Ethereum is one of the most widely used blockchains in the world, powering decentralized applications (dApps), NFTs, DeFi platforms, and smart contracts. But if you have ever used Ethereum, chances are you’ve faced this situation: you send a transaction, and it gets stuck as “pending” for minutes—or even hours.
This can be frustrating, especially if you’re trading, minting an NFT, or interacting with a time-sensitive smart contract. Luckily, Ethereum gives you ways to either cancel a pending transaction or speed it up by increasing the gas fee.
In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about pending Ethereum transactions, why they happen, and the exact steps you can take to fix them.
What Is a Pending Ethereum Transaction?
A pending transaction is one that has been broadcast to the Ethereum network but has not yet been confirmed by miners (Proof of Work) or validators (Proof of Stake, after the Ethereum Merge).
When you submit a transaction, it goes into the mempool (short for “memory pool”). This is like a waiting room where unconfirmed transactions sit until a validator picks them up.
Validators prioritize transactions based on the gas fee (transaction fee) attached. If your gas fee is too low compared to others, your transaction may stay stuck for a long time.
Why Do Ethereum Transactions Get Stuck?
Several reasons can cause a pending status:
- Low Gas Fee – If you set a gas price lower than the current network demand, validators won’t prioritize your transaction.
- Network Congestion – During peak times (e.g., popular NFT drops, heavy DeFi activity), demand skyrockets, leading to delays.
- Nonce Issues – Each Ethereum account has a unique transaction count called a nonce. If you send multiple transactions, they must be processed in order. A stuck earlier transaction can block later ones.
- Wallet/Node Issues – Sometimes, the wallet or RPC provider you use has syncing delays, making it appear like your transaction is pending longer than it is.
Can You Cancel or Speed Up a Pending Transaction?
Yes—Ethereum allows you to either:
- Cancel a pending transaction by replacing it with a new transaction of the same nonce but with higher gas fees and a harmless action (like sending 0 ETH to yourself).
- Speed Up a pending transaction by resubmitting the same transaction with a higher gas fee, incentivizing validators to process it faster.
However, these methods only work if the transaction is still pending. Once confirmed, it cannot be reversed.
Step-by-Step: How to Cancel a Pending Ethereum Transaction
Cancelling a transaction doesn’t erase it from history. Instead, you “replace” it with another transaction that takes its place in the queue.
Step 1: Check the Pending Transaction
- Go to Etherscan.
- Enter your Ethereum wallet address.
- Find the stuck transaction and note its nonce.
Step 2: Open Your Wallet
Most wallets (MetaMask, Trust Wallet, Ledger Live, etc.) allow nonce customization in advanced settings. If not, you may need to enable it.
Step 3: Create a “Cancel Transaction”
- Set the recipient to your own Ethereum address.
- Enter 0 ETH as the amount.
- Use the same nonce as the stuck transaction.
- Set a higher gas fee (look up the recommended gas fee on ETH Gas Station or directly inside your wallet).
Step 4: Send the Transaction
If validators accept your replacement, it will overwrite the pending one, effectively canceling it.
Note: Cancellation isn’t always guaranteed. If your original transaction confirms before the replacement is picked up, the cancellation attempt will fail.
Step-by-Step: How to Speed Up a Pending Ethereum Transaction
If you want the transaction to go through instead of canceling it, you can “speed it up.”
Step 1: Go to Your Wallet
In MetaMask and many other wallets, there’s an option to “Speed Up” a transaction.
Step 2: Choose Higher Gas Fee
- Select “Speed Up.”
- The wallet will resubmit the transaction with the same nonce but a higher gas fee.
- This signals to validators that your transaction is more profitable to confirm.
Step 3: Confirm and Wait
- Once resubmitted, validators will prioritize your transaction over the old one.
- The pending status should resolve once included in the next block.
What Happens If You Do Nothing?
If you don’t cancel or speed up, eventually your pending transaction will either:
- Get confirmed when network demand drops, or
- Expire if not picked up for a very long time (though this is rare).
But if you have other pending transactions lined up behind it, they will remain blocked until the stuck one clears.
Best Practices to Avoid Stuck Ethereum Transactions
- Always Use Recommended Gas Fees
Use tools like GasNow, Blocknative, or your wallet’s suggested gas settings. - Enable “Advanced Gas Controls”
In wallets like MetaMask, this lets you set custom gas limits and priority fees. - Monitor Network Activity
During major token launches or NFT mints, gas prices spike dramatically. If possible, wait until activity calms down. - Don’t Spam Multiple Transactions
Sending many transactions at once with low gas fees often leads to multiple pending transactions. - Keep ETH for Gas
Ensure you always have a small buffer of ETH to adjust gas fees if needed.
Common Questions About Pending Ethereum Transactions
1. Can I cancel a confirmed Ethereum transaction?
No. Once confirmed, Ethereum transactions are irreversible.
2. How much gas should I add to speed up?
A safe rule is to set gas at least 10–20% higher than the average at the time.
3. Will I lose ETH if I cancel?
No. If you successfully cancel, you’ll only pay gas fees for the replacement transaction.
4. What if my wallet doesn’t allow nonce editing?
You can use advanced tools like MyEtherWallet (MEW), MyCrypto, or command-line utilities like eth_sendTransaction.
Real-World Example: Canceling a Transaction in MetaMask
Imagine you send a swap on Uniswap with a low gas fee. It gets stuck. Here’s what you do in MetaMask:
- Click on the pending transaction.
- Select “Cancel.”
- MetaMask creates a replacement transaction with the same nonce.
- Pay a slightly higher gas fee.
- If successful, the pending transaction disappears.
Alternatively, selecting “Speed Up” will simply re-submit it with higher gas fees.
Technical Deep Dive: Why Nonce Matters
Ethereum’s nonce system ensures transactions from the same address are processed in order.
- Example: You send Txn #1 (nonce 10) with low gas, and then Txn #2 (nonce 11) with higher gas.
- Validators can’t process Txn #11 until Txn #10 is confirmed or replaced.
- This is why cancelling or speeding up stuck transactions is critical—you unblock your future transactions.
Security Tips When Handling Pending Transactions
- Double-check the recipient address before speeding up or canceling.
- Don’t fall for “gas fee refund” scams. No one can refund failed gas fees.
- Avoid third-party “cancellation services.” Use trusted wallets or Etherscan.
- Keep private keys safe. Editing nonce settings often requires advanced wallet settings; never expose keys to unverified apps.
Future Outlook: Ethereum Scaling & Gas Optimizations
Ethereum developers are working on solutions to reduce transaction congestion:
- Layer 2 Scaling (Optimism, Arbitrum, zkSync) – Many users are moving to Layer 2 networks where transactions are cheaper and faster.
- EIP-1559 Upgrade – Introduced in August 2021, it improved fee predictability by introducing a “base fee” mechanism.
- Danksharding and Proto-Danksharding (EIP-4844) – Upcoming Ethereum upgrades aim to drastically cut costs and increase throughput.
As these upgrades roll out, pending transaction issues will become less common—but for now, knowing how to manage them is essential.
Conclusion
Pending Ethereum transactions can be stressful, especially if you’re in the middle of trading, minting, or interacting with DeFi protocols. But with the right knowledge, you can take control.
- To cancel, replace the pending transaction with a 0 ETH self-transaction at a higher gas fee.
- To speed up, resubmit the same transaction with more gas.
- Always monitor network gas prices and avoid peak congestion.
Understanding how to manage stuck transactions gives you confidence as an Ethereum user—and ensures you won’t be left waiting endlessly for confirmations.
Whether you’re a beginner using MetaMask or an advanced user managing smart contracts, these techniques will save you time, ETH, and frustration.
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