Why Is My Ethereum Transaction Stuck? 2025 Full Fixing Guide

Last updated: 2025-10-16
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If you’ve ever sent ETH or tokens and waited endlessly for confirmation, you’re not alone. Ethereum, despite being one of the most powerful blockchains, often faces network congestion and gas fee issues that can leave your transactions stuck in pending mode for hours or even days.
The good news? You can fix it — and prevent it from happening again.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explain why your Ethereum transaction is stuck, how to unstick or cancel it, and the best practices for smooth future transfers.

 What Does a “Stuck Ethereum Transaction” Mean?

A stuck Ethereum transaction is one that’s been broadcasted to the network but not yet included in a block by miners or validators.
When you send an Ethereum transaction (for ETH, USDT, or any ERC-20 token), it goes into the mempool — a waiting area for pending transactions.
If your gas fee (transaction fee) is too low compared to current network demand, miners skip your transaction and prioritize higher-paying ones.
So your transaction remains “pending” — not confirmed, not failed — just floating in limbo.

How Ethereum Transactions Work

To understand why Ethereum transactions get stuck, let’s break it down:
1.Transaction Creation: You send ETH or tokens via a wallet (like MetaMask).
2.Gas Fee Set: You specify (or your wallet auto-selects) a gas price.
3.Broadcast: Your transaction is sent to the mempool.
4.Mining/Validation: Validators pick transactions based on gas price priority.
5.Confirmation: Once mined, your transaction is finalized on-chain.
If the gas price is too low, your transaction waits indefinitely because miners choose higher-paying ones first.

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The 5 Most Common Reasons Why Ethereum Transactions Get Stuck

1.  Gas Fee Too Low
The most common cause. When you choose a gas fee that’s below the network average, your transaction loses priority.
Example: If the network average gas fee is 50 gwei and you set 15 gwei, miners won’t touch your transaction.
2.  Network Congestion
During popular token launches, NFT mints, or market volatility, Ethereum becomes overcrowded — leading to a backlog in pending transactions.
3. Nonce Conflicts
Each Ethereum account has a nonce — a transaction counter.
If you send multiple transactions and one gets stuck, the next ones can’t process until the earlier one confirms.
4. Wallet Sync Issues
Sometimes, your wallet (like MetaMask or Trust Wallet) may not be syncing properly with the blockchain node, showing incorrect status.
5. Smart Contract Execution Errors
If a smart contract call fails due to a logic or state error (e.g., token not approved, liquidity pool issue), the transaction may remain pending or fail.

How to Check the Status of a Stuck Ethereum Transaction

To diagnose a stuck transaction, use blockchain explorers:
1. Etherscan.io
Enter your wallet address or transaction hash to check:
•Transaction status (Pending / Success / Failed)
•Gas used
•Nonce
•Timestamp
2. Blockchair or Ethplorer
Alternative explorers with detailed mempool analytics.
If it says “Pending” for too long, your transaction is likely stuck.

How to Fix a Stuck Ethereum Transaction (Step-by-Step)

Option 1: Speed Up the Transaction
Most wallets allow you to “Speed Up” your pending transaction.

How it works:

You resend the same transaction with the same nonce but a higher gas fee.
The new transaction replaces the old one when mined.

Steps (MetaMask Example):

1.Go to your pending transaction.
2.Click “Speed Up.”
3.Choose a higher gas price (e.g., 50% higher).
4.Confirm and resend.
This forces miners to prioritize your new transaction.
Option 2: Cancel the Transaction
If you’d rather cancel than resend:

How it works:

You send a zero ETH transaction to your own address using the same nonce as the stuck one.

Steps:

1.Find the nonce of your pending transaction (on Etherscan).
2.In MetaMask, enable Custom Nonce (Settings > Advanced).
3.Send 0 ETH to yourself using that nonce.
4.Set a high gas fee.
5.Send it — it will overwrite the stuck transaction.
Option 3: Wait It Out
If network congestion is temporary, your transaction may confirm once demand decreases.
However, if it’s stuck for more than 24 hours, you should either cancel or replace it.
Pro Tip: Nonce Management Is Key
If one transaction gets stuck, subsequent ones with higher nonces will also be blocked.
To avoid this, always fix or replace the oldest pending transaction first — not the newest one.

How to Prevent Ethereum Transactions from Getting Stuck

1. Use Accurate Gas Estimates
Use reliable gas trackers:
•Etherscan Gas Tracker
•GasNow.org
•Blocknative Gas Estimator
Choose the “Fast” or “Standard” setting when gas prices fluctuate.
2. Avoid Peak Hours
Ethereum gas fees spike during:
•NFT mints
•Airdrops
•Major DeFi events
Transact during off-peak times (weekends or late nights UTC).
3. Use Layer-2 Solutions
Platforms like Arbitrum, Optimism, or Base provide cheaper, faster Ethereum transactions.
4. Enable Dynamic Fees (EIP-1559)
Modern wallets let you set both:
•Max Priority Fee (Tip)
•Max Fee (Total Gas Limit)
This ensures your transaction adjusts automatically with market conditions.
5. Monitor Nonce Conflicts
Use wallets that display nonces clearly, like MetaMask or Rabby.

/ You can claim a welcome reward of up to 10,055 USDT🎁\

How Gas Prices Affect Confirmation Speed

Gas Price (Gwei) Estimated Time Status
10 – 20 1–3 hours Very slow
30 – 50 5–15 minutes Standard
60 – 80 2–5 minutes Fast
100+ <1 minute Instant confirmation
Low gas = cheaper but slower.
High gas = more expensive but instant.

Why Your Ethereum Transaction Is Pending for Hours

Here’s what’s happening under the hood:
•Your transaction is in the mempool.
•New transactions with higher gas keep jumping ahead.
•Your transaction slides further down the queue.
•Unless network demand drops, it stays stuck.
Real User Example
A user tried to send 0.1 ETH with a gas price of 5 gwei during an NFT mint.

The average network gas was 70 gwei.

Result?
His transaction stayed pending for 18 hours until he used MetaMask’s Speed Up feature with 90 gwei — and it confirmed within minutes.

Ethereum Transaction Stuck on MetaMask — Specific Fix

If you’re using MetaMask and see “Pending”:
1.Go to Settings → Advanced → Clear Activity Tab.
2.Click Reset Account (don’t worry — funds remain safe).
3.Resend transaction with higher gas or cancel using nonce.
Using Etherscan’s “Replace-By-Fee”
Ethereum supports Replace-by-Fee (RBF) — a mechanism allowing users to increase gas on pending transactions.
Simply resend the transaction with:
•The same nonce
•A higher gas fee
Validators prioritize the new one.

Ethereum vs Bitcoin Transaction Stuck Issues

Feature Ethereum Bitcoin
Cause of Delay Gas fee too low Fee rate too low
Replace Transaction Yes (Replace-by-Fee) Yes (RBF/CPFP)
Confirmation Time 15s – 2m avg 10m avg
Fix Method Increase gas / cancel Increase fee / double spend
Ethereum confirms faster but is more sensitive to gas price miscalculations.

FAQs

Why is my Ethereum transaction stuck?
Because your gas fee was too low or the network is congested.

How long can an Ethereum transaction stay pending?
Anywhere from a few minutes to several days, depending on network load.

How do I speed up my Ethereum transaction?
Resend the same transaction with a higher gas fee using the Speed Up feature in your wallet.

Can I cancel a pending Ethereum transaction?
Yes — by sending a 0 ETH transaction with the same nonce and higher gas fee.

Will I lose funds if my transaction is stuck?
No — funds remain in your wallet until the transaction confirms.

For more detailed market analysis, strategies, and educational resources, visit BTCC Academy and stay ahead of the curve in the rapidly evolving crypto space.


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