My swap was marked complete but I never received the coins

05 September 2026

The most likely explanation is that the swap never happened on the chain you think it did. The exchanger’s interface marked the order complete after it broadcast a transaction, but the coins you expected were sent to an address you do not control.

Here is why that happens and what you should check first.

The exchange address was not the one you intended

When you copy an address from a website, a mobile app, or even your own clipboard history, a single wrong character can route funds to a wallet nobody can retrieve. This is not a scam every time - sometimes it is a typo, a clipboard hijacker, or a stale address from an earlier swap that the exchanger no longer supports.

Open the transaction on a block explorer. Look at the output address. Compare it, character by character, to the address you originally pasted. If they differ, the coins are gone unless the recipient is feeling generous. No exchanger can reverse a confirmed transaction on a public blockchain.

The swap used a bridge or a wrapped token

Many swaps do not send the native coin directly. They send a wrapped version on a different chain. You might be looking for Ethereum (ETH) on the Ethereum network, but the swap sent a wrapped version on Binance Smart Chain or Polygon. Your wallet might not display tokens from other chains unless you add the contract address manually.

Check the transaction details for a “to” address that belongs to a token contract, not your wallet. If the contract is unfamiliar, look up its symbol and chain on a block explorer. Then add that token to your wallet on the correct network.

The swap required a second transaction to claim

Some decentralized exchanges and bridges use a two-step process: you send funds, they lock them, then you must execute a claim transaction to receive the output. If the claim step failed or you never clicked it, the coins sit in a smart contract. The exchanger’s dashboard may show “complete” because the first leg succeeded.

Search your wallet’s transaction history for a pending or failed transaction with a similar timestamp. If you find one, try resubmitting with a higher gas fee. If you cannot find it, contact the exchanger’s support with the swap ID - not just the transaction hash - and ask whether a claim step is needed.

The swap was a “send and forget” with a non-custodial address

Some exchangers generate a temporary deposit address per swap. After you send to that address, they forward the coins to your final destination. If the forwarding transaction fails or gets stuck, the exchanger may mark the swap complete on their end because they received your deposit. The coins never left their internal system.

Check whether the exchanger’s terms say they accept no liability for onward delivery delays. If so, your only recourse is their support channel. Provide the swap ID and the deposit transaction hash. Expect them to blame network congestion.

What to do next

1. Verify the transaction on a block explorer. Confirm the recipient address and the token type.
2. Add the token contract to your wallet for the network you used.
3. Check for a claim step in the swap history or in your wallet’s pending transactions.
4. Contact support with the swap ID, deposit hash, and a screenshot of the “complete” status.

If none of these steps locate your coins, the swap is likely lost. No legitimate exchanger can refund a completed on-chain transaction.

For a fuller picture of how to avoid this situation, read the hub page Swapping crypto safely. It covers the checks worth making before you send funds to any exchange address.

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