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What to do if a top-up hasn't arrived
Short answer: Get the transaction hash from your exchange and confirm in a block explorer that it succeeded to the right address; then check the network and minimum top-up. If all three are fine, wait for the platform to credit it, and if it exceeds the stated time, contact official support with the hash.
Steps to check
- Confirm the withdrawal on the exchange: it should show "completed" with a transaction hash (TxID), meaning the funds are on-chain.
- Look up the hash in a block explorer: a TRON explorer for TRC20, an Ethereum explorer for ERC20; confirm success and that the receiving address matches your U-card deposit address.
- Check the network: the withdrawal network must match the one chosen on the U-card deposit page — the most common cause.
- Check the minimum top-up: transfers below the minimum may not be credited. KripiCard's official minimum is 1 USD (10 USD to create a card), PhotonPay's minimum transfer is 20 USD, and ExCards requires a 10 USDT top-up at issuance.
- Allow crediting time: after on-chain success, the platform still needs confirmations and processing. PokePay's official FAQ says top-ups usually take about 15 minutes and to contact support after 30.
- Contact support: give the hash, amount, network, time and your account email via in-app support or the official channels.
How to avoid it
Copy the address fresh from the app before every top-up rather than reusing one from chats or screenshots; test new addresses with a small amount; keep withdrawal and deposit networks identical; and never send on a network or token the platform doesn't list. See TRC20 vs ERC20 for the chains each card lists.
Scam warning
Missing top-ups attract fake support scams: someone messages you first offering to "speed up crediting" or "recover funds" and asks you to send more money or your seed phrase. Legitimate platforms never ask for seed phrases or private keys, or for transfers to personal addresses.
Why top-ups are slow
- Network congestion: confirmations slow down when a chain is busy, especially Ethereum.
- Confirmation requirements: the platform waits for a number of block confirmations before crediting.
- Manual review: large or first top-ups may trigger a risk review.
- Conversion: converting the stablecoin to the card currency takes processing time.
- Exchange queues: if the exchange shows "processing", the funds aren't on-chain yet.
The transaction hash tells these apart: no hash means an exchange issue, a hash without confirmation means a network issue, and a confirmed hash means a platform crediting issue.
Cards to look at
These three cards publish arrival times or minimum top-ups on their official pages.
PokePay: PokePay is operated by PokePay Technology Co., Ltd. Very low spending-side fees (0 monthly, 0% cross-border); check the top-up fee in the app before opening. Issuance 5 usd; total cost at non-usd merchants ≥0.5%; accepts passport. Best for passport holders using the card mainly for subscriptions and online shopping; not for ad teams that need official confirmation of ad-platform behaviour. Read the full review
KripiCard: KripiCard is a virtual-only card platform. Publishes the bulk issuing and limits ad teams care about; the price is a 4% + 1 USD top-up fee. Issuance 5 usd; total cost at non-usd merchants 4.6%. Best for ad teams that need many virtual cards to separate accounts; not for small individual users sensitive to top-up cost. Read the full review
PhotonPay: PhotonPay is a cross-border payments and card-issuing platform for businesses, with the most complete compliance disclosure in our dataset: its US entity Photon Dance Global Inc. The most complete compliance disclosure of an enterprise option, but pricing is by quote so it can't be compared publicly. Accepts business docs. Best for cross-border e-commerce and ad teams with a company entity and sizeable monthly spend; not for individuals and low-volume use with one or two cards. Read the full review
Related pages
FAQ
How long do USDT top-ups take?
It depends on the network and platform. PokePay officially says about 15 minutes; KripiCard's website says about 30 seconds. If it takes longer than the platform states, contact support with the transaction hash.
Can I recover funds sent on the wrong network?
It depends on whether the platform supports that network and offers recovery; it may cost a fee or be impossible — ask the platform's support.
What if I top up below the minimum?
Transfers below the minimum may not be credited, and some platforms won't return them. Check the minimum in the app before sending.
Where do I find the transaction hash?
In your exchange's withdrawal history; open the record to see the TxID or transaction hash and paste it into a block explorer.
The top-up arrived but my card balance didn't change?
Some platforms credit an account balance first, which you then move to the card; Bybit Card spends directly from the funding account and has no separate card balance.