Check the Asset, Network and Destination First
Confirm that you are sending native Cardano (ADA) over Cardano mainnet and that the recipient accepts it. A stake or reward address, a testnet address or another chain's token destination is not an ordinary ADA receiving address.
If the destination is unclear, first check your Cardano receiving address. For a platform deposit, also read its asset, minimum-credit and confirmation instructions; a valid address does not establish those policies.
Review the full transaction preview, including change and any tokens or NFTs. A wallet can hold several assets in the same outputs, so checking only the large ADA number on its home screen can miss an unwanted token transfer.
Send ADA and Record the Transaction Hash
Prepare the recipient's address from a trusted source and use the wallet's normal send workflow. The exact screens vary, but the checks before signing have the same purpose.
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Select the sending account. Confirm it contains the ADA you intend to use and can sign for it.
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Enter the destination and amount. Compare the complete address where possible, not just a remembered prefix.
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Read the fee and asset list. Check what goes to the recipient and what returns as change.
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Confirm through the correct signer. For hardware signing, review the device's own display.
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Save the transaction hash. Use it together with the recipient and amount when following progress.
If you are sending to an exchange order, use that order's fresh instructions rather than an old deposit. For example, when you sell ADA for USDT, the order determines the payment amount and the stablecoin network used later for the payout.
Work Out Why the Wallet Needs More ADA
Cardano fees depend on the transaction built, and every created output must satisfy its applicable minimum ADA requirement. The Cardano integration requirements explain why output size and token contents matter.
The Sending Fee and Change Output
In a hypothetical wallet holding 10 ADA, attempting to send 9.9 ADA with a 0.2 ADA transaction fee already requires 10.1 ADA. That payment is short before any additional change-output constraint is considered.
The fee in the example is illustrative. For a basic transfer, the size-based minimum is a × serialized transaction size + b, using the live protocol parameters. Script execution and reference scripts can add costs, so use the transaction's complete wallet fee preview when budgeting the payment.
A maximum-send option must construct a valid transaction after those costs. It may show less than the total balance, particularly when some outputs cannot be spent or must preserve change.
Tokens That Need ADA in Their Outputs
Suppose a hypothetical wallet holds 10 ADA plus a token it must return as change. If its transaction builder reports that the token-bearing change needs 2 ADA, sending 8 ADA with a 0.2 ADA fee leaves only 1.8 ADA for that change and cannot satisfy the reported requirement.
The 2 ADA figure is an assumption for this example, not a universal minimum. Actual minimum ADA depends on the serialized output contents and the live protocol parameter, so changing the token bundle or output can change the requirement.
Delegation itself does not create a general lock on ordinary ADA spending. If staking is the suspected reason a payment cannot be sent, understand delegated ADA and distinguish spendable outputs from a separate reward-account balance.
Follow a Transfer from Submission to Credit
A transaction moves through several states before a recipient displays a usable credit. Ask which state you have evidence for rather than expecting one fixed transfer time.
| Stage | Evidence to check | What can still be pending |
|---|---|---|
| Built or signed | Wallet preview or signed transaction | Submission to the network |
| Submitted | Wallet submission status | Inclusion in a block |
| Included | Transaction found in a mainnet explorer | Additional confirmation depth |
| Credited | Recipient wallet or platform balance | Its own availability or withdrawal rules |
Cardano's average block interval is roughly 20 seconds, but a payment can wait longer for inclusion and a recipient may require several confirmations. The timestamp of submission, the block containing the payment and the recipient's confirmation threshold answer different timing questions.
For example, if a platform requires 12 confirmations and reports 8 for your payment, wait for the remaining 4 before expecting credit. This example is a confirmation-count check, not a four-block arrival-time guarantee.
Diagnose ADA That Has Not Arrived
Use the first matching symptom to decide the next check. Avoid making another payment solely because a wallet screen has not refreshed.
| What you see | What to do next |
|---|---|
| No hash or clear submission result | Inspect the wallet's pending items and connection before rebuilding the payment. |
| Hash not found on mainnet | Check the network, submission result and any expiry or rejection information. |
| Included payment, wrong recipient | Compare the actual output address; contact the recipient if you sent to a valid unintended destination. |
| Included payment, correct recipient, no platform credit | If its confirmation threshold is not met, wait. If the threshold is met and the asset and minimum deposit match, contact the recipient with the hash and deposit details. |
| Failed or rejected attempt | Resolve the reported reason and confirm it did not complete before retrying. |
Escalate according to the evidence: a wallet submission error goes to the wallet's support, while a confirmed qualifying deposit that is not credited goes to the receiving platform. Provide the transaction hash, network, recipient, amount, observed confirmations and any exchange order ID; recovery secrets are not payment evidence.
ADA Transfer FAQ
Can I reverse ADA sent to a valid but wrong address?
A completed blockchain payment is not an editable bank instruction. You would need the recipient's cooperation for a separate return transaction, and a service cannot guarantee recovery from an address it does not control.
Does a wallet's minimum send amount apply to every Cardano transaction?
No. A wallet or receiving platform can impose its own policy, while the protocol requirement depends on the outputs being created. Do not turn one interface's minimum into a universal fixed ADA amount.
Can an ADA transfer include native tokens?
Yes, if the wallet constructs such a transaction and the recipient supports the assets. For an exchange deposit, send only the asset requested by the order; technical ability to include a token does not mean it will be credited.