A 0x address can be valid on several networks. Ethereum mainnet, BNB Smart Chain, Polygon PoS and Arbitrum One may all accept the same address format. The withdrawal form accepting your address does not tell you which network the recipient intended.
What the prefix actually tells you
An Ethereum address is commonly displayed as 0x followed by 40 hexadecimal characters. EVM-compatible networks use the same general format. They nevertheless record their own transactions and balances.
The Ethereum account documentation also distinguishes externally owned accounts from contract accounts. Both can have a 0x address. The prefix therefore cannot tell you who controls an address or whether it is a normal wallet account.
Does a 0x prefix mean ERC20?
No. ERC20 is a token standard, not an address prefix. Other EVM-compatible networks also use 0x addresses. Ask for the actual network name.
Read the token standard together with the network
Ethereum (ERC20) and BNB Smart Chain (BEP20) are different withdrawal routes. The “20” in both labels does not make them interchangeable. Select the route supported by the recipient for this particular token.
For example, a recipient may supply an Ethereum deposit address that is also syntactically valid on BNB Smart Chain. Sending there through BNB Smart Chain creates a transaction on that network; it does not create the Ethereum deposit the recipient requested.
An Ethereum-related network is still a separate selection
Arbitrum One is not Ethereum mainnet. A recipient saying “use ETH” might mean an asset, a network, or simply the currency used for gas. Ask them to copy the full network label from their deposit instructions.
| Message | Clarification needed |
|---|---|
| “Here is my 0x address” | Which asset and which network? |
| “My wallet supports Arbitrum” | Does this particular receiving address belong to that wallet, or to an exchange? |
| “It is the same address on both” | Does the receiving service support the token on both networks? |
A self-custody wallet displaying several networks does not establish the capabilities of an exchange deposit service. Adding an exchange address as a watch-only account also gives you no control over it.
Recheck after any network change
After I change the withdrawal network, can I keep the old address?
Get the receiving address again for the selected network, replace the existing entry and compare it in full. The result may be identical; what matters is that you have verified its source and supported network.
Check the token version, required tag and minimum deposit at the same time. A token’s contract address identifies the token; it is not a substitute for the destination supplied by the recipient.
A small test can verify this particular route, provided it meets the deposit minimum. Wait for the recipient’s actual credit. Changing networks before sending the remainder invalidates that test.
Search on the network you actually used
The hash is missing on an Ethereum explorer. Is it gone?
Not necessarily. Read the network in your withdrawal record and use its corresponding explorer. Then check whether the transaction is pending, failed or successful.
A successful transaction on an unintended network still requires investigation with whoever controls the receiving address. Follow the wrong-network recovery guide with the original TxID. Another transfer cannot rewrite it.