A couple of days ago at 3 a.m., a friend who’s been in crypto for almost a year called me. The moment I picked up, I could tell something was wrong—his voice was shaking: “Bro, I just cashed out 800,000 USDT from the platform and transferred it to my bank account. Not even two hours later, the bank froze all my non-counter transactions. Now my money’s stuck in the account, and even checking the balance shows an error.”

He said he stared at those digits on his phone, completely numb. The money was right there in his account, but it felt like there was a pane of glass in the way—he could see it, but couldn’t touch it. That feeling was even worse than taking a loss—at least with a loss, you know where the money went. But having your card frozen really leaves you helpless.

A lot of people in crypto watch the markets so closely their eyes turn green. After surviving several rounds of ups and downs and finally making a profit, they stumble at this last step. The core issue usually comes down to “source of funds”—the USDT you received might be clean, but the person who sold it to you might have upstream sources tied to questionable funds, like money from illicit activities. If something happens upstream, all accounts along the chain could get flagged and investigated.

Let’s get this clear: a frozen card ≠ you did something illegal. As long as you can provide complete transaction screenshots, chat records, transfer histories—proof that your trades were legitimate—in most cases, you’ll get your funds unfrozen. But the process is a real hassle. Instead of running to the police station for proof after the fact, it’s better to block risks in advance.

Here are a few practical tips:

**First, don’t skimp on a dedicated cash-out card.**
Get a new card specifically for crypto transactions. Don’t touch your payroll or daily spending cards. If something goes wrong, at least it won’t affect your salary, mortgage, or daily expenses.

**Second, don’t just look at price when picking an OTC merchant.**
When doing OTC on major platforms, don’t just chase the highest price for a little extra. Pay attention to the merchant’s registration duration (ideally at least two years), trading volume, and user reviews. “You get what you pay for” is especially true when cashing out.

**Third, don’t get sloppy with the details.**
Don’t dump large amounts in a single transaction—split it into several for more stability. Try to operate during business hours on weekdays. After the money arrives, leave it there for a few days—don’t deposit and withdraw instantly. Bank risk control systems are particularly sensitive to “fast in, fast out.”

In this space, making money is a skill, but being able to safely pocket that money is real mastery. I hope these tips help you avoid unnecessary detours and keep your earnings safe and sound.