When an exchange asks for a destination tag or memo, enter the exact value it gives you before sending. The tag tells the exchange which customer account to credit when many customers share one receiving address.
- Check the asset, network, address, and tag on the receiving exchange.
- Enter the tag in the matching field before you approve the transfer.
- For a first transfer, consider sending a small test amount.
A tag sorts deposits sent to one shared address
A destination tag is an extra number or text value attached to a crypto payment. A memo is a similar field, though its name and format depend on the network and wallet.
Some custodial wallets—services that hold crypto for customers—use one blockchain address for many accounts. The address gets the funds; the tag or memo tells the service which customer balance to update. The XRP Ledger documentation describes this as a way to identify the person behind a payment to a shared address.
A transfer to an exchange may need a tag, while a transfer to your own wallet often does not. Your own wallet usually has its own address, so it can identify your funds without a separate customer number. A thor swap search can lead to this same check: a swap route may handle the asset exchange, but the receiving exchange can still require its own tag. For the route question, compare a thor swap aggregator with a direct transfer: neither choice replaces a tag requested by the final recipient.
Check the receiving details before choosing a route
Open the receiving wallet’s deposit screen for the exact coin you plan to receive. Copy its address and tag or memo, then check the network name shown there; the same coin can sometimes move on more than one network.
For example, if an exchange gives you an XRP address and a destination tag, you need both when sending XRP to that deposit. If you send XLM, the exchange may call its identifier a memo instead. Stellar documentation explains that custodial services can use a shared account and a memo ID to match incoming payments to customer accounts.
Compare that with sending XRP to a self-custody wallet—one where you control the keys. The wallet may ask only for an address. Follow the receiving screen’s instructions rather than adding a guessed tag; the wrong extra information can also cause problems.
Enter the tag in its own field and review the transfer
Paste the address into the address field and the tag or memo into its own field. Some wallets label the field “Destination Tag,” “Memo,” or “Memo ID.” Keep any leading zeroes, and do not paste the tag onto the end of the address.
Before approving, compare the asset, network, address, tag, and amount with the receiving screen. If you are using a swap service, check that its final delivery details let you enter every required field. If the tag field is missing, pause and check with the service; a quoted route alone does not confirm that it can pass the tag through.
A test transfer can help when you are unsure. Send a small amount first, then wait for the exchange to show the deposit in your account before sending the rest. The test still has a network fee—the charge for recording a transfer—and may need to meet the exchange’s minimum deposit.
A missing tag can delay credit even when the transfer arrives
If the tag is missing or wrong, the blockchain may still deliver funds to the shared address, but the exchange may not know which customer to credit. The XRP Ledger can reject a payment without a tag when the receiving address has that rule enabled; other cases may need manual support.
Check the transaction status and details in the sending wallet, then contact the receiving service through its official support channel. Give it the transaction ID, asset, network, amount, destination address, and any tag you used. Do not send a second payment just because the first one is not visible yet.
For your next step, open the receiving deposit screen and confirm all five details before you move funds. When a thor swap route ends at a custodial wallet, treat that wallet’s tag requirement as part of the destination, just like its address and network.
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