Why must the payment match the order amount?
Because the rate and the terms of the exchange are fixed for a specific amount. If the payment differs from the amount in the order, the exchange can't be recalculated automatically, so the order is passed to an operator for manual review.
At BITWHITE, the rate, the fee and the final amount are visible before you create an order, and the rate is locked at the moment the order is created. That is convenient: you know in advance how much you will receive. But the lock only works for the amount you specified. A different amount means a different calculation, and that decision should be made by a person, not an automated system.
There is another reason: a blockchain payment is irreversible. The network can't “reject” a wrong amount; the coins simply arrive at the address. So all responsibility for accuracy lies at the sending stage. That is why it's best to treat the amount as part of the terms of the deal, not as an approximate figure.
What happens if you send less than the order amount?
The payment won't disappear: it stays on the network and is visible by its txid. The order moves to an operator, who checks the incoming payment and decides what to do with it.
As a rule, there are two options: return the amount received in the same coin, or offer you to top up the missing part. Which one fits depends on the particular case, including how much the market has moved. Don't send a top-up on your own initiative: two separate payments make the review harder.
A typical cause of underpayment is that the network fee was deducted from the amount you sent. For example, if the order says 100 units and the exchange withdrew 100 but took the fee out of that amount, less will arrive at the address. Before withdrawing, check what the destination address will actually receive, not what will be deducted from your balance.
What should you do if you sent more?
Don't panic, and don't send anything extra. This order also goes to manual review, and the surplus remains your property until an operator makes a decision.
The usual options are to exchange according to the order terms and return the remainder, or to return everything in full. The choice depends on the case, so write to support and attach the payment details. More on how to gather them without mistakes is below.
An overpayment most often comes from rounding in the wallet app or from an extra zero typed by hand. Making a habit of comparing the amount on the confirmation screen with the amount in the order eliminates most of these cases.
The payment arrived after the payment window ended
Such a payment is also handled manually. The payment address for each order is valid for up to 2 hours, and after that automatic matching is not guaranteed.
Being late is usually not the user's fault but the result of waiting on the network: congestion, a low fee, slow confirmation. If you sent the payment on time but it got stuck, it's important to say so in your message. Benchmarks for different networks are in the article How long to wait for confirmations.
The rate may have changed while you waited, so the operator may offer a recalculation or a refund. Don't create a second order for the same amount until you get an answer on the first: it will only confuse the payments.
Sending on a different network: the hardest case
This is the most difficult situation: the coins may not reach the right address or may end up on a network where the payment address has no owner in the required form. A payment on a different network also goes to an operator for manual review, but the outcome depends on the specific pair of networks and is not guaranteed.
A classic example: USDT is sent over ERC20 while the order says TRC20. The error happens when the network choice in the wallet or exchange app isn't checked against the order. Don't repeat the transfer; contact support right away. How to choose the network correctly is described in the article USDT: TRC20, ERC20 or BEP20.
Some errors can be caught before sending: the address format hints at the network. The checking method is in the article How to check a wallet address.
What happens to a payment in automatic mode?
In automatic mode, the exchange is carried out without human involvement as long as the payment matches the order. If something goes wrong, the order doesn't vanish: a payment with the wrong amount, on a different network or after the deadline goes to an operator, and if the exchange fails, the coins are returned to the refund address.
Enter the refund address carefully: it is the address of your wallet for the same coin and network you are paying from. A mistake in it means the refund will go to the wrong place. The difference between the modes is explained in detail in the article Automatic vs. manual exchange.
If you pay from an exchange, it is best to take the refund address from the same place where your coins are held, and check it against the deposit address of that coin on the exchange. The address of someone else's wallet won't do.
How to contact support so your issue is resolved faster
Write to Telegram support and attach all the details in a single message. The more precise your message, the faster the operator will find the order and the payment.
- Order number (BW-…).
- Transaction hash (txid): how to find it.
- The coin, the network and the exact amount sent.
- A refund address, if it was not specified in the order.
- The time of sending and a short description of what went wrong.
Don't send a seed phrase, private keys or passwords: the service never asks for them. If an “operator” writes to you and demands such data, it is a sign of fraud. Contact us only through the official channel listed on bitwhite.net. How to tell a fake from the real thing is covered in the article Fake exchange services.
Common mistakes when paying
Most problem payments repeat the same few mistakes. It helps to know them in advance.
- Sending without allowing for the fee. The exchange deducts the network fee from the amount, and less reaches the address.
- Typing the amount by hand. An extra decimal digit or a swapped digit position produces an underpayment or an overpayment.
- Choosing a different network. The app suggests the cheapest network by default, not the one in the order.
- Paying against an old order. The address and deadline belong to a specific order, and sending again to the same address after the deadline complicates the review.
- A repeat payment “just in case.” If you can't see the payment, check the txid first instead of sending again.
- A missing memo. For some coins a tag is mandatory, and it must be entered exactly as shown in the order.
Checklist: how to pay exactly and avoid a manual review
Go through a short list before every transfer. It takes a minute and removes most of the risk.
- Open the order and make sure the payment window hasn't expired.
- Copy the payment address with the button instead of typing it, and compare the beginning and the end.
- Choose the same network in your wallet or exchange as the one in the order.
- Check whether a tag (memo, destination tag) is needed, and enter it exactly.
- Enter the amount from the order, and remember that the network fee must be covered on top, not out of the amount being sent.
- On the confirmation screen, compare the amount, network and address once more.
- After sending, save the txid and the order number.
The general sequence of an exchange is described in the guide How to exchange cryptocurrency.
Three hypothetical examples and what to do in each
Going through specific situations helps you understand the logic. The numbers below are made up.
Example 1. Underpayment because of an exchange fee
Say the order specifies 200 units of the coin. You withdraw 200 from the exchange, but the exchange deducts the network fee from that amount, and 198 arrive at the address. The order goes to review. What to do: find the txid in your withdrawal history and write to support with the order number, the txid and the fact that a fee was deducted. Don't send the missing 2 units yourself.
Example 2. Overpayment because of a typo
If you sent 500 instead of 50, the difference is very large. Don't try to “fix” the situation with a new transaction. Report it to support right away, attach the txid and provide a refund address. The fewer extra operations there are, the easier it is for the operator to determine the remainder.
Example 3. A payment sent with a delay
Suppose you sent a payment a few minutes before the deadline, but the network was busy and the confirmation came after the two hours had ended. Such a payment is processed manually. Attach the txid with the sending time: it shows that you acted on time.
How to tell a payment problem from ordinary waiting
Not every missing payout means an error. First check whether the payment reached the network and how many confirmations it has received. All you need for that is the txid and a blockchain explorer.
If the transaction is visible but has few confirmations so far, you just need to wait: a lot depends on the network and its load. If the transaction is not in the explorer, the payment may not have been sent, and your wallet or exchange needs more time or another attempt. If the transaction is confirmed but the amount, address or network differs from the order, that is the case for contacting support.
This sequence saves time: you come to the operator not with the question “where is my money,” but with verified facts.