Errors and warnings

What if a transfer is detected as a sale?

Last reviewed: August 15, 2026

A transfer detected as a sale means: the software saw the withdrawal without a matching deposit and valued it like a disposal. Typical after moving to a hardware wallet, a bridge or another exchange account. Cost basis is missing on the receiving side, and a phantom gain appears on the sending side.

The facts in brief
Symptom	A withdrawal without a matching deposit
Effect	A fake gain, the holding period restarts
Fix	Load the other wallet and match it as a transfer

Why does the transfer not match?

The destination wallet is not connected, the name differs, the fee makes the amount unequal, the bridge takes minutes to hours, or the asset changes ticker. Without a counterpart only an outflow remains.

How do you check it was really an internal move?

Do you own the destination address? Did the amount arrive minus the fee? Was there a swap in between? If yes, there are two events: transfer and swap. Match only the transfer and classify the swap separately.

Repair in three steps

1) Import the missing wallet or chain. 2) Link withdrawal and deposit as a transfer. 3) Check that holding period and cost basis of the original lot travel with it instead of starting again.

Frequently asked questions

Is a withdrawal to an exchange deposit address a sale?

No, if the exchange account is yours and the deposit is imported. If the exchange import is missing, it looks like a sale.

Why does the holding period restart after the transfer?

Because the deposit was booked as a new inflow with no origin. After the match the original purchase date must apply.

Can a bridge be a sale?

A chain change of your own coins generally not. A swap into a different token on the destination chain yes.