If your transaction shows as pending, it's because it hasn’t yet been confirmed on the blockchain. Most transactions are confirmed within 5–60 minutes, but delays can happen. Common reasons include:
Low transaction fee: If the transaction fee is set too low, miners or validators may process other transactions first.
Network congestion: Heavy network traffic can cause delays.
Slow block times: Some networks, like Bitcoin, have longer block times.
If your transaction has been pending for a while, try refreshing your wallet to see the latest status.
Still need help? Read on for more details.
In this article:
What does pending mean?
Incoming blockchain transactions typically appear in your wallet within a minute after they're broadcast. They're tagged as Pending until they have one network confirmation.
The time it takes a blockchain transaction to confirm depends on the fee paid by the sender, the asset involved, and network traffic at the time.
Once a transaction is verified on the blockchain network, the Pending tag is removed. This indicates the transaction is complete and irreversible.
What is happening with a pending transaction?
When you send a transaction, your wallet broadcasts it to the blockchain network. The transaction remains pending until it's included in a block and confirmed by the network's miners or validators.
Occasionally, transactions aren't accepted and remain marked as pending. This is usually caused by four main reasons:
Insufficient transaction fee
All transactions require a transaction fee to be confirmed by the network. If the fee is too low, your transaction may take longer to confirm.
High volume
During times of high volume on a network, there are more transactions than space available in each new block. If your transaction isn't included in a block, your transaction may take longer to confirm.
Slow block times
Blocks can take longer to confirm. This is especially true for Bitcoin, where the variability in mining difficulty can increase confirmation time as high as an hour.
Spending unconfirmed assets
If you try to send assets that are still pending in your wallet, your transaction will remain pending until your deposits are confirmed. This creates a waterfall effect where all related transactions are marked as pending.
Unconfirmed transactions are usually dropped and returned to the sender by the network. If your dropped transaction shows as pending, you can refresh your wallet to update your wallet to the latest blockchain information.
To learn more about how blocks are confirmed on different networks, visit: How do consensus mechanisms like proof-of-work (PoW) and proof-of-stake (PoS) work?
How long will I wait for a pending transaction to be confirmed?
Asset | Typical time pending |
Bitcoin | 60 minutes or less |
Ethereum | 5 minutes or less |
BNB | 5 minutes or less |
Cardano | 5 minutes or less |
Litecoin | 5 minutes or less |
Solana | 5 minutes or less |
What can I do if a transaction sent from another wallet is pending?
If the transaction was sent with a low network transaction fee, you can contact the sender and ask them to accelerate it. If supported by their wallet, they may be able to increase the transaction fee to help it confirm faster.
If the transaction is pending due to network congestion, the only thing to do is wait. You can find this information with a block explorer: How do I find transaction information on a block explorer?
Lastly, if the transaction is coming from a centralized exchange, there may be additional processing time on its end. Reach out to the exchange to get a timeframe for when your transaction will be completed.
What does an incoming pending transaction look like?
Mobile
On Mobile, a) incoming pending transactions will be labeled Receiving, and b) the asset logo will display a small green dot.
In your wallet, you'll also see the Receiving label near your total balance. If it's from a swap, the label will say Swapping. If you are both receiving and swapping at the same time, it will say Pending.
Desktop
On Desktop, a) incoming pending transactions will have a Pending label, and b) the asset logo will display a small green dot.
Web3 Wallet
On Web3 Wallet, a) incoming pending transactions will have a Receiving label, and b) the asset logo will display a small green dot.
What can I do if a transaction sent from Exodus is pending?
If a transaction sent from your Exodus wallet is stuck pending, you might be able to accelerate it by paying a higher transaction fee.
To learn how to accelerate a pending Bitcoin transactions, visit: What should I do if my Bitcoin transaction is stuck?
To learn how to accelerate an Ethereum (ETH) or ERC20 token transaction, visit: What should I do if my Ethereum or ERC20 transaction is stuck?
If a transaction is pending due to network congestion, the only thing you can do is wait. You can find more information with a block explorer: How do I find transaction information on a block explorer?
Lastly, if you are sending a transaction to a centralized exchange, it may require a specific number of confirmations before your account is credited. Reach out to the exchange if your transaction is confirmed onchain, but your account balance hasn't updated.
What does an outgoing pending transaction look like?
Mobile
On Mobile, outgoing pending transactions will have a Sending label.
Desktop
On Desktop, outgoing pending transactions will have a Pending label.
Web3 Wallet
On Web3 Wallet, outgoing pending transactions will have a Sending label.
