FAQ

What happens if a private key is lost or stolen?

Both outcomes are permanent. A stolen key lets whoever holds it sign and drain the address; a lost key means no one can produce the signature the network requires, so the funds are stranded for good. There is no reset and no central party that can reverse a theft or restore access — which is why protecting the key is the whole task of keeping crypto funds safe.

related

Keep reading across the cluster.

Private keyThe secret that authorizes spending from an address.Glossary terms questionsFrequently asked questions drawn from the halfin glossary terms pages. Each one links to a standalone answer.Are stablecoins exactly equal to one dollar?The peg is a design target, not an identity: a dollar-pegged stablecoin trades very close to one dollar but moves in small amounts around it. On halfin…Can a customer charge back a crypto payment they made through halfin?No. A confirmed on-chain payment is final and cannot be reversed by the customer or their bank — there is no issuer or card network to claw the funds…Can a customer dispute a crypto payment the way they dispute a card charge?Not in the same way. A confirmed on-chain payment is final, so there is no bank or card network that can force the funds back. A customer can still…Can a customer pay a halfin invoice in a native coin?Yes. halfin supports native coins as payable assets directly — BTC, ETH, SOL, XRP, TRX, and the BNB Smart Chain's base coin — alongside stablecoins. The…Can a customer pay an Ethereum invoice from a layer-2 like Base or Arbitrum?No — each network is distinct, even for the same asset. USDC on Ethereum, Base, and Arbitrum share a token standard but are separate deposits on separate…Can a gas fee make a payment arrive short?It can, if the payer's wallet takes the fee out of the amount being sent rather than adding it on top — common when someone asks a wallet to send its…Can a payment platform keep all its keys in cold storage?No. Detecting deposits, sweeping them, and sending payouts automatically require signing transactions without a human in the loop, which means some keys…Can a payout be reversed once it is sent?No. Once halfin has signed, broadcast, and confirmed a payout, it is an on-chain transfer that is final — no third party can pull it back. That is why…Can a refund be partial?Yes. A refund is reasoned about relative to the amount paid on the original invoice, so it can return the full paid amount or part of it — for example a…Can I pay a halfin invoice with a wrapped token?No — halfin detects and credits the native assets and first-class tokens of the chains it supports, and there is no wrapped-token gate. A wrapped form has…