How do I return a cryptocurrency transaction?

It's important to understand how Coinbase handles cryptocurrency transactions to ensure any returns reach the sender's account. Coinbase does not support cryptocurrency being returned directly to an address it was sent "from" (in the cryptocurrency world, we call these input addresses).

When a Coinbase user sends cryptocurrency from their wallet, the address it comes "from" is one of Coinbase's many hot wallet addresses. Any crypto sent back to that address would be sent to Coinbase, not your own wallet.

For returns sent back to a Coinbase customer, there are several ways you can go about obtaining an address which will accept returns for a particular transaction:

  1. You can simply send the return back to the sender's registered Coinbase email address, and our system will match this to their account
  2. You can request they sign in, navigate to a crypto currency wallet of their choice, and generate a new address using the Receive button near the upper right
  3. You can request the sender provide you with an address from while signed in to their Coinbase account. Each address here is capable of receiving and matching a refund

Once you have a cryptocurrency or email address provided for refund, you can send the funds. Please see this help article for information on how to send cryptocurrency.

Please note, Coinbase only supports receiving specific cryptocurrencies. Any cryptocurrency that is sent to the wallet address of another cryptocurrency will be lost (if you send BTC to a BCH wallet address, these funds will not be recoverable).

If the party you are trying to return funds to is not using Coinbase, you will need to reach out to them directly in order to get an address that can accept returns.

More information on Coinbase transactions is included in the following article:
Why can't I see my transaction in the blockchain?

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