Start a crypto exchange complaint with a clear written account of what happened, the evidence and the remedy you want. Use the provider's formal complaints process after distinguishing it from an ordinary support query. If fraud is still in progress, contact the exchange and your bank urgently; do not wait for a complaints timetable to protect an account.
A complaint is not a guarantee of reimbursement. The correct escalation body depends on the provider, the service and the facts. A South African brand presence or a crypto-related loss alone does not establish FAIS Ombud jurisdiction.
Choose the first channel correctly
A missing transaction reference or a question about a deposit normally starts with support. A formal complaint sets out the conduct you dispute and the harm or unfair treatment you allege. Preserve the earlier support correspondence so the complaints team can see what has already been attempted.
VALR's published policy separates service queries, fraud reports and formal FAIS complaints. It provides a dedicated complaints form and mailbox in the policy. Follow the current official policy link rather than sending sensitive information to a social-media account that claims to represent the company.
For another provider, obtain its own current complaints procedure. Do not assume that VALR's process, deadlines or legal entity apply to Luno, an overseas exchange or a third-party payment processor.
Build a compact evidence pack
| File | Contents | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 01-summary | One page describing issue and requested remedy | Lets the reviewer understand the case quickly |
| 02-chronology | Dated events with timezone and references | Establishes sequence |
| 03-transactions | Relevant orders, deposits, withdrawals and bank proof | Connects amounts to actual records |
| 04-correspondence | Support tickets and final responses | Shows prior resolution attempts |
| 05-calculation | Claimed amount and each supporting input | Makes the requested remedy assessable |
Keep originals and work from copies. Do not alter a transaction record to strengthen the case. Label your own notes as notes and distinguish an allegation from something established by a document.
Redact unrelated personal information when appropriate, while retaining fields the official process requires. Never include passwords, authentication codes or recovery phrases. A complaint about wallet access does not require giving the reviewer control of the wallet.
Calculate the amount without counting it twice
Suppose a hypothetical R5,000 deposit was not credited, the provider later returned R2,000 and you incurred a documented R50 bank charge that you also dispute. The remaining principal is R3,000. The total requested remedy is R3,050 if the separate charge is included and justified.
Do not claim R5,000 plus R3,000: that counts the same missing principal twice. Do not add an imagined trading profit as though it were an established cash loss. If you claim consequential loss, identify it separately and seek advice on whether it is recoverable.
A clean calculation does not prove liability. It gives the provider or adjudicator a specific claim to evaluate.
Use a factual complaint opening
I am making a formal complaint about [service/transaction] under account reference [reference]. On [date/time], [event occurred]. I first contacted support on [date] under ticket [number]. The unresolved issue is [specific issue]. I request [remedy], calculated as [amount and method]. I attach a chronology and supporting records. Please acknowledge receipt and provide the applicable complaints procedure and escalation information.
Avoid threats, accusations you cannot substantiate and long unrelated histories. If the provider asks for more information, answer the specific question and retain a copy of what you submitted.
Escalation requires a jurisdiction check
The FAIS Ombud explains that complaints must concern a financial service rendered by a provider or its representative to the complainant. Its prerequisites require trying to resolve the matter with the responding party first. The site also describes time limits, a monetary jurisdiction limit and restrictions where court proceedings concern the same subject.
Record the date you became aware of the problem, the date you complained to the provider and the date of its final response. The Ombud’s prerequisites page describes an awareness-based time limit, while a provider’s final response may specify an escalation deadline. These measure different events. Contact the Ombud promptly to confirm the applicable filing requirements; do not wait for a calculated last day or abandon part of a claim merely to fit a limit without advice.
The FSCA's regulatory role and the Ombud's dispute-resolution role should not be conflated. A regulatory report does not establish a right to reimbursement, and the Ombud must determine whether a dispute falls within its scope.
Use the ZA regulation guide for broader context. Keep the complete case file and use the authority's official website to verify contact details. Do not pay someone who promises guaranteed recovery or claims an official connection without independent verification.
Sources and verification
Primary sources checked on 20 September 2026. Prices, availability and processing arrangements can change.