Memo and tag

A memo or tag is an extra code in a transfer that tells an exchange which customer to credit when coins arrive at a shared address. Without it the deposit arrives but does not reach your account.

How it works

On some networks an exchange does not give each customer a separate address but uses one shared address. To tell customers apart, transfers carry an identifier: on XRP it is the Destination Tag; on Stellar (XLM), TON, Cosmos (ATOM) and several others it is a Memo or Comment.

When depositing to an exchange, the deposit page shows both an address and a memo or tag. When withdrawing from another exchange or a wallet, you have to fill in both fields. Forget the memo and the coins land at the exchange's shared address, but the system cannot tell whose they are.

When sending to your own non-custodial wallet, a memo is usually not needed because the address belongs only to you. It is needed when the recipient is an exchange or service using a shared address. If a deposit page shows a memo, treat it as required.

Example with numbers

You send 500 XRP from one exchange to another. The recipient's deposit page shows an r… address and Destination Tag 104857. When withdrawing, you paste the address and enter 104857 in the separate tag field. A few minutes later 500 XRP minus the fee shows in your balance.

Common mistake

The most common mistake is leaving the memo or tag empty, or pasting it into the address field. The funds then sit at the exchange and have to be recovered through support, which is slow and sometimes costs a fee. Always copy both the address and memo from the deposit page into their own fields, and send a small amount the first time.

Questions and answers

What is a memo or tag in a crypto transfer in simple terms?

It is a customer number inside the transfer: it tells the exchange whose account to credit when coins arrive at a shared address.

What happens if I send without a memo?

The coins reach the exchange but not your balance. Usually support can recover them if you provide the transaction details, but it takes time and is not always free.

Do I need a memo when sending to my own wallet?

Usually not, because a personal wallet address belongs only to you. You need a memo when the recipient asks for one, typically an exchange.

Memo and tag

How it works

Questions and answers

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