Introduction
Exchange deposit addresses are high-value targets for address tampering attacks - including address poisoning and clipboard hijacking. In Utila, verifying a deposit address means submitting it to be approved and cryptographically signed by your vault's admin quorum using their security keys. Once signed, the address becomes tamper-proof and verified via mobile device - giving you the same level of cryptographic assurance you already trust with address book entries.
This article walks you through depositing funds to a connected exchange and verifying the deposit address.
Why you should verify exchange deposit addresses
Signing exchange deposit addresses extends Utila's cryptographic security model beyond self-custody into exchange workflows.
Once an address is verified:
Tampering is detectable - any modification to a signed address is immediately flagged, eliminating the risk of address poisoning or interception.
Compliance is simplified - verified addresses reduce fraud exposure and provide a clear audit trail for compliance reporting.
Operations are safer at scale - your team can send transactions to verified exchange addresses with confidence, without manually re-checking each time.
Deposit and address verification process
Step 1 - Initiate a deposit to your exchange
Go to Transfers and select the token you wish to deposit. In the destination step, select your connected exchange - you'll see the exchange's deposit addresses listed.
Complete the transfer as usual. We recommend performing a penny check (a small test deposit) first to confirm the funds appear in your exchange account before proceeding to verification.
Step 2 - Verify the deposit address
Once the transfer is submitted, go to the transaction page for that deposit. Hover over the exchange name in the To section and click Verify.
A popup appears showing the deposit address details. Click Confirm Verification to send the address for approval by your administrator quorum.
Tip: We recommend completing the penny check before submitting the address for verification. Go to your exchange account, confirm the deposit arrived, and then submit the address. This way, your admin quorum can see that the deposit address actually worked before they approve and sign it.
Step 3 - Admin quorum approval
Your admin quorum receives the verification request. On approval, the deposit address is cryptographically signed - making it immutable and tamper-proof. Any future attempt to alter the address is immediately detectable.
This protects against scenarios where a malicious actor sends a fraudulent address from the exchange side - one that wouldn't credit your account.
Sign on the mobile app.
How to identify a verified address
Once verified, the address is marked with a green check mark in Utila:
Destination step - When selecting the exchange deposit address for a new transfer, the verified addresses display the green check mark.
Transaction list - Transactions sent to verified addresses show the verification indicator.
On the mobile app, you'll see a "Verified by quorum" card on the transaction details screen
Verification works with any exchange - the feature is not limited to specific integrations.
To learn more about verifications in Utila, read the article Address verification.