Exchanges can restrict a customer account. A small number of token issuers can restrict specific addresses. Nobody can freeze a self-custody wallet, because nothing sits between the key and the network.
Freezes are discretionary, usually short-lived without legal backing, and only ever possible while funds remain in place — which is why the first hours after a loss matter more than anything that follows.
Related terms
Exchange
A business that converts between cryptocurrencies and traditional currency and holds customer balances.
Stablecoin
A token designed to hold a steady value against a currency, most commonly the US dollar.
Action Fraud
The UK's national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime, and the route for reporting cryptocurrency fraud.
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Guides that use this term
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