whether the provider requires additional identifying information or checks.
- Limits and costs: Record minimums, maximums, network fees, and any other withdrawal charges.
- Timing: Distinguish estimated processing time from a guaranteed deadline. Check for confirmation requirements, security holds after account changes, manual review, and legal or compliance checks.
- Pauses and refusals: Find the terms that allow the provider to delay, suspend, refuse, or cancel a request—for example, for security, fraud, legal, or transaction-limit concerns.
- Current availability: Check whether the asset or network is temporarily suspended before initiating a transfer.
Before sending a substantial amount to a new destination, verify the network and address carefully. If the provider permits it, consider a small test withdrawal first; that can help check the route but does not establish that future withdrawals will be available.
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Contract terms can allow delays even when a withdrawal function appears in the account. For example, a Coinbase Custody Prime agreement filed with the U.S. SEC in 2025 says custody-wallet withdrawal requests may require up to 24 hours before submission to the network, and permits specified delays, refusals, or cancellations. It also warns users to deposit only supported assets. Those are terms in a particular institutional agreement—not a processing benchmark for Coinbase retail accounts or exchanges generally. Read the filed Coinbase Custody Prime agreement.
Understand what the contract says must be returned
Check whether the terms promise return of the same asset or allow substitution, conversion, or return in another form. A clause allowing conversion can matter if you need a particular token rather than equivalent value.
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For custody providers within MiCA’s scope, the European Commission’s answer dated 18 February 2026 says Article 75(6) means the same type of crypto-asset held should be returned. A provider may offer equivalent fiat or another crypto-asset only if the customer requests that option at withdrawal and the applicable service and authorization requirements are met. The answer clarifies existing EU legislation; it does not create a general rule for providers outside MiCA. See the ESMA-hosted Commission answer and check how local law applies to your provider.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Use proof of reserves as limited evidence
A proof-of-reserves report can provide a dated view of specified reserves and a way to check whether a customer balance appears in a reported liability set. It cannot, by itself, establish that all liabilities are included, that assets are legally segregated, that reserves are unencumbered, or that withdrawals will always work.
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When reviewing a report, check:
- Its snapshot date, and which assets and customer balances it covers.
- Which reserve addresses are listed and what evidence shows the provider controls them.
- How liabilities are calculated, including whether negative balances or borrowing are addressed.
- Who performed or verified the process and what that party’s role was.
- Whether you can reproduce your own inclusion check from the information provided.
Binance describes a process in which a customer can inspect a Merkle leaf or record ID and compare inclusion with a liabilities report; its page also describes reserve-wallet ownership and snapshot balances. That is evidence of Binance’s stated verification mechanism, not proof on its own of complete liabilities, legal segregation, or ongoing withdrawal capacity. See Binance’s proof-of-reserves explanation.
Compare providers on the same terms
If you are choosing between platforms, use the same checklist for each one. A comparison is only useful if it covers the entity and service that would actually hold your account.
| What to compare | What to record |
|---|---|
| Contracting entity and jurisdiction | Company name, country, governing law, regulator and authorized service, account type |
| Custody and delegation | Who controls the keys; delegated custodian and location, if any |
| Segregation and insolvency | Operational and legal separation wording; stated customer rights and return process |
| Use of customer assets | Whether lending, pledging, rehypothecation, or staking is permitted, and whether an opt-in changes the terms |
| Withdrawal route | Asset, network, permitted destinations, current availability, minimums, fees, limits, and estimated timing |
| Holds and refusal rights | Security waits, manual review, legal or compliance holds, and contractual suspension or cancellation grounds |
| Reserve evidence | Snapshot date, asset and liability scope, address-control evidence, verifier’s role, and user-level check |
| Support and escalation | How to contact support, make a complaint, and escalate a dispute under the agreement |
Keep a dated copy or record of the relevant agreement pages, withdrawal fees and limits, network status, and reserve report. That makes it easier to distinguish a changed policy from the terms you reviewed when deciding where to hold assets.
Can a crypto exchange stop my withdrawal?
It can be possible under the contract and applicable law. Terms may allow delays, reviews, suspensions, refusals, or cancellations in specified circumstances, while security holds or temporary network suspensions can also affect availability. Read the clauses for your entity and account, then check live asset and network status. Neither a listed withdrawal option nor proof of reserves guarantees that a particular transfer will be processed on demand.
What happens to my crypto if an exchange goes bankrupt?
The result depends on the provider’s legal entity, the custody arrangement, the contract, applicable law, and whether assets were properly segregated. Read the insolvency and customer-asset clauses, including any terms for a third-party custodian and foreign custody. A contract can state customer rights, but that wording alone does not establish how a bankruptcy would be resolved in a particular jurisdiction.
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