When you send crypto or mint a token, you create a transaction in the blockchain network. Before the network can validate this transaction, it must undergo a series of confirmations.
The Status app provides real-time updates on your transaction status. It primarily uses Grove, with Infura as a backup.
- No matter which wallet app you use, the Ethereum network must validate every transaction you send.
- You can track the different statuses of your transactions (pending, confirmed, finalized or failed) in Status Wallet.
- In the Ethereum blockchain, a commonly adopted convention is to wait four confirmations to ensure the transaction is securely included in the blockchain.
- In Layer-2 networks (like Optimism and Arbitrum) transactions are typically finalized within seconds or minutes.
Transaction confirmation and finalization are two different statuses of transaction processing. Understanding these statuses helps you track the progress and security of your transaction, no matter which crypto wallet you use.
On Ethereum, your transaction is confirmed when it is included in a block on the public ledger (the blockchain). Each subsequent block added to the chain after this provides additional confirmations, increasing the security and reliability of the transaction. Finalization occurs when the transaction is considered irreversible (typically, after 64 confirmations).
Layer-2 networks like Arbitrum or Optimism confirm transactions almost instantly. However, withdrawing funds to Ethereum requires a seven-day waiting period to ensure fraud checks are complete before the transaction is finalized.
This table summarizes the scenarios for understanding transaction confirmations and statuses.
| Status | Description | Ethereum | Arbitrum/Optimism |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pending | Transaction sent but not yet included in a block | 0 confirmations | 0 confirmations |
| Confirmed | Transaction included in a block but not yet finalized | Typically after 4 block confirmations | 1 confirmation |
| Finalized | Transaction is complete and irreversible | After 64 block confirmations | Finalized on the L2-chain within seconds. Withdrawals to Ethereum finalize after a 7-day period. |
| Failed | Transaction did not succeed due to an error | Transaction not included in a block | Transaction not processed on the Layer-2 chain |
