WhatIsCrypto.info
BTC—ETH—BTC MAX SUPPLY21,000,000BTC MINED20,000,000+BLOCK REWARD3.125 BTCNEXT HALVING~2028BTC BLOCK TIME~10 MINETH BLOCK TIME12 SECETH TRANSFER21,000 GAS1 BTC100,000,000 SATS1 ETH1,000,000,000 GWEISTABLECOIN TARGET$1.00US CRYPTO FRAUD LOSSES 2025$11.4BCRYPTOS LISTED~17,400FIRST BLOCKJAN 3 2009

What happens when you send crypto?

From pressing send to the coins arriving, and how to track it on a block explorer.

BeginnerAbout 5 minutesReviewed October 26, 2026
The short answer

When you press send, your wallet signs the transaction and broadcasts it. It waits in a queue until a miner or validator includes it in a block, usually within seconds to an hour depending on the network and fee. You can follow it on a block explorer using its transaction ID.

Yousign with your keyThe networkchecks it is validBlockchainrecords it for good
Simplified: you sign a transaction, computers on the network check it, and once it is added to a block the receiver's balance changes. No bank sits in the middle.

The timeline

  1. Signed: your wallet signs it with your private key.
  2. Pending: it's broadcast and waits in the mempool, the queue of unconfirmed transactions.
  3. Included: a miner or validator puts it in a block. Status becomes "confirmed" (1 confirmation).
  4. Final: more blocks pile on top. Exchanges often credit deposits after a set number of confirmations.

Tracking it

Every transaction gets an ID (a "transaction hash" or TXID). Paste it into a block explorer for that network, such as mempool.space for Bitcoin or Etherscan for Ethereum, to see whether it's pending or confirmed, the fee and the number of confirmations.

If it's stuck

  • Low fee: it may wait until the network quiets down. Some wallets let you "speed up" (replace it with a higher fee).
  • Exchange deposit not showing: check the explorer. If it's confirmed but missing, contact the exchange through its official support page with the TXID.
  • Never pay someone who contacts you offering to "unstick" a transaction.
Before you press send
  • Check the first and last several characters of the address.
  • Make sure the network matches on both sides.
  • Send a small test first for large amounts.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a Bitcoin transaction take?

Usually 10 minutes to an hour, depending on the fee you pay and how busy the network is.

How long does an Ethereum transaction take?

Usually under a minute; a new block is added every 12 seconds.

Can I cancel a crypto transaction?

Only before it confirms, and only on networks and wallets that support replacing it. Once confirmed, it can't be cancelled.

Where to next

Sources

  1. Transactions (ethereum.org)
  2. Transactions, Bitcoin developer guide

Written for beginners and checked against the sources listed. Last reviewed October 26, 2026. This page is educational and is not financial, tax or legal advice. How we write and check pages.