How to send crypto safely: addresses, networks, memos and test transactions

Sending crypto safely comes down to four checks: the right address, the right network, the right memo or tag if one is required, and a small test before anything large. Because most blockchain transfers cannot be undone, a minute of checking is your only safety net.

Why sending crypto needs extra care

When you pay by card, a bank can usually reverse a mistaken or fraudulent charge. Crypto works differently. Once a transaction is confirmed on the blockchain, it is generally permanent, and no central party can claw it back. If you send to the wrong place, getting the funds back depends on whoever controls that address, if anyone does.

The good news is that almost every costly mistake falls into a few predictable categories, and each one has a simple check.

Understanding crypto addresses

A crypto address is a long string of letters and numbers that identifies where coins should go, similar to an account number. Different networks use different formats. Bitcoin addresses often start with bc1, while Ethereum and many compatible networks use addresses that start with 0x.

• Never type an address by hand. Copy it or scan a QR code from the recipient's official source.
• Check more than the first and last few characters. Scammers can generate look-alike addresses that match both ends. Compare a chunk in the middle as well.
• Save trusted addresses in your wallet's address book or your exchange's allowlist after a successful first transfer.

Pick the right network

The same token can exist on several networks at once. USDC, for example, is issued on Ethereum, Solana and a number of other chains, and many tokens also live on layer 2 networks. An address may look valid on more than one network, especially among chains that share the 0x format.

If you withdraw on one network but the recipient only watches another, the funds may not arrive where they expect. Sometimes they can be recovered by whoever controls the private key on that other chain; sometimes, especially with exchange deposit addresses, recovery is difficult or impossible.

Memos and destination tags

Some networks, including XRP Ledger and Stellar, are commonly used by exchanges with one shared address for many customers. A second piece of information tells the exchange which account to credit. On XRP Ledger it is called a destination tag, a number. On Stellar it is a memo. Other networks, such as Cosmos-based chains, use similar memo fields.

As Coinbase's help center and the Stellar Development Foundation both explain, leaving out the tag or memo means the exchange receives the coins but does not know whose they are. Recovery requires a support ticket at best.

• If the recipient's deposit screen shows a tag or memo, always include it exactly.
• Sending between two personal wallets usually does not need one, but check with the recipient.

Send a test transaction first

For any first-time recipient or any large amount, send a small test. Wait until the recipient confirms it arrived in the right place, then send the rest to the exact same address, network and tag. The extra network fee is cheap insurance.

A test does not protect you if the recipient is a scammer, but it does catch wrong networks, missing memos and copy-paste errors.

Network fees

Every transfer pays a network fee to the people securing the blockchain. On Ethereum and similar networks this fee is called gas and is paid in the network's native coin, so you may need a little ETH just to move a token like USDC. Fees rise when the network is busy.

Exchanges usually charge their own withdrawal fee, which may differ from the actual network fee. Check the total before you confirm, and make sure you are not sending more than you intended once fees are added or subtracted.

Confirmation times

A transaction is “confirmed” once it is included in a block, and it becomes harder to reverse as more blocks are added after it. Timing depends on the chain:

• Bitcoin adds a new block roughly every 10 minutes on average, though the timing varies, according to Bitcoin.org. Many services wait for several confirmations.
• Ethereum produces a block every 12 seconds and reaches full finality after two epochs, about 12.8 minutes, as Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has described.
• Exchanges set their own thresholds and may hold withdrawals for security review.

You can follow any transaction yourself by pasting its transaction ID into a block explorer for that network.

Address poisoning

Address poisoning is a scam that targets your transaction history. An attacker creates an address whose first and last characters match one you use often, then sends a tiny or zero-value transfer, or a fake look-alike token, so the fake address shows up in your wallet history. Later, you copy the wrong address from that list.

Chainalysis has documented a single victim who nearly lost $68 million in wrapped bitcoin this way, and the FBI has warned that impersonation tokens make the trick work on experienced users too. Read our full guide to address poisoning.

Your pre-send checklist

1. Is this transfer something I chose to make, without pressure or urgency from someone else?
2. Did I copy the address from the original source, not from my history?
3. Does the address match in the beginning, the middle and the end?
4. Does the network on my side match the network the recipient supports?
5. Does the recipient require a memo or destination tag, and did I enter it exactly?
6. Do I have enough of the native coin to pay the network fee?
7. For a new recipient or a large amount, did I send and confirm a small test first?
8. Have I checked the final amount after fees on the confirmation screen?

Where to go next

If you skipped the previous lesson, start with how to buy crypto safely. Next in the course is what DeFi is, followed by staking, layer 2 networks and stablecoins.

Updated October 4, 2026 by The Crypto Guide editorial team. Educational content, not financial, legal or tax advice. Spot an error? Request a correction.