What to do if money is transferred but not received?

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Little else makes your heart rate rise than seeing a notification that the money you sent was transferred, but your recipient is texting you: “It hasn’t arrived yet”. You’re not alone in this experience, however, especially with how widespread money transfers are around the world. Data from CoinLaw notes that global remittance flows rose to $958 billion in 2025.¹

The good news is that “not received” usually doesn’t mean that the money you worked carefully to earn and send is gone.” Most of the time, it’s one of a few fixable issues. The transfer is still being processed, the payout method has a timing rule (bank deposits and mobile wallets can lag), the recipient details don’t match what the pickup location requires, or the transfer is waiting on a verification step.

In any case, no one wants to go through a dreaded waiting period, not knowing where their money has gone. In this guide, we’ll walk through what to do in such a situation, how to check whether the money is truly available, the most common reasons it gets stuck, and the fastest way to resolve it.

Why money may not show up in your bank account

Money not instantly being transferred to a recipient’s account is quite common. However, they don’t usually signal major issues. Here’s what it could mean if money doesn’t immediately show up in your bank account.

Bank processing delays

Even when a transfer is marked complete, your bank may still need time to post it to your account. This is common with bank deposits, especially if the receiving bank batches incoming transfers.

Timing can also depend on cut-off times. If the transfer hits the bank after a daily cut-off, it may not post until the next business day, even if the sender’s side shows it as done. (This is one of the most common reasons people see a bank transfer successful but not received.)

Incorrect recipient details

If the recipient’s name, account number, or other details don’t match what the bank expects, the deposit can fail or get routed into a “needs review” status. Sometimes it won’t fully bounce back right away. It just sits in limbo until the provider or bank confirms what went wrong.

International transfer hold

Some international deposits get temporarily held by the receiving bank while they confirm the account, country route, or compliance requirements. The money is considered to be “in the system,” but the bank hasn’t released it to the recipient yet.

Exchange rate conversion time

If the transfer involves converting currencies, the provider may process the FX step before the funds can land in the recipient’s account. That conversion can add extra time, especially on certain corridors or outside normal banking hours.

Security and AML checks

Banks and money transfer providers sometimes pause a transfer to verify identities or review unusual activity, which is part of anti-fraud and anti-money laundering (AML) rules.

This doesn’t automatically mean something is wrong. Often, it just means they need extra confirmation before the transfer pushes through.

Bank holidays and weekends

Many banks don’t fully process international deposits on weekends or local bank holidays, even if the transfer was sent successfully. If you sent money late Friday or right before a holiday, it may not show up until the next business day.

“Completed” but not received - How is that possible?

It can get quite confusing when the money transfer notification reads as “completed”, but the money hasn’t actually landed in the recipient’s account. Some common issues are:

“Wise transfer receipt says complete, but nothing arrived.”
“Xoom completed, but there’s no money.”
“Payment sent but not received.”

To put it plainly, a completed transfer doesn’t always mean that the money was deposited. “Sent” isn’t always equivalent to “credited”. A provider (like your money transfer platform) can mark a transfer as completed when it was able to bring the money to the next stage of the transfer — not necessarily when the recipient’s bank has posted it to the account. There could be:

Internal bank queues.
Even after funds arrive at the receiving bank, the bank may still need time to apply the deposit to the recipient account.

Posting windows.
Some banks post incoming transfers only at specific times (or only on business days).

Extra verification steps needed.
If any compliance or security flags appear, the transfer can pause until the issues are resolved.

Mismatch review:
If recipient details are slightly off, the transfer can sit in a review bucket instead of instantly bouncing back.

So, when you see a wire transfer completed but not received or a bank transfer successful but not received, it often means the sender side is “done,” but the receiving side is still processing.

How long should a transfer take?

Transfer type	Typical time before the transfer goes through
Domestic bank transfer	1 to 2 business days, depending on the bank
ACH transfer	1 to 3 business days²
Domestic wire transfer	Often, the same day if sent before the cut-off³
International bank-to-bank transfer	1 to 5 business days⁴
Weekends and bank holidays	Additional 1 to 2 days, depending on processing rules
International with BOSS Money	Often faster when tracking and delivery method are clear, but timing still depends on payout method and bank hours⁴

What to do if money is not received

First and foremost, don’t panic. Given that your transfer is most likely delayed, you can afford to take a breather. Then, go through these steps in order to get to the bottom of why your money transfer didn’t push through right away.

Check the transfer status (don’t rely on just one word). Look for details like pending, processed, paid out, delivered, credited, returned, or on hold. “Completed” alone isn’t enough context.
Confirm recipient details (letter for letter). Double-check the recipient name, bank account number or IBAN, routing or SWIFT code, and any required pickup details. Even small mismatches can prevent a successful payout.
Look at weekends and bank holidays (both countries). A transfer sent on Friday evening can easily become a Monday or Tuesday posting, especially when sending internationally.
Contact the sender’s bank if it was a bank-initiated transfer. Ask for proof of payment and reference numbers (trace/reference/IMAD/OMAD for wires, where applicable). This helps the receiving bank locate it faster.
Contact the recipient’s bank. The recipient should ask if there are incoming funds “pending,” “in review,” or “held.” Sometimes the bank can see an incoming transfer before it posts publicly.
Check the transfer receipt and tracking info. Save screenshots of status updates, receipts, reference numbers, timestamps, and the payout method selected.
Contact the transfer service support (with the reference number ready). If you used a third-party provider, go directly to them with your tracking or reference info to check on the status of your transfer.

How to avoid transfer delays in the future

You can’t control the banking systems, but you can take some steps from your end to prevent delays. When sending money, these are the best practices:

Use real-time tracking whenever possible. Providers that offer clearer status updates help you distinguish “sent” vs. “delivered” vs. “paid out,” so you don’t panic (or waste hours) unnecessarily. This is where services like BOSS Money come in. They can provide real-time tracking and updates on your transfer status.
Choose the right delivery method for urgency. Bank deposits can be reliable but may have posting delays. Cash pickup or wallet-based payouts can be faster in some corridors, so it also helps to check the specific timelines and processes for your chosen payment corridor.
Double-check recipient identity details before you hit send. Match spelling, middle names, and required ID fields, especially for cash pickup. Mismatches are one of the most avoidable causes of “payment sent but not received.”
Send earlier in the day (and earlier in the week). Transfers initiated before cut-off times and before weekends and holidays are less likely to get delayed.
Keep receipts and reference numbers organized. A support case moves much faster when you can provide timestamps, reference IDs, and payout method details immediately.

When should you worry?

Most delays stem from routine. But, you should escalate quickly when the pattern suggests a genuine issue, especially for international money transferred but not received cases.

You should worry (and contact support or the banks involved immediately) if it’s been over 5 business days for an international transfer with no posting and no helpful status updates. Make sure to report if the recipient account details were incorrect (wrong account number, wrong bank code, wrong recipient name).

Another cause for concern is when the transfer tracker reads as “rejected” or “returned”, but the funds aren’t back in your account, or if the recipient’s account gets frozen or is limited in any capacity. In any case, contacting support will help you get to the bottom of the issue.

According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau⁵, if you suspect a remittance transfer error, you notify your remittance transfer provider about it so they can investigate the case under the remittance transfer rules.

FAQs

What is the longest time a bank transfer can take?

Most bank transfers land within a few business days, but international routes can take longer if weekends, bank cut-off times, or compliance reviews slow posting. If it’s been over 5 business days with no update, report it to the sender’s bank or provider with the reference number.

What happens if an international transfer is not received?

Usually, the money is still processing, waiting to be posted by the recipient’s bank, or paused for verification (especially if recipient details don’t match).

Why is my transaction successful, but the beneficiary has not received?

“Successful” often means the transfer left the sender's side, not that the recipient bank has credited it and made it available. Posting delays, verification steps, or bank processing windows can create a “completed but not received” gap that will lead to the money not automatically showing up in the recipient’s account.

Is it possible for a bank transfer to get lost?

It’s rare for a transfer to “vanish,” but it can be delayed, held, returned, or stuck if details are incorrect. The fastest fix is to trace it using the receipt or reference number and escalate with the corresponding support systems.

Managing money transfers with BOSS Money

When a transfer says “completed” but the money still hasn’t arrived, it usually comes down to timing, verification, or a small detail mismatch. Go down the “What to do if money is not received” checklist, and you’ll typically get a clear answer fast.

For future transfers, choosing a service that makes statuses easy to understand and gives you solid tracking can save you a lot of stress. BOSS Money offers clear updates and reliable tracking from beginning to end.

Sources: all third party information obtained from applicable website as of February 6, 2026

https://coinlaw.io/money-transfer-industry-statistics/
https://stripe.com/resources/more/how-long-do-ach-payments-take-to-process-here-is-what-you-need-to-know
https://ramp.com/blog/how-long-do-wire-transfers-take
https://www.worldremit.com/en/faq/bank-transfers#how-long-do-international-bank-transfers-take
https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/how-do-i-notify-the-remittance-transfer-provider-about-a-mistake-with-my-money-transfer-en-1753/

This article is provided for general information purposes only and is not intended to address every aspect of the matters discussed herein. The information in this article is not intended as specific personal advice. The information in this article does not constitute legal, tax, regulatory or other professional advice from IDT Payment Services, Inc. and its affiliates (collectively, “IDT”), and should not be taken or used as such by any individual. IDT makes no representation, warranty or guaranty, whether express or implied, that the content in this article is current, accurate, or complete. You should obtain professional or other substantive advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the information in this article.