You pressed send, then noticed the network said BEP20 instead of ERC20, or Arbitrum instead of Ethereum. It is a sinking feeling, but the outcome depends on exactly what happened, and in a good share of cases the funds are not destroyed, just in a place that needs someone with the right keys to reach them. Work through this calmly.
Step 1: find the transaction
Open your wallet or exchange history and copy the transaction hash (TXID). Paste it into the block explorer of the network you actually used, for example Etherscan for Ethereum, BscScan for BNB Smart Chain or Tronscan for Tron. Note three things: the network, the receiving address and the status. If you are not sure how to read this, see what a TXID is.
If the explorer of the network you thought you used shows nothing, try the others. A transaction always exists on exactly one chain.
Step 2: identify your case
Case A: same address format, another EVM network
Ethereum, BNB Smart Chain, Arbitrum, Base and Polygon all use 0x addresses, and the same private key controls the same address on all of them. If you sent USDT on BEP20 to an address that the recipient only uses on Ethereum, the tokens sit at that address on BNB Smart Chain. Whoever holds the private key can usually access them by adding that network to their wallet. If it is your own self-custody wallet, simply switch networks and look.
Case B: deposit to an exchange on an unsupported network
Exchanges often generate deposit addresses they only watch on certain networks. The funds may have arrived at an address the exchange controls, but its systems do not credit them. Contact the exchange's support with the TXID. Some exchanges can recover such deposits manually, sometimes for a fee and after a delay; others cannot. That decision is theirs.
Case C: incompatible formats
Trying to send TRC20 USDT to a 0x address, or BTC to an Ethereum address, is normally blocked by wallets because the address is invalid on that chain. If your transaction failed, the funds never left. Check your balance again.
Case D: missing tag or memo
For XRP, TON and some other coins, exchanges use a shared address plus a tag or memo. The network was right, but without the memo nobody knows whose deposit it is. Support can usually match it if you give them the TXID and proof that you sent it. See XRP destination tag explained.
Step 3: what to send to support
- The TXID and the network it was actually sent on.
- The sending and receiving addresses.
- The coin, token and exact amount.
- The date and time, and your account or order ID if there is one.
- A screenshot of the withdrawal or send screen, if you have it.
Never share your seed phrase or private key with anyone, including support. Legitimate support never needs them.
Beware of "recovery" scams
Posting about a lost transfer in public forums often attracts messages from "recovery experts" who promise to retrieve your funds for an upfront fee or ask for your seed phrase. These are scams. Real recovery comes only from whoever controls the receiving address, contacted through their official support channels.
The LarkSwap case
LarkSwap uses one EVM address for Ethereum, BNB Smart Chain, Arbitrum, Base and Polygon. So if you send an EVM token on the wrong EVM network to a LarkSwap deposit address, it usually lands at an address LarkSwap controls. Support can review it manually: open the on-site chat with your order ID and TXID. This is handled case by case, with no guarantee, and it may take time, because it involves manual work outside the normal automated flow.
If you sent to LarkSwap on the right network but the order does not show the deposit, paste your TXID on the order page first; that solves most mismatches.
Prevention checklist
- Before sending, read the network name on both the sending screen and the receiving screen. They must match word for word.
- Remember that matching address formats do not mean matching networks. ERC20 and BEP20 both start with 0x; BEP20 vs ERC20 explains the difference.
- For first-time transfers of larger amounts, send a small test first.
- When the recipient needs another network than the one you hold, convert first, for example USDT ERC20 to USDT TRC20 or USDT BEP20 to USDT ERC20.
- Always include the tag or memo when an exchange shows one.
Frequently asked questions
Is crypto sent to the wrong network lost forever?
Not always. If it went to a 0x address on another EVM chain, whoever controls that address can usually reach it by switching networks. Exchange deposits on unsupported networks depend on the exchange support. Funds sent to an address nobody controls are generally not recoverable.
Can LarkSwap recover tokens sent on the wrong EVM network?
Because LarkSwap uses one EVM address on Ethereum, BNB Smart Chain, Arbitrum, Base and Polygon, such deposits usually land at an address it controls. Support reviews them manually, case by case, with no guarantee and possibly some delay.
Should I pay a recovery service to get my crypto back?
No. Services that contact you offering recovery for an upfront fee or asking for your seed phrase are scams. Only the owner of the receiving address can help, through official support channels.