Ask for stolen crypto to be frozen
Exchanges and stablecoin issuers can freeze stolen funds. We help you ask them quickly, clearly and with the evidence they need.
A freeze stops stolen money from moving while police or a court decide what happens to it. Two kinds of company can do this.
Who can freeze stolen crypto
| Who | What they can freeze | What they usually need |
|---|---|---|
| Stablecoin issuers such as Tether (USDT) and Circle (USDC) | Their own coin, in any wallet, on any chain they support | Usually a request from police or another authority; a victim's letter can flag it |
| Exchanges such as Binance and OKX | The account that received the money | A clear request with the trail, then a police report |
| Police and courts | Can order either of the above | A criminal complaint and evidence |
Bitcoin, ETH and most other coins cannot be frozen in a private wallet. They can only be frozen once they reach a company that holds them, such as an exchange.
What a good freeze request includes
- The transaction hashes that link your payment to the wallet holding the funds.
- The amount, coin and chain.
- A short, factual account: your money was stolen or obtained by fraud.
- Your police report number, or a note that you are filing one.
- A request to preserve the account data and share it with police.
ChainFreeze drafts these letters from your trace, free. You check them and send them yourself, or with the Complete pack we email them to each company for you, with you copied. See what freeze letters to exchanges contain.
Why speed matters
Funds that sit at an exchange are often withdrawn within hours. Set up monitoring so you hear the moment money lands somewhere it can be frozen, and send the request the same day.
We never promise a freeze or a return. The exchange or issuer decides, and many requests are refused. A clear, fast, evidenced request gives you the best chance.
Common questions
Can ChainFreeze freeze my funds?
No. Only the company holding the funds (an exchange or a stablecoin issuer) can freeze them. We help you ask them properly and quickly.
Will a freeze get my money back?
A freeze stops the money moving. Getting it returned usually needs a police case or a court order. A freeze is the step that keeps that possible.
How quickly should I act?
The same day if you can. Scammers often move funds again within hours.
In this section
- Can Tether freeze stolen USDT? How Tether freezes work
Tether can freeze USDT in any wallet. It mostly acts on requests from police and other authorities, so a fast police report matters.
- Freeze requests to crypto exchanges: what to send and when
If your money reached an exchange, that exchange knows who the account belongs to. Ask it to freeze the account and keep the records for police.