IC Markets
A pending deposit is money that has left your account but not yet reached your trading balance. In most cases it is somewhere in the payment chain rather than lost. The trace is straightforward: confirm the money actually left your side, work out which rail it is on, and check whether a verification step is holding it. This guide covers each.
Step 1: Confirm the money left your account
Check your bank app, card statement, or e-wallet for a completed debit matching the amount and time. If the payment shows as failed or reversed on your side, the deposit did not go through and any pending status on the broker is a display artifact that will clear. A completed debit means the money is in transit, and the next steps apply.
Step 2: Identify the payment rail
| Method | Normal time to reflect | Common hold-up |
|---|---|---|
| Card | Instant to a few minutes | 3-D Secure not completed, or issuer flagged the merchant |
| Instant EFT / open banking | Minutes | Session timed out before final confirmation |
| Manual bank transfer | Same day to 2 working days | Reference not included, or weekend |
| E-wallet | Instant to minutes | Wallet identity not matching the trading account name |
| Crypto | Minutes to an hour | Network congestion, or wrong network selected |
Step 3: Check for a verification hold
A first deposit, or a deposit from a new payment method, is often held briefly while the broker confirms the payment source belongs to you. This is a fraud control, not an obstacle. If the broker has asked for a photo of your card (with the middle digits covered) or a bank confirmation letter, provide it promptly and the deposit usually clears within a few hours.
Step 4: Match the name and reference
Deposits must come from an account in your own name that matches your verified trading account. A transfer from a joint account, a family member's account, or a business account will be held or returned. For manual bank transfers, the payment reference the broker gave you has to be included exactly, or the broker cannot match the money to your account and it sits unallocated until support links it manually.
Priya made a manual bank transfer and forgot to add the reference code. The money left her account but did not appear in her trading balance for two days. She sent support the bank receipt showing the amount, date and her name, and they matched it to her account within an hour. Her second deposit, with the reference included, reflected the same day.
When to raise a case
- Wait out the normal time for your method (see the table above) plus any weekend.
- Gather proof: a screenshot or PDF of the completed debit showing the amount, date, and the destination.
- Contact support with that proof and your account ID. Ask them to trace and allocate the payment.
- If it was a card payment that the broker says it never received, and the debit is completed on your side, ask your card issuer to open a payment trace or dispute after the broker's stated window.
Only ever deposit through the broker's own cashier or deposit screen. If someone gives you a personal account number, an e-wallet handle, or a crypto address by message and calls it your "deposit details", it is a scam. Real broker deposits go to a company account or a named payment gateway inside the platform.
A pending deposit is almost always a tracing problem, not a theft. What fixes most cases is proving the debit completed on your side and giving support the exact amount, date and reference so they can allocate it. The cases that go wrong are deposits sent outside the platform to a person, because there is nothing to trace and no company on the other end.
Frequently asked
Why has my forex deposit not shown up?
Usually it is still moving through the payment rail, a first-deposit verification check is holding it, the payment reference was missing on a bank transfer, or the sending account name does not match your trading account. Confirm the debit completed on your side, then contact support with proof.
How long does a forex deposit take?
Card and e-wallet deposits are usually instant to a few minutes. Instant EFT is minutes. Manual bank transfers take same day to two working days. Crypto takes minutes to about an hour depending on network conditions.
My card was charged but the deposit did not arrive. What do I do?
Send support a screenshot of the completed charge showing amount, date and merchant, plus your account ID, and ask them to trace it. If the broker's window passes with no resolution, ask your card issuer to open a payment trace or dispute.
Can I deposit from someone else's bank account?
No. Deposits must come from an account in your own name that matches your verified trading account. Third-party deposits are held or returned as a fraud and anti-money-laundering control.
Do I need to include a reference on a bank transfer?
Yes. For manual bank transfers the broker's reference code must be included exactly, or the payment arrives unallocated and support has to link it to your account manually, which adds a day or more.