At 3 a.m., Lao Wang called me over a dozen times, sounding as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. He had just converted 600,000 USDT into fiat on the exchange and transferred it to his bank card—it hadn’t even had time to get warm. But two hours later, a bank SMS popped up: "Your account’s non-counter transactions have been suspended." The money was sitting in his account, the balance was visible, but he couldn’t move a cent.

He said he stared at those digits in his mobile banking app for nearly an hour, feeling ice cold inside. He’d pulled countless all-nighters watching the market to earn that money, didn’t lose it to market volatility, but got stuck at the very last step—withdrawal. That feeling was even more frustrating than losing money.

A lot of people in crypto only focus on price swings, thinking they’re safe as long as they withstand market ups and downs. But the real traps usually aren’t in the charts—earning money but being unable to withdraw it is the real killer. The problem lies in "tainted funds": for example, someone might buy USDT with dirty money, and after a few transfers on-chain, it ends up in your hands. On the surface, it all looks like normal transactions, but if something happens at the source, every account in that chain can get into trouble.

But don’t panic. Account freezes don’t mean you’ve broken the law. As long as you can provide OTC transaction screenshots, chat records with the counterparty, and transaction histories, 90% of accounts can be unfrozen. But this means running to the bank, cooperating with police investigations—it could take a few weeks if you’re lucky, or drag on for months if not. It’s time-consuming, stressful, and much better to block the risks ahead of time.

Here are some practical tips:

**1. Set up a “crypto-only bank card”**
Use it exclusively for OTC transactions—never mix it with your salary or daily expense cards. If it gets frozen, at least it won’t affect your rent or groceries.

**2. Choose trading partners wisely—don’t just go for the cheapest**
Prioritize long-standing merchants with high reputations and over a year of transaction history. Don’t risk it for a couple bucks in price difference by dealing with newly registered accounts—the tiny savings aren’t worth the risk.

**3. Pay attention to operational details**
Split large amounts into batches, operate during the day if possible (banks’ risk controls are more transparent then); after the funds arrive, don’t rush to move them—let them sit for three days and observe; write reasonable notes for transfers, like "payment for goods" or "consulting fee."

Making money in crypto takes skill, but safely pocketing it is the real craft. Don’t wait until your account is frozen to think about remedies—preventing these risks ahead of time is the smartest move.

People ask if I mentor newcomers. My answer has always been clear: the light’s always on here, and anyone who’s willing to learn and walk the path steadily will find their own direction.