Bitcoin transaction unconfirmed for days: what happens and what to do
Your coins aren't lost. Here's exactly what's going on and how to resolve it.
Are my coins safe?
Yes. An unconfirmed transaction hasn't moved anything on the blockchain. The coins are still recorded at the sender's address until a block includes the transaction. They can't vanish; the only question is whether this particular transaction, a replacement, or nothing ends up confirmed.
Will it be cancelled automatically?
Not exactly. Nodes drop transactions from their mempool after about 14 days by default, or earlier if their mempool fills up. Once every node has forgotten it, the wallet that created it may show the coins as available again (some wallets need a rescan or “remove transaction” action). But the signed transaction still exists — if anyone rebroadcasts it while the inputs are unspent, it can still confirm later.
To truly cancel, the sender should spend the same coins in a new transaction with a higher fee (RBF “cancel”). Then the old one becomes permanently invalid.
What to do as the sender
- Check the status with our checker.
- If your wallet supports it, bump the fee (RBF) to the current next-block rate.
- If you can't bump it, use premium acceleration — it works on the original transaction.
What to do as the receiver
- Ask the sender to bump the fee.
- If the coins are in a wallet you control, use CPFP (check the cost with the calculator).
- Otherwise accelerate it — no wallet action needed.
Exchange withdrawals
If an exchange sent a low-fee withdrawal, their support usually can't change it. Premium acceleration is the practical option. Don't ask the exchange to “resend” — a second withdrawal would be a separate payment.