Can an exchange freeze stolen crypto? How evidence-led requests work
7 min read · Updated 25 September 2026
Finding an exchange in the transaction trail can create an actionable lead, but a freeze depends on evidence, timing, jurisdiction and lawful authority.
Tracing and freezing are different steps
A trace can show that assets reached an address associated with a centralised exchange. That does not prove who controls the account and does not itself freeze anything. The exchange must assess the report under its own compliance duties and applicable law.
What makes a report actionable
A useful notice identifies the original loss transaction, each relevant hop, the receiving address, asset, network, amount and time. It also separates observed on-chain facts from attribution or assumptions.
- A concise chronology and victim statement.
- Transaction hashes and an annotated flow graph.
- Evidence connecting the reported loss to the traced assets.
- Police or court reference where available.
- A verified way for compliance or law enforcement to follow up.
Who can hold, seize or return assets
An exchange may apply a temporary restriction under its policies, but longer detention, disclosure and return often require law-enforcement or court involvement. UK legislation provides specific civil forfeiture powers for cryptoassets, but those powers belong to authorised public bodies, not private investigators.
Secwall's role in recovery
Secwall documents the flow, identifies relevant services, prepares the evidence and pursues the recovery case with your lawyer, exchange or reporting authority. Any restriction or restitution is then authorised through the applicable official process. Speed can matter, but accuracy and lawful procedure matter too.