For security measures, CEX.IO may place a withdrawal hold on deposited funds or purchased crypto. These holds help protect your assets and prevent fraudulent activity.
In this guide, we explain how Withdrawal Hold works, what it means for you, and how it appears in your account interface.
What Is a Withdrawal Hold?
A Withdrawal Hold is a temporary restriction on withdrawing funds that were deposited via card or PayPal. After a deposit/purchase is processed:
The funds are credited to your balance instantly.
They can be used for trading immediately.
Withdrawals become available only after the hold period ends (usually it takes around 3 business days, but the hold period may vary slightly).
This means users retain full access to the platform’s functionality. This restriction applies only to withdrawals of deposited amounts for a limited period of time.
How the System Works
1. Deposit. A user makes a deposit using:
Mastercard/Visa card
PayPal
2. Instant Credit. After the payment is successfully processed:
The transaction receives the status Settled.
The funds are added to the total account balance.
3. Temporary Hold. The deposited amount is automatically placed in the Temporary Holds category. This means:
The funds can still be used for trading.
Withdrawal will become available after the hold period ends.
4. End of the Hold Period. Once the hold period expires:
The withdrawal restriction will be automatically removed.
The funds will become fully available for withdrawal.
Note: Transactions may not be cancelled once initiated. All purchases are final and non-refundable.
How This Appears in Your Account
To ensure full transparency, information about withdrawal holds is displayed in several places within the platform interface.
Transaction Status
Deposits appear as "Settled" in your Transaction history tab. This indicates that:
the payment has been successfully processed
the funds have already been credited to your balance
Account Balance
An indicator appears in the total balance section: Temporary Holds. It shows the amount of funds currently on hold.
Information Displayed During Transaction Confirmation
To make the conditions clear before completing a deposit, the platform displays the following details:
available to trade (Instantly);
available for send (after the hold period ends).
Why Withdrawal Hold Is Used
The primary goal is to protect both users and the platform. The Withdrawal Hold mechanism helps to:
reduce the risk of fraudulent deposits;
increase the security of user funds;
maintain a stable payment infrastructure.
CEX.IO continues to improve the platform to ensure that deposits remain fast, transparent, and secure for all users.
The web content provided by CEX.IO is for educational purposes only. The information and tools provided neither are, nor should be construed as, an offer, or a solicitation of an offer, or a recommendation, to buy, sell or hold any digital asset or to open a particular account or engage in any specific investment strategy. Digital asset markets are highly volatile and can lead to loss of funds.
The availability of the products, features, and services on the CEX.IO platform is subject to jurisdictional limitations. To understand what products and services are available in your region, please see our list of supported countries and territories. This page includes additional links to information about individual products, and their accessibility.
CEX.IO Corp. is not a registered broker-dealer or FINRA member. Crypto is not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC).
Taxes may be payable on any return and/or on any increase in the value of your digital assets, and you should seek independent advice on your tax obligations.