The Credited Amount Doesn't Match the Sent Amount
You transferred 100 USDT from another exchange or wallet to Binance, but only 99 USDT showed up. Or you sent 0.1 ETH and received 0.0985 ETH. The numbers don't add up — something's missing. Who took the difference?
This is actually quite common, and in most cases it's not a problem at all — you just didn't notice that fees were deducted along the way. But there are other reasons that can cause an amount mismatch. Let's break them all down.
Reason 1: The Sending Platform Deducted a Withdrawal Fee
This is the most common cause. When you withdraw crypto from another exchange to Binance, the sender typically charges a withdrawal fee that's deducted directly from the transfer amount.
For example, if you withdraw 100 USDT from Exchange A to Binance and Exchange A charges a 1 USDT withdrawal fee (TRC-20 network), only 99 USDT will arrive at Binance.
How to confirm this is the cause:
- Check the withdrawal record on the sending platform, which will show the actual amount sent and the fee deducted
- Look up the TxID on a blockchain explorer to see exactly how much was transferred on-chain
Withdrawal Fees Vary Widely Between Exchanges
For the same USDT withdrawal, one exchange might charge 1 USDT while another charges 5 USDT or more. It's worth comparing fee structures when choosing an exchange.
Does Binance Charge a Deposit Fee
No. Binance does not charge any fee for on-chain deposits. However much arrives on-chain is exactly how much gets credited. Any discrepancy is entirely due to the sender.
Reason 2: Miner Fees (When Sending from a Wallet)
When sending tokens from your own wallet (like MetaMask) to Binance, the miner fee (gas fee) is typically paid separately from the transfer amount using the chain's native token (e.g., ETH on Ethereum, BNB on BSC).
However, there's one exception: if you're sending the native token itself (e.g., sending ETH from a wallet), the miner fee is deducted from the ETH you're sending, resulting in less arriving than you intended.
Example:
- Sending 100 USDT (ERC-20) from a wallet: You need ETH for gas separately; 100 USDT arrives at Binance (no reduction)
- Sending 1 ETH from a wallet: You might receive 0.998 ETH (about 0.002 ETH deducted for gas)
The exact gas cost depends on network conditions at the time. You can check the actual credited amount in the deposit history after downloading the Binance app.
Reason 3: The Token Has a Built-In Transfer Tax
Some tokens are designed with a "transfer tax" mechanism — each time a transfer occurs on-chain, the smart contract automatically deducts a percentage for burning, redistribution, or liquidity pools. These tokens are more common in the DeFi space.
If you deposit such a token, the credited amount will be less than the sent amount even if the sender charged no additional fee.
Common token types with transfer taxes:
- Some meme coins
- Certain reflection tokens
- Tokens with auto-burn mechanisms
Major tokens like BTC, ETH, USDT, and BNB do not have transfer taxes.
Reason 4: Precision Differences
Some tokens have different decimal precision on different chains. For instance, a token might support 18 decimal places on Chain A but only 8 on Chain B. Cross-chain transfers may result in tiny precision losses (usually affecting only the last few decimal places), causing a minimal difference between sent and received amounts.
This type of discrepancy is extremely small (billionths of a unit) and has no practical impact.
Reason 5: P2P Trading Price Spreads
If you bought crypto through P2P trading, a slight difference between the "exchange rate" you paid and the market price is normal. P2P merchants typically price slightly above market rate, and that spread is the merchant's profit.
Example:
- USDT market price: 7.20 CNY
- Merchant's price: 7.25 CNY
- You paid 725 CNY and received 100 USDT
- This isn't "less" — you simply bought at the 7.25 rate
When using P2P trading after registering through Binance, compare several merchants' prices and choose a reasonable one.
Reason 6: Credit Card Purchase Fees
If you buy cryptocurrency directly on Binance using a credit or debit card, the platform and third-party payment processors charge fees, typically between 1.5%–3.5%. So for a $100 purchase, the crypto you receive may only be worth $96–98.50.
This fee is displayed at the time of order and is not a hidden charge.
How to Identify the Cause of the Discrepancy
Step 1: Check the Sender's Records
The sender's (exchange or wallet) transaction records will typically show:
- The amount you requested to withdraw
- The fee deducted
- The actual amount sent to the blockchain
Step 2: Check the Blockchain Explorer
Look up the TxID on the corresponding blockchain explorer to see the exact transfer amount on-chain. This is the amount Binance received.
Step 3: Compare with the Binance Deposit Record
Check the actual credited amount in Binance's deposit history. If it matches the blockchain explorer, Binance didn't deduct anything extra. If there's a discrepancy (very rare), contact support.
You can conveniently view your deposit records and credited amounts after downloading the Binance app.
How to Minimize Amount Losses
Choose Low-Fee Networks
Transferring USDT via TRC-20 costs about 1 USDT, while ERC-20 can cost anywhere from $10 to over $30. Choosing the right network can save you a lot.
Choose Low-Fee Sending Platforms
Different exchanges charge vastly different withdrawal fees. If you frequently transfer between platforms, pick an exchange with low withdrawal fees as an intermediary.
Spread Fees Over Larger Transfers
If the fee is a flat amount (e.g., 1 USDT), the fee ratio for transferring 100 USDT is 1%, but for 1,000 USDT it's only 0.1%. Larger transfers are more cost-effective.
Use Binance Internal Transfers
If both the sender and receiver are on the Binance platform, you can use Binance's internal transfer feature — no on-chain transaction needed, zero fees, and instant arrival.
FAQ
Can the difference be recovered?
If the difference is due to fees, it's a normal charge and cannot be recovered. If you believe the discrepancy is unreasonable (e.g., a large amount missing that can't be explained by fees), contact Binance support for investigation.
Could the credited amount ever be more?
Extremely rare and theoretically impossible. If you receive more than you sent, check whether someone else also sent crypto to you, or whether you misread the numbers.
Why wasn't any of my USDT deducted?
This means the network and sender combination you chose didn't charge any on-chain fee (e.g., some exchanges waive withdrawal fees for certain networks), or the fee was deducted separately from your account balance rather than the transfer amount.
What should I watch out for with P2P purchases?
Compare prices from several merchants — don't just go with the first one. Sometimes the price difference between merchants at the same time can be 0.5% or more. After registering through Binance, you can see all merchants' live prices on the P2P page.
Security Tips
- Understand the sender's fee structure before depositing — know what to expect
- Verify the amount upon arrival and confirm the discrepancy falls within a reasonable range
- If the discrepancy is too large or unexplainable, contact Binance support immediately
- Don't trust "zero-fee deposit" advertisements — understanding the fee structure leads to better decisions
- Save records of every transaction (TxID, screenshots, etc.) for future reference