Two ways a receiver can identify a beneficiary
| Receiver instruction | Information to preserve | Question before funding |
|---|---|---|
| G-address with a separate memo | The address, memo value and required memo type | Can the offered payout represent this complete instruction? |
| M-address | The complete muxed address supplied by the recipient | Is this address format supported by the offered payout? |
| Instruction without a memo requirement | The receiverโs actual account and current conditions | Is no memo really intended, rather than merely missing from a screenshot? |
| A copied label such as โmy Stellarโ | No reliable payment instruction by itself | Where are the current receiving details for that specific account? |
An embedded identifier is still part of the receiving instruction
Stellar documentation describes M-addresses as an encoding of an underlying G account together with an identifier. Not every wallet or platform supports muxed accounts. A format understood by the network is therefore not automatically a format supported by every exchange interface.
A separate memo also has a type. Stellar defines text and numeric ID memos, among other types. Keep the requested type and value together instead of deciding that two similar-looking displays are interchangeable. You do not need to learn transaction construction to use a deposit instruction, but you do need the sending form and receiving service to agree about the required information.
Ask a precise compatibility question
- Identify what the receiver actually provided
- Save the current instruction for the account to be credited. State whether it contains a separate memo or one complete M-address. If you only have a saved address-book name, reopen the receiver rather than guessing what that name represents.
- Describe the mismatch instead of editing it away
- If the payout form rejects the supplied format or leaves the memo type unclear, ask whether that exact receiving instruction is supported. Do not simply remove the muxed identifier, change its prefix or move an unexplained number into a different field.
- Obtain alternative details from the receiver if needed
- If a different format is required, the receiver must confirm an acceptable complete instruction. Do not construct a G-address-and-memo alternative from an M-address by hand as a workaround. Clarification should happen before the Bitcoin funding payment, not after it.
Keep the Bitcoin payment and Stellar receipt distinguishable
For your own record, write down which prepared recipient belongs to which exchange request. The Bitcoin funding reference and the Stellar payout reference are not the same transaction. If a receiving balance is missing, an unrelated Bitcoin explorer page cannot establish which Stellar beneficiary was specified.
An investigation should start from the actual payout details and the receiver account history. Preserve the original instruction so that support can compare it with the transfer. A missing memo or unsupported handling can require the receiving service to investigate; this guide promises neither an automatic credit nor a recovery outcome. Do not send an extra payment merely to test an improvised repair. Share relevant identifiers through the proper support channel, without providing account passwords, seed phrases or secret keys.
Questions about XLM receiving formats
- Can I shorten an M-address to make a form accept it?
- Do not remove information to force acceptance. Clarify supported formats and obtain any alternative complete instruction from the receiving service before funding.
- Does the memo value alone define a complete instruction?
- Retain the required memo type, value and address as one set. If the type is unclear in either interface, resolve that mismatch before making the exchange payment.
- Can a Bitcoin transaction reference prove XLM account credit?
- It identifies the funding leg, not the Stellar payout or the receiving platform balance. Keep the references separate and investigate the actual payout if credit is missing.
Stellar format documentation
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