Crypto exchange deposit not showing in South Africa: what to check, in order

What this page covers, and what it does not

This page is for a rand deposit that has not reflected in your exchange balance, and for a crypto deposit that has confirmed on the blockchain but not been credited. It is not for a withdrawal that is pending or rejected (see crypto withdrawal pending), a transfer sent on the wrong network (see USDT sent on the wrong network), or a verification that failed (see crypto exchange verification failed). “Not showing” and “pending” are treated together here because the platforms treat them together: a deposit is either allocated or it is not.

Every processing window and reference rule below was read on the platforms’ official pages on 3 October 2026 and is shown, with its re-check date, on each exchange’s profile. Where a platform publishes nothing, this page says unknown; it never guesses an internal cause.

Check first: the diagnostic order

1. Is the transfer marked completed by your bank? A payment still “processing” or awaiting bank approval (AltCoinTrader says banks sometimes hold funds for security checks and may phone you) has not left your bank.
2. Did you use the exact reference, in the beneficiary reference field? Luno notes that some customers put the BX/LN reference in their own reference field, so the exchange never sees it. AltCoinTrader wants the nine digits with nothing before or after.
3. Is the rail supported for your bank? Capitec and Absa accounts cannot EFT to Luno; every other platform accepts them. See the bank-by-bank guide.
4. Has the published window passed? Table below. Count business days, not calendar days.
5. Did you pay from an account in your own name? All four platforms reject third-party deposits.
6. Did you send the same amount twice within 24 hours? Luno and AltCoinTrader both flag this as a reason for a deposit not to be credited automatically.
7. For crypto: is the account verified enough? AltCoinTrader credits crypto deposits only from Level 2; VALR and Ovex require full verification before any deposit.
8. Then send proof of payment in the format the platform accepts, and quote the reference.

Official processing windows

AltCoinTrader’s deposit-not-reflecting article gives up to 48 hours from banks other than Standard Bank, against 72 hours in its deposit and timing articles; plan on the longer figure.

Instant rails are different: Luno’s Stitch deposits reflect within minutes and its Capitec Pay and Absa Pay deposits once approved, and AltCoinTrader’s deposit-timing article says instant deposits reflect the same business day. If an instant deposit is missing, Luno’s specific warning is that paying the Stitch beneficiary directly from your banking app, instead of completing the flow in the Luno app, delays crediting.

Reference rules by platform

Platform-specific notes

• Luno: its deposit-not-reflecting article lists the wrong reference, someone else’s bank account, and duplicate amounts within 24 hours as the common reasons, and says that if instructions are not followed precisely a deposit can take up to a month to show. Capitec and Absa EFTs are not accepted at all. Status page: Luno points to it for known delays.
• VALR: “only reach out to us if you’ve waited longer than 48 hours”; wrong VR reference → proof of payment plus the reference to support. EFTs from Namibia, eSwatini and Lesotho are no longer processed through the South African EFT system.
• AltCoinTrader: you can deposit before verifying, but crypto deposits sit uncredited (yellow indicator) until Level 2, and a red indicator means support must review the deposit. Pending crypto deposits are listed under History → Pending Deposits.
• Ovex: full verification before any deposit; EFT is the only rail; its generic fiat-deposit article says some deposits take up to 2 working days and most at least 48 hours, excluding weekends and public holidays, to allocate, and the SN reference is required.

What not to do

• Do not send a second deposit “to test”: the same amount within 24 hours is itself a reason for non-crediting at Luno and AltCoinTrader.
• Do not send screenshots or bank statements as proof of payment to VALR; they are refused.
• Do not pay from a friend’s or family member’s account to “speed it up”; it will be held as a third-party deposit.
• Do not open a support ticket before the window; it does not shorten an interbank transfer.

Evidence to prepare before contacting support

• Bank-issued proof of payment (PDF for VALR) showing your full name, the amount, the date and the reference used.
• The reference you should have used (copied from the deposit screen).
• The bank and account you paid from, and confirmation that it is in your name.
• For AltCoinTrader, send from the e-mail address registered to the account, or support cannot help.

Official support: Luno, VALR, AltCoinTrader, Ovex.

Unresolved and unknown

• Ovex publishes only a generic fiat-deposit window, not a time per bank.
• No platform publishes what its internal fraud or compliance review looks for; where a hold is mentioned (AltCoinTrader’s red indicator, Luno’s automated statement checks) we report it as the platform words it.
• Bank-side delays are described only where a platform describes them; we do not attribute failures to a specific bank.

Next steps

• Choosing a faster rail next time: crypto deposit and withdrawal methods and, for Capitec customers, how to buy crypto with Capitec.
• Verified deposit windows and reference rules, with re-check dates, on each profile: Luno, VALR, AltCoinTrader, Ovex.
• If the problem is on the way out rather than in: crypto withdrawal pending.