Account blocked or only withdrawals? Start by understanding the account restriction
People say “my account is blocked” about almost anything, from a full block to a single stuck 200 USDT transaction. The difference is huge: in the first case you are dealing with compliance, in the second one reply to support is often enough. Check whether you can log in, see your balance and history, trade and use P2P. Save the message shown next to the unavailable function: that is where the review starts.
The exchange asks you to pass KYC again
You have already been verified, but the request is back. Check which details need updating, what was not accepted and how to resubmit.
A transfer failed the AML check
A common scenario: the account was blocked after an AML check on a deposit, and support asks about the source of the money, a specific transfer or a chain of addresses. Start with the exact question: it decides which proof you need to collect.
A security hold message appeared
This kind of hold usually appears after you change your password or phone number, or log in from a new device. The notice usually states a time frame, and often you just need to wait it out. Forum stories like “mine was lifted in an hour” have nothing to do with your account.
The restriction is tied to your country, P2P or a single transaction
These situations have different grounds and different procedures. Save the message about the specific restriction and find out which procedure the platform offers.
There is another situation: the tokens sit in your personal wallet, but transfers are restricted at the contract level. It is handled separately from exchange account issues. You can read more in our guides on unlocking USDT and verifying and unlocking USDC.
If you use Trust Wallet. It is a non-custodial wallet: you hold the keys, and Trust Wallet itself cannot block your funds. If USDT or USDC in Trust Wallet stopped sending while the network and fee are fine, the token issuer may have blocked the address — that is a case for the articles above. But if you sent coins from Trust Wallet to an exchange and the account was blocked afterwards, the question is for the exchange: its AML check flagged the deposit, and you need to work through the steps below.
What the notice means: common wording
Exchanges rarely say plainly what happened. More often you get a short phrase in English and have to work out what to do next. Below are typical phrases and what they mean. The exact text differs by platform and changes over time, so always check it against your own notice.
| Wording | What it usually means | Where to start |
|---|---|---|
| Your account has been restricted | One or more account functions are restricted | Check what exactly isn’t working, and look in the notice for the reason or a link to the procedure |
| Withdrawals are temporarily suspended | Withdrawals are closed; trading and login may still work | Save the status and transaction ID, and ask what is needed to lift the restriction |
| Please complete identity verification / KYC update | You need to verify again or update your details | Complete the check following the instructions in your account, and make sure your details match your ID document |
| Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) / Source of Funds | Enhanced review: questions about where the money came from | Break the request into separate questions and prepare proof for each one |
| Deposit flagged by AML check / Transaction under review | Deposit review: the exchange saw a risk in the history of the sending address | Ask for the transaction ID and what explanations are needed for this specific transfer |
| Your account is under review / Risk control | An internal review is under way; the reason may not be disclosed | Ask whether they need any materials from you, and don’t send duplicate requests |
| Services are not available in your region | Restriction based on your country of residence | See the section on country restrictions below |
7 steps: how to prepare your request to exchange support
What did the exchange say? Save the message
Take a screenshot of the notice right now, with the date, and note where it appeared: in your account, by email or in chat. Exchanges sometimes change the text in the account or remove the banner, and after two weeks of correspondence you will need the original wording. If you have already contacted support, save the ticket number and the conversation.
What exactly isn’t working: login, trading or withdrawals?
Go through the available functions and write down the result. For example: “I can log in and see my balance and history, but when I try to withdraw I get this message”. If the problem involves a transfer, save its ID and status. This is more precise than just “nothing works”.
What happened before the restriction? Write a short timeline
Five lines are enough. For example: “Oct 12 — deposited 8,000 USDT from my own wallet; Oct 14 — sold part of it on P2P; Oct 15 — withdrawals closed; Oct 16 — wrote to support, ticket No. …”. Stick to facts. If no reason was given, say so. Don’t add guesses like “probably because of P2P”: they often give compliance new questions to ask.
What information is support asking for?
Break the exchange’s message into separate questions. Next to each one, mark: I have the document, I need to get it, or it’s unclear what is required. Instead of a general “what documents do you need?”, ask about a specific item and the accepted format.
What does each document prove?
Every attachment should have a clear role: where the money came from, how it reached the exchange and which transaction it relates to. Check dates, amounts and parties. If the amount on a statement doesn’t match the deposit (for example, because of a fee or the exchange rate), explain it in one sentence. And never edit the documents themselves: compliance spots forgeries quickly, and after that there is almost no chance left.
Put it all into a clear letter
Briefly describe the problem, what you have already done and what you have attached. End with the question you want answered. Send materials through the official channel in your account or the help center, and keep a copy of the letter with its attachments.
You got a reply. What is still open?
A reply came, but withdrawals are still closed? That’s normal: an exchange often closes one question and immediately asks the next. Note what has already been accepted, and in your next letter answer only what is new. If there is no reply after the time frame stated in the notice, write in the same ticket instead of opening a new one, and briefly list the materials you have already sent.
- A screenshot of the notice with the date and where it appeared.
- The ticket number and the full conversation with support.
- The ID and status of the stuck transaction, if it is about a withdrawal or transfer.
- A short list of what works in the account and what doesn’t.
- An export of your deposit and withdrawal history from the account.
Hypothetical example: the trading history is there, but the exchange’s question is still open
A user deposits 3,000 USDT bought on P2P, and a year later the account holds 15,000. The exchange requests Source of Funds. He attaches his trading history: everything was earned by trading. But the exchange didn’t ask about the profit. It asked about the initial 3,000: where did that money come from? Trading history explains the growth; this question is answered by proof of the P2P purchase and the bank transfer. This is a made-up example to explain the logic of the request, not a client case.
Binance, Bybit, MEXC, Bitget and KuCoin: where to go
We help with exchange account unblock cases on Binance, Bybit, MEXC, Bitget, KuCoin and other exchanges. But start with your exchange’s official help pages. Keep in mind that instructions from someone else’s case may not fit yours: the account type, the entity serving you and the text of your notice all matter. Below are the official sections you can start from.
| Exchange | What the review is called | Where to start | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binance | Withdrawal restriction, appeal | Help page on withdrawal restrictions | Questions and appeals go through support; an appeal is not available in every case |
| Bybit | EDD — enhanced due diligence | EDD verification overview | Distinguishes the source of specific funds from accumulated wealth; a review request does not mean a violation |
| MEXC | Risk Control | Account Risk Review | Prepare materials based on the platform’s own list, not someone else’s story |
| Bitget | Appeal | Appeals page | Choose the request type based on your notice: a rejected transaction and a withdrawal restriction are different cases |
| KuCoin | Withdrawal restriction | Support section on withdrawal restrictions | If no reason is given, ask which function is affected, what proof is needed and how the review works |
The exchange asks for documents: what to prepare for KYC and Source of Funds
The first urge is to send everything you have. Don’t. Start with the list in the notice and answer each item with one or two documents. To explain a transaction, statements, transfer history, trade confirmations and documents on the source of the money can help. For each attachment, explain which of the exchange’s questions it helps close.
Source of Funds (SoF) explains the origin of the specific funds used for a deposit or transaction. Source of Wealth (SoW) describes how your wealth was built overall. If the notice mentions both terms, keep the explanations separate so it is clear which question each document answers.
Make a simple list: the file name and what it proves. For example, a bank statement proves money received from a deal, the transfer history shows the deposit to the exchange, and a transaction export helps trace how the assets moved afterwards. A list like this helps you check whether your story makes sense to someone seeing it for the first time.
An old statement wasn’t kept? Say so and offer a replacement: a bank can usually issue an archived statement, and for a crypto transfer a transaction link in a blockchain explorer will do. Never replace lost proof with homemade documents. Whether you need a Legal Opinion depends on the circumstances: it is not a mandatory document for every review, and it does not decide the exchange’s outcome.
Exchange account unblock: how to write to support
Support needs to understand your situation quickly. Open the letter by stating the problem. Then explain what has happened so far and what materials you have attached. Finish with a specific question. Here is a template you can adapt:
Hello. Since [date], I have not been able to use [login / withdrawals / another function] on my account. The notice says: [exact wording]. In ticket No. [number] I received a request for [brief summary], and I have prepared [list of materials]. Please let me know whether this information is enough and what further steps are needed to review the restriction.
An alternative version in standard support wording:
Hello. Since [date], [login / withdrawals / another function] has been unavailable on my account. The notification says: [exact wording]. Under ticket No. [number] I received a request for [short summary] and have prepared [list of materials]. Could you please confirm whether this information is sufficient and what else is required to review the restriction?
Adapt the text to your real facts. If the notice concerns a specific transaction, give its ID through the official channel. Don’t post documents or account details in public comments or chats.
Before sending, reread the letter: is it clear what happened, what you have already provided and what answer you expect? If you have several tickets, list their numbers and how they relate. Don’t promise to send a document you don’t have.
What to do about a country-of-residence restriction
Find out whether the message relates to an address check, a change in the terms of service or some other reason. Check your user agreement to see which of the exchange’s companies your contract is with. That determines the rules for your country and the options the platform can offer: confirming your details, reviewing your request, withdrawing funds or closing the account.
Don’t use other people’s documents or false residence details. Restoring all functions may not be possible under the applicable rules. In that case, the goal of your letter is to find out how to get your funds out: withdraw them or close the account under the exchange’s rules.
Hypothetical example: what to ask if withdrawals are unavailable?
Login works and the balance is visible, but a message appears when you try to withdraw. First, save its exact text and check whether the problem affects a single transaction or the withdrawal function as a whole. Your question to support becomes more specific: what is needed to review this particular restriction? The example is made up; the cause and next steps depend on your notice.
Withdrawals stopped for all users: that is not an account block
Sometimes the problem isn’t your account: the platform itself has stopped operating. In that case, support letters and KYC documents won’t get your withdrawal back. You need to find out which procedure is open, where to file your claim and by what deadline. In 2026 this happened with two platforms:
BitMart
Operations stopped on July 26. On September 30, the exchange proposed a restructuring plan with three recovery options, and it plans to go to court between December 2026 and January 2027. BitMart plan explained
Poolin Wallet
Withdrawals have been frozen since 2022, and since July 2026 a Chapter 11 bankruptcy has been under way in the US. The proposed claim filing deadline is December 31, 2026. What Poolin creditors should do
If your exchange has announced a shutdown, restructuring or bankruptcy, write to us: we’ll work out which procedure applies and what to prepare.
Exchange account blocked: what not to do
- Don’t open a second account: exchanges link accounts, and the restriction may spread to the new one.
- Don’t log in through a VPN from another country: a change in login region can trigger a new review.
- Don’t send identical requests every day: write in one ticket and stick to the point.
- Don’t edit documents or use other people’s.
- Don’t pay “unblockers” from chats or anyone who messages you privately on behalf of exchange support. Exchange staff don’t sell unblocking, and no honest party will ever ask for your seed phrase or codes.
Support replies, but nothing is clear? Let’s look at your case together
Your correspondence is in its third week, and every support reply starts with “Thank you for your patience”? That is how most people come to us: the account was blocked after an AML check, and it is unclear what to tell the exchange. Need help with an exchange account unblock on Binance, Bybit, MEXC, Bitget, KuCoin or another exchange? Send us what you already have: the notice, the exchange’s requests and support’s replies. We’ll tell you what the exchange really wants, which documents are missing and how to put your answer together. If we take on your case, we’ll agree in advance on exactly what we do and what it costs. Before we start, you can have a video call with the team. We won’t promise an unblock: the decision is the exchange’s. But your letter will be one that is hard to answer with a template.
Not sure what exactly the exchange is asking for?
Describe your situation and the replies you have already received from support. We’ll start with the notice and work out what needs to be clarified next. For a first request, a description of the situation is enough: no password, seed phrase or documents are needed at this stage.
Exchange account blocked: questions and answers
Can I unblock a Binance or Bybit account without documents?
If I can log in but withdrawals are closed, is my account blocked?
Should I order a Legal Opinion right away?
How long does an exchange account unblock take?
Can I contact you about MEXC, Bitget or KuCoin?
My account was blocked because a transfer failed AML. What should I do?
The exchange stopped withdrawals for all users. Is that an account block?
Someone from “exchange support” is messaging me on Telegram. Is it real support?
Disclaimer. This material is for information only and is not legal or financial advice. Reclaim Capital is an independent company, is not affiliated with the exchanges mentioned and has no special access to their decisions. Only the exchange decides on restricting and restoring access. Platform rules change: for a specific account, check the current notice and terms of service. The official help pages were checked on October 24, 2026.
— Reclaim Capital Editorial Team
