Crypto transfer pending or stuck: what to do
Why a transfer can wait unconfirmed or fail, how to check it in a blockchain explorer and when to contact support — without sending the funds twice.
A transfer that has not arrived is not always lost. First find out what is happening with it in the blockchain.
Check the transaction
- Copy the transaction hash (TxID) from your wallet or exchange.
- Open a public explorer for the network you used and search for the hash.
- Look at the status: waiting to be included in a block, confirmed (and how many confirmations), or failed.
Common causes
Low fee on a busy network
On Bitcoin and Ethereum a transaction with a low fee may wait longer to be included in a block. Some wallets let you speed it up by raising the fee.
Not enough confirmations yet
The transaction is in a block, but the network has not yet produced enough confirmations. See How blockchain confirmations work.
Not enough resources on TRON
A USDT TRC20 transfer can fail if the account lacks energy, bandwidth or TRX. See Why you need TRX to send USDT TRC20.
Withdrawal held by an exchange
If you send from an exchange account, the withdrawal may wait for checks on the exchange side; the hash appears only after it is sent.
What not to do
- Do not send the same amount again "just in case": two deposits may make the exchange more complicated.
- Do not use the deposit address for a new transfer after the exchange is finished — create a new exchange.
If the explorer shows the transfer as confirmed, but the status of your exchange has not changed for a long time, write to support with the exchange number and the transaction hash.
Terms in this guide
Transaction hash (TxID)
A unique identifier of a transaction. With it you can find the transfer in a blockchain explorer, and support can check it.
Blockchain explorer
A public website that shows transactions, addresses and blocks of a network. Each network has its own explorers.
Confirmation
Each new block added on top of the block with your transaction. Services wait for a certain number of confirmations before treating a deposit as received.