Memos and destination tags: the tiny field that keeps your deposit safe
Deposits of XRP, Stellar, Cosmos and TON often call for an extra code. Skip it and your coins show up with no owner attached.
On some networks, a single address can hold funds for lots of different people. Exchanges are big fans of this. They hand every customer the same address and tell deposits apart with a short code. That code is called a memo. On XRP it goes by destination tag, and on TON it is a comment.
Coins that use it
- XRP relies on a numeric destination tag.
- Stellar (XLM) relies on a memo.
- Cosmos (ATOM) relies on a memo.
- TON relies on a comment for many exchange deposits.
Receiving: do you need one?
When the coins go to your own wallet, a memo is normally unnecessary, since your wallet has its own address. When they go to an exchange account, check the deposit screen there. If you see a tag, memo or comment, you have to include it. Otherwise the exchange cannot tell the deposit is yours.
When you receive one of these coins through a swap on Swap1337, you will find a memo field just under the address. Fill it in whenever your receiving service gives you one.
Depositing: when the code is ours
This works in reverse too. If XRP, XLM, ATOM or TON is the coin you deposit, your instructions may include a memo. Copy it character for character. Your swap page displays it clearly beside the address, with its own copy button.
If you forgot it
A missing memo almost never means your coins are gone, but it does mean a wait. Get in touch with whoever received the funds, share the transaction hash, and they can usually match the deposit manually. Ten seconds of checking before you send saves all of that. Find out more on our XRP page.
Quick answers
Do I need a memo when sending to my own wallet?
Usually not. A personal wallet has an address of its own, so there is nothing to tell apart. Memos matter when you send to a shared address, such as an exchange deposit address used by many customers at once.
I left out the memo. Have I lost my coins?
Usually not. Reach out to the receiving service with the transaction hash. Most exchanges can credit the deposit manually, though it may take a while and some charge a fee for it.
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