The Nightmare 56% Experienced: The Reality of Investors Who 'Gave Up' Due to Cryptocurrency Transfer Errors
A survey by Clabo Inc. reveals that 56.0% of cryptocurrency investors have experienced transfer troubles, with a harsh reality where 17.8% have 'given up' on their assets. Unexpectedly high fees, network or address errors, and exchange-side issues are the main causes, with network and address errors being particularly difficult to recover from.
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- 📰 Published: May 11, 2026 at 19:10
- 🔍 Collected: May 11, 2026 at 10:31
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56.0% of cryptocurrency investors have experienced transfer troubles—the harsh reality of 17.8% who 'gave up' on their assets | Clabo Inc.
Clabo Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Ikuma Ueno) conducted a 'Survey on the Reality of Transfer Troubles and Asset Loss' targeting 746 individuals with cryptocurrency investment experience.
As a result of the survey, it was found that 56.0% of investors have experienced some form of trouble in cryptocurrency transfers, and a harsh reality emerged where 17.8% of them 'have given up on their assets'.
Instantaneous carelessness, such as incorrect recipient addresses or network selection mistakes, leads to irreversible consequences due to the immutable nature of the blockchain, a situation that has been brought to light.
This report details the reality where the trouble experience rate approximately doubles (from 33.8% to 61.2%) after more than one year of investment experience, and the severe reality that the recovery success rate remains at a mere 28.7%.
We present thorough check flows and defense measures that users should implement in every transaction to protect their assets in a world of self-responsibility.
Check the full version of the survey results
## Survey Details
### 56.0% of Investors Experienced Transfer Troubles—The Three Major Concerns: Fees, Delayed Reflection, and Inability to Withdraw
56.0% of cryptocurrency investors have experienced transfer troubles—the harsh reality of 17.8% who 'gave up' on their assets | Clabo Inc.
### 'Fees Higher Than Expected' 25.3%—The Trap of Gas Fees and Exchange Rate Fluctuations
The most common type of transfer trouble, experienced by 25.3%, was 'fees being higher than expected'.
The fact that more than one in four investors face unexpected gas fees and transfer fees illustrates the difficulty of the unique cost structure of cryptocurrencies.
Especially on networks like Ethereum, gas fees fluctuate by the second depending on network congestion.
It is not uncommon for fees to differ significantly between just before and the moment the transfer button is pressed, and without a sense of the market, one can be forced to bear unexpectedly high costs.
Even for small transfers, fees can sometimes exceed the transfer amount during network congestion.
Getting into the habit of checking the current gas fees before transferring and avoiding transactions during congested times is the first step to suppressing unnecessary costs.
### 'Network Error' 15.8% and 'Address Error' 14.6%—One Mistake Can Be Fatal
Particularly serious are 'sending to the wrong network', experienced by 15.8%, and 'sending to the wrong address', experienced by 14.6%.
These two types are known as the most typical and difficult-to-recover failures in cryptocurrency.
Operational errors, such as sending something that should have been sent with ERC-20 via BEP-20, or sending to a similar address, are fundamentally irreversible due to the immutable nature of the blockchain.
The mechanism where a transaction is finalized the moment the send button is pressed, and does not automatically return even if the destination is wrong, is a severity that can be said to be cruel to beginners.
In total, 30.4%, or nearly one in three investors, have experienced such 'fatal' mistakes.
It is essential to always thoroughly 'double-check' transfer operations and to develop the habit of visually verifying the beginning and end of the address after copying and pasting.
### 'Unable to Withdraw' 16.5%—Troubles Originating from the Exchange Side
16.5% who responded 'unable to withdraw' are troubles originating from the exchange or platform side, not user error.
The causes are diverse, including additional identity verification requests, freezing due to suspected unauthorized access, exchange maintenance, or system failures.
In the worst-case scenario, there is also the risk that the exchange itself collapses, and assets effectively become unrecoverable.
Looking back at past cases of overseas exchanges, it becomes clear that the premise of 'always being able to withdraw' is not necessarily guaranteed.
Not leaving long-term held assets on an exchange but transferring them to one's own wallet is a basic defense measure.
Instead of operating on the premise of 'being able to withdraw', it is necessary to consider asset allocation on the premise of 'not knowing when withdrawals might stop'.
### Amount of Damage from Transfer Errors—22 People with Significant Damage of 500,000 Yen or More
56.0% of cryptocurrency investors have experienced transfer troubles—the harsh reality of 17.8% who 'gave up' on their assets | Clabo Inc.
### Damage of 10,000 to 100,000 Yen Accounts for About 30%—An Amount That Cannot Be Dismissed as 'Learning Experience'
Looking at the amount of damage from transfer errors, it is concentrated in the 10,000 to 100,000 yen range.
15.7% for less than 10,000 to 50,000 yen, and 15.6% for less than 50,000 to 100,000 yen, totaling 31.3%, meaning about 30% of all investors have suffered actual damage in this amount range.
Some investors view damage of several thousand to tens of thousands of yen as a 'learning experience', but in reality, this amount cannot be simply dismissed as such.
Clabo Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Ikuma Ueno) conducted a 'Survey on the Reality of Transfer Troubles and Asset Loss' targeting 746 individuals with cryptocurrency investment experience.
As a result of the survey, it was found that 56.0% of investors have experienced some form of trouble in cryptocurrency transfers, and a harsh reality emerged where 17.8% of them 'have given up on their assets'.
Instantaneous carelessness, such as incorrect recipient addresses or network selection mistakes, leads to irreversible consequences due to the immutable nature of the blockchain, a situation that has been brought to light.
This report details the reality where the trouble experience rate approximately doubles (from 33.8% to 61.2%) after more than one year of investment experience, and the severe reality that the recovery success rate remains at a mere 28.7%.
We present thorough check flows and defense measures that users should implement in every transaction to protect their assets in a world of self-responsibility.
Check the full version of the survey results
## Survey Details
### 56.0% of Investors Experienced Transfer Troubles—The Three Major Concerns: Fees, Delayed Reflection, and Inability to Withdraw
56.0% of cryptocurrency investors have experienced transfer troubles—the harsh reality of 17.8% who 'gave up' on their assets | Clabo Inc.
### 'Fees Higher Than Expected' 25.3%—The Trap of Gas Fees and Exchange Rate Fluctuations
The most common type of transfer trouble, experienced by 25.3%, was 'fees being higher than expected'.
The fact that more than one in four investors face unexpected gas fees and transfer fees illustrates the difficulty of the unique cost structure of cryptocurrencies.
Especially on networks like Ethereum, gas fees fluctuate by the second depending on network congestion.
It is not uncommon for fees to differ significantly between just before and the moment the transfer button is pressed, and without a sense of the market, one can be forced to bear unexpectedly high costs.
Even for small transfers, fees can sometimes exceed the transfer amount during network congestion.
Getting into the habit of checking the current gas fees before transferring and avoiding transactions during congested times is the first step to suppressing unnecessary costs.
### 'Network Error' 15.8% and 'Address Error' 14.6%—One Mistake Can Be Fatal
Particularly serious are 'sending to the wrong network', experienced by 15.8%, and 'sending to the wrong address', experienced by 14.6%.
These two types are known as the most typical and difficult-to-recover failures in cryptocurrency.
Operational errors, such as sending something that should have been sent with ERC-20 via BEP-20, or sending to a similar address, are fundamentally irreversible due to the immutable nature of the blockchain.
The mechanism where a transaction is finalized the moment the send button is pressed, and does not automatically return even if the destination is wrong, is a severity that can be said to be cruel to beginners.
In total, 30.4%, or nearly one in three investors, have experienced such 'fatal' mistakes.
It is essential to always thoroughly 'double-check' transfer operations and to develop the habit of visually verifying the beginning and end of the address after copying and pasting.
### 'Unable to Withdraw' 16.5%—Troubles Originating from the Exchange Side
16.5% who responded 'unable to withdraw' are troubles originating from the exchange or platform side, not user error.
The causes are diverse, including additional identity verification requests, freezing due to suspected unauthorized access, exchange maintenance, or system failures.
In the worst-case scenario, there is also the risk that the exchange itself collapses, and assets effectively become unrecoverable.
Looking back at past cases of overseas exchanges, it becomes clear that the premise of 'always being able to withdraw' is not necessarily guaranteed.
Not leaving long-term held assets on an exchange but transferring them to one's own wallet is a basic defense measure.
Instead of operating on the premise of 'being able to withdraw', it is necessary to consider asset allocation on the premise of 'not knowing when withdrawals might stop'.
### Amount of Damage from Transfer Errors—22 People with Significant Damage of 500,000 Yen or More
56.0% of cryptocurrency investors have experienced transfer troubles—the harsh reality of 17.8% who 'gave up' on their assets | Clabo Inc.
### Damage of 10,000 to 100,000 Yen Accounts for About 30%—An Amount That Cannot Be Dismissed as 'Learning Experience'
Looking at the amount of damage from transfer errors, it is concentrated in the 10,000 to 100,000 yen range.
15.7% for less than 10,000 to 50,000 yen, and 15.6% for less than 50,000 to 100,000 yen, totaling 31.3%, meaning about 30% of all investors have suffered actual damage in this amount range.
Some investors view damage of several thousand to tens of thousands of yen as a 'learning experience', but in reality, this amount cannot be simply dismissed as such.