Normally it would be an irreversible mistake to send a Layer 2 transaction to an address that can only support Layer 1, such as a CEX (Central Exchange) address which you do not own the private keys for, or a Layer 1 address that has been generated by a smart contract with no support for Layer 2.
However, the developers of the Loopring rollup developed and launched a solution on their website (www.loopring.io) whereby users can force withdraw a balance from a Layer 2 account back to Layer 1 by paying the gas fee.
Force Withdrawal Conditions
- The withdrawal account (account A) hasn't been activated, which means the withdrawal account is not in use by anyone now
- Your account (account B) sent the token(s) you are requesting to be withdrawn to account A
For example, if account B sent some token (like LRC) to a Layer 1 CEX custodial account on Layer 2 (account A):
- Account A can not activate the account on Loopring Layer 2, as the CEX will not provide the private keys to account A
- Account B can submit a request to force withdrawal LRC of account A from Layer 2 to Layer 1. Account B needs pay about 0.04 ETH in gas fees to do this.
How to initiate a force withdrawal
To initiate the force withdrawal:
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Connect your wallet (Account B, the one which sent the tokens) to https://loopring.io/#/layer2/forcewithdraw
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Enter the address you wish to force a withdrawal from. It must meet the conditions above.
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Pay the fee associated.