A confirmation means your transaction is in a block, and each new block adds another. Learn how many you need, how long they take and why they matter.
From waiting to confirmed
- 0 confirmations (unconfirmed): your transaction is in the mempool, waiting.
- 1 confirmation: it's in the latest block.
- 2, 3, 4…: each new block built on top adds one more.
Why more is safer
To reverse a transaction with 6 confirmations, an attacker would have to secretly mine 6+ blocks faster than the whole honest network. The more blocks on top, the more work that would take. See The longest chain (most work) rule.
How many do I need?
| Payment | Common practice |
|---|---|
| Small, low risk | 0 to 1 |
| Everyday amounts | 1 to 3 |
| Large amounts, exchanges | 3 to 6 or more |
These are conventions, not rules. Each service decides its own policy.
How long does it take?
Blocks come about every 10 minutes on average, but the gap between two blocks can be one minute or an hour. Your fee rate decides how soon you get into one.
Track confirmations live
Paste your txid into MyBitcoinExplorer's search. The page shows the confirmation count and updates as new blocks arrive. If it says unconfirmed, check its fee rate against the current estimates.
How long do 6 confirmations take?
About an hour on average, but blocks are random: sometimes two come within a minute, sometimes none for 40 minutes. Over a full day the network averages about 144 blocks.
Key takeaways
- One confirmation means the transaction is in a block.
- Each block on top adds a confirmation and makes reversal harder.
- How many you need depends on the amount at risk.
Common questions
Why is my transaction unconfirmed?
Usually the fee rate is too low for current demand. You can wait, or use RBF or CPFP to bump it.
Is 6 confirmations a rule?
No, it's a common convention from the early days. The right number depends on the value and risk.
Why does my exchange need more confirmations?
Exchanges handle large amounts, so they wait longer to make reversal impractical.
Can confirmations go down?
Rarely: if the block holding your transaction is replaced in a reorg, the count can briefly drop until it confirms again.