How to verify a crypto escrow on-chain
The point of on-chain escrow is that you never have to take anyone's word for it, including Vaultion's. Here is how to check, in a few minutes with a block explorer, that the contract is real, the source is public, and the funds are locked where they should be.
Start an escrowThe verification walkthrough
Get the contract address from Vaultion, not from the other party
The live escrow contracts for every network are listed on the security page, each linked to its explorer. Any escrow you create or are invited to should point at one of those addresses. An address sent to you in a chat is not a source.
Open the address on the block explorer and confirm it is a contract
Etherscan, Arbiscan, Basescan and BscScan label contracts explicitly and show a "Contract" tab. Tronscan and Solscan do the same for TRON and Solana. A plain wallet address with no code cannot be an escrow, whatever it is called.
Read the verified source
Open the Contract tab and check the source is verified, meaning the explorer has matched the deployed bytecode to readable code. You do not need to understand every line. Look for the release, refund and dispute functions and confirm nothing lets a single Vaultion key send funds to an arbitrary address.
Fund, then watch the balance land in the contract
After you fund the escrow, open the token’s transfer list for the contract address. You should see a transfer of exactly your amount from your wallet to the contract. The contract’s token balance is the locked amount. If the funds went anywhere else, the escrow is not what it claims to be.
Match the escrow page against the chain
Vaultion’s escrow page shows the contract, the escrow number, both parties and the amount, with a link to the explorer. Every value should match what you see on-chain. The token verifier confirms the stablecoin contract is the genuine issuer address.
Where to look
When to walk away
Most escrow scams are not clever. They rely on you skipping the checks above. Treat any of these as a hard stop:
Vaultion cannot verify the physical world for you
The contract proves the money is locked and who can release it. It cannot see whether a car was handed over or a domain transferred. That is what the buyer review period and the dispute process are for.
Frequently asked
What should the block explorer show for a real escrow?
Three things: the address is labelled as a contract, not a wallet; the contract source is verified and readable; and after funding, the token balance of that contract address goes up by your escrow amount. If any of the three is missing, stop.
Which block explorer do I use?
Etherscan for Ethereum, Arbiscan for Arbitrum One, Basescan for Base, BscScan for BNB Chain, Tronscan for TRON and Solscan for Solana. The security page links each live contract to its own explorer so you do not have to find the address yourself.
Can I verify an escrow before I fund it?
Yes. Creating an escrow records the deal on-chain first, and the escrow page shows the contract address, the parties and the amount before any funds move. Check those against what you agreed, then fund.
How do I know the token itself is genuine?
Compare the token contract address on the escrow page with the issuer’s published address, or paste it into the token verifier tool. A fake "USDC" with a different contract address is worthless even if the escrow works perfectly.
Does Vaultion ever hold the funds while I verify?
No. Funds move from your wallet straight into the escrow contract. Vaultion has no key that can move them, and you can confirm that by reading the contract on the explorer.
Keep reading
Run a small one first
The best verification is a test escrow for a few dollars. Watch every step land on the explorer, then commit the real amount.
