Topic
Exchange Compliance
Why exchanges hold, flag, or review crypto transfers - AML reviews, proof of source-of-funds, the Travel Rule, MiCA, and what to do when compliance stops your money.
Can a Crypto Exchange Freeze Your Account and Never Tell You Why?
Your account is frozen, support went quiet, and the exchange will not say which rule you tripped. Here is why that silence is policy, not a glitch.
AML · 2026-10-07 · 4 min readWhy OKX Just Started Freezing Gambling-Linked Crypto Deposits
OKX's CEO confirmed on September 2, 2026 that deposits tied to gambling platforms can trigger a 15-day-or-longer AML review. Here's what actually gets flagged, what OKX's $504 million DOJ settlement has to do with it, and how to check a wallet before you deposit instead of after.
Travel Rule · 2026-09-08 · 7 min readTravel Rule vs KYT: Do Crypto Compliance Teams Need Both?
The Travel Rule and KYT get treated as interchangeable compliance checkboxes. One shares identity data once; the other screens a wallet's on-chain exposure continuously. Here is what each actually catches, and what a monitoring-only gap costs when it fails.
USDT · 2026-09-06 · 4 min readTether Can't Freeze Your USDT Without a Warrant. It Did Anyway.
In October 2025, Tether froze $42.4 million in USDT on one agent's phone call, four months before a judge signed a warrant. Two Thai businessmen are suing over it.
Travel Rule · 2026-08-29 · 6 min readTravel Rule Sunrise Issue: Why Compliant Transfers Stall
A compliant exchange can still stall your crypto transfer because the Travel Rule rolled out on staggered timelines worldwide. Here's why the sunrise issue happens, what FATF's June 2025 update changed, and what to do if your transfer is stuck.
What Is · 2026-08-24 · 5 min readWhy a Decade-Old Ethereum Wallet Gets Flagged the Moment It Wakes Up
Genesis-era Ethereum wallets are reactivating in 2026, and a decade of dormancy plus a large transfer is exactly what triggers an exchange's AML review. Here's how to screen an old wallet before you move it.
Travel Rule · 2026-08-23 · 5 min readWhat Happens to Self-Hosted Wallet Transfers Over EUR 1,000?
Article 14(5) of the EU's Travel Rule quietly adds a wallet-ownership check on self-hosted transfers over EUR 1,000. Here is what triggers it, how exchanges verify it, and why passing that check says nothing about a wallet's actual risk exposure.
Exchange Compliance · 2026-08-22 · 5 min readWhat Is Proof of Reserves and Why Doesn't It Prove Your Exchange's Wallets Are Clean?
Proof of reserves proves an exchange holds the coins it claims to hold. It says nothing about whether those wallets received stolen, sanctioned, or laundered funds.
Compliance · 2026-08-05 · 5 min readWhat Triggers Enhanced Due Diligence on a Crypto Wallet?
Enhanced due diligence isn't random. Six on-chain signals - sanctions exposure, mixer contact, and more - are what actually trigger the extra document request.
Real Estate · 2026-08-02 · 5 min readBuying Real Estate With Crypto? Your Wallet Gets Screened First
A clean bank statement isn't enough anymore. Here's what a source-of-funds review actually checks on a crypto-funded property deal, and why a wallet can pass the bank and still carry hidden risk.
USDC · 2026-07-22 · 4 min readCircle Froze 16 USDC Wallets by Mistake. Could Yours Be Next?
In March 2026 Circle froze 16 business wallets it had no sanctions claim against, tied to someone else's sealed civil case. Here is how USDC's blacklist actually works, and why there is no appeal.
AML · 2026-06-30 · 6 min readDoes Splitting Crypto Into Smaller Deposits Avoid AML Detection?
Breaking a large transfer into many small deposits is structuring. It is illegal on its own, and blockchain analytics still trace the origin of the coins regardless of how you split them.
Travel Rule · 2026-06-23 · 6 min readWhy Did Kraken Hold My Crypto Deposit and Ask Me to Verify Wallet Ownership?
Since December 2024, EU rules make exchanges confirm you control any self-custody wallet sending over 1,000 euros. Here is what the Satoshi test means and how to pass it.
How To · 2026-06-19 · 7 min readWhy Was My Crypto Withdrawal Rejected for a Risky Destination?
A blocked withdrawal is about where your money is going. Here is why an exchange rejects a risky destination address and how to check it before you retry.
What Is · 2026-06-19 · 8 min readProof of Funds vs Source of Funds: What Crypto Exchanges Actually Want
Exchanges blur proof of funds, source of funds, and source of wealth into one email. Here is what each actually asks and the documents that clear the review fast.
AML · 2026-06-09 · 6 min readHow Long Does a Crypto Exchange AML Review or Account Hold Take?
What decides how long a crypto exchange holds your funds during an AML review, and the few things that actually shorten the wait.
Compliance · 2026-06-06 · 7 min readHow Does My Exchange Know Where My Crypto Deposit Came From?
The blockchain is public, so exchanges trace your deposit backwards to its source. What they can see, what they can't, and how to screen funds before you send.
Compliance · 2026-06-06 · 6 min readDoes Converting Monero or Zcash Flag Your Exchange Account?
Privacy coins defeat tracing, so deposits sourced from a Monero or Zcash swap draw heightened AML scrutiny. What exchanges actually see, and how to cash out cleanly.
Compliance · 2026-06-05 · 11 min readWhy Exchanges Hold Your Crypto: The Full Guide
An exchange hold is a rulebook hitting a threshold, not an accusation. Which rule fired, what evidence clears it, and how to work backwards from a hold to its cause.
Travel Rule · 2026-06-03 · 6 min readSelf-Custody and the Travel Rule: How Wallet Screening Affects Peer-to-Peer Transfers
Peer-to-peer crypto transfers in self-custody wallets are subject to Travel Rule screening. Understand the risks and compliance steps.
MiCA · 2026-06-01 · 6 min readMiCA Compliance for Crypto Wallets: Understanding New EU Screening Obligations
New MiCA rules impose wallet screening duties on EU crypto service providers. Here is what the obligations require, who they cover, and how to prepare.