When a merchant refuses to refund, your only leverage is the on-chain transfer record. But having a transfer record alone is not enough. You must organize it into a complete evidence package proving that you not only paid, but paid to the right person.
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The goal of proving is not to convince the merchant "I paid", but to prevent the merchant or their payment service provider from denying the existence of this transaction. Below is the list of evidence you need to prepare.
Step 1: Extract Core On-Chain Payment Evidence – Transaction Hash + Blockchain Explorer Screenshot
This is the most basic evidence, but most people only capture half of it.
How to do it:
Copy the full transaction hash (TxID) from your wallet or a blockchain explorer (such as Etherscan or Tronscan).
Take a screenshot of the page showing: sender address, receiver address, transfer amount, network name (e.g., Ethereum, BSC), number of block confirmations, and timestamp. Completion standard: The screenshot must clearly show that the transfer has been successfully confirmed on-chain and the status is "Success".
Step 2: Prove the Receiving Address Matches the Merchant Order – Order Page Screenshot
Payment screenshots plus a transaction hash only prove that "you paid a certain address", not "you paid the merchant". You need to link the address to the order.
How to do it:
Take a full-screen screenshot of the merchant's payment page, which must include: order number, amount due, and the wallet address specified by the merchant for receiving payment.
If the merchant's page has a "copy address" button, you can also take a screenshot of the address's balance change after the payment as supporting evidence. Completion standard: The receiving address on the merchant's page must exactly match the recipient address on the blockchain transfer record.
Step 3: Prepare Identity and Account Ownership Evidence
The merchant may refuse the refund on the grounds that "we cannot confirm you are the payer". This set of evidence is to block that excuse.
How to do it:
Screenshot your account information page on the merchant platform (including registered email/phone number, KYC name).
Screenshot your wallet address (the page in your wallet app that shows "My Address"). Completion standard: You can prove that you have control over the sending address and that the address is linked to your merchant account.
Risk reminder: Do not send just one screenshot. When dealing with disputes, merchant customer service has the right to ask you for a screen recording or real-time screen sharing to verify wallet ownership and payment records. If you cannot cooperate with further verification, screenshots alone may not be accepted. Visa's dispute rules for digital currency merchants clearly state that merchants need to provide a publicly queryable transaction hash to fight disputes. Complete on-chain records plus ownership evidence are the basic materials for dispute resolution.
Step 4: Submit Evidence Through the Correct Channel
The channel for submitting evidence varies depending on the merchant's payment service provider type.
Situation A: The merchant uses professional payment gateways like Gate Pay, Infini, etc. These service providers have a dispute handling entry in the merchant's backend, and merchant customer service can submit evidence directly there. How to do it: Package the materials from steps 1–3 and submit them all at once through the merchant's official customer service channel, requesting an escalation to the dispute resolution team. Completion standard: Customer service confirms that the materials have been forwarded and provides a handling number or estimated processing time.
Situation B: The merchant uses a self-custody wallet to receive payments directly. Such merchants do not have a payment gateway dispute mechanism and can only rely on internal review. How to do it: Besides submitting evidence, it is recommended to clearly tell the merchant that, according to Visa rules, providing the on-chain hash and matching receiving address is a valid piece of evidence for the merchant to contest a dispute. Imply that if the merchant refuses to process the refund, you reserve the right to initiate a dispute through the card issuing platform. Completion standard: The merchant gives a clear acceptance or rejection reply.
Step 5: If the Merchant Still Refuses – Use the Platform Dispute Channel
This is the last resort. If your stablecoin card is issued by an exchange (such as OKX or Binance card), you can submit a dispute through the card issuing platform.
How to do it: Contact the card issuing platform's customer service, submit a dispute request, and attach all the materials you prepared in steps 1–3. Completion standard: Customer service confirms the dispute ticket has been created and tells you the processing time (usually several weeks). Risk reminder: Dispute channels have time window limits. Taking the KuCoin card as an example, a dispute request must be filed within 60 days of the transaction. After the deadline, it cannot be initiated.
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How to Verify the Operation Is Complete
Once the merchant accepts the evidence, the order status will be updated to "Refunded" or "Processed", and the funds will be returned to the original payment method within a few working days. If you go through the platform dispute channel, wait for the platform's final ruling notice – this is the only authoritative result. Do not trust verbal promises from the merchant.
