Recently, a friend who has been long-term following the crypto world told me an experience that made my scalp tingle. He cashed out 600,000 USDT and withdrew it via bank card. Within just two hours, he received a message from the bank—transaction suspended outside the counter. The money was stuck in his account, and even checking the balance had to wait half a day.

That feeling is even worse than being liquidated.

On the surface, it looks like you’ve got clean cash in hand. But the truth behind it is: some USDT have gone through multiple transfers, and upstream sources may have involved scam funds or other illegal transactions. Once there’s an issue at the source, the entire money chain can be traced back, frozen by banks and regulators.

Here’s an important point to emphasize: **Account freezing ≠ you’re breaking the law**. The key is whether you can prove your innocence. In most cases, providing OTC transaction screenshots, chat records with counterparts, transfer receipts, and similar materials can lead to a 90% chance of unfreezing. But the process is tedious—going to banks, cooperating with police, explaining repeatedly. It can take from a few weeks to three or five months, and your mental state can be worn down in an instant.

So how can you avoid this risk? I’ve summarized three practical tips:

**Step 1: Dedicated funds, risk isolation**

Use a separate card solely for OTC withdrawals—don’t use it for salary transfers or daily expenses. Even if you get caught in risk control and the card gets frozen, only this one is affected, and your daily life remains unaffected. This is the baseline.

**Step 2: Choosing the right trading counterpart is crucial**

Don’t chase cheap deals—only transact with reputable vendors with high credit scores, over a year of trading history, and stable trading volume. Gambling on account security just to save a few tens of dollars is really not worth it.

**Step 3: Attention to detail determines success or failure**

Make large transfers in batches, preferably during daytime (bank risk control logic is more transparent during the day); wait 2-3 days after funds arrive before moving again; write reasonable transfer remarks—like “payment,” “technical service fee,” “consulting fee”—and never put vague or suspicious notes.

In the crypto market, making money is one thing; safely landing your cash is the real skill. Many people end up crashing not because of market fluctuations, but because they mistakenly think the money is already in their hands in that instant. Don’t trust feelings too much—stay alert, the market isn’t that urgent.