How to use a block explorer to check a crypto transaction

When you send or receive crypto, there’s a public record of it on the blockchain. A block explorer is the tool that lets you read that record: the crypto equivalent of tracking a parcel. It’s useful for checking that a payment went through, seeing why one is stuck, spotting scams and keeping tax records.

This guide explains what explorers show and how to use one, step by step.

What a block explorer is

ethereum.org calls block explorers your portal to Ethereum’s data: they show real-time information on blocks, transactions, validators, accounts and other on-chain activity. The same idea applies to bitcoin and other public blockchains, each of which has its own explorers.

NIST’s blockchain overview explains why this is possible: on public, permissionless blockchains, the ledger is open for anyone to read. Explorers simply give you a friendly way to search it.

ethereum.org lists several explorers for Ethereum, including services such as Etherscan and Blockchair and open-source tools such as Blockscout and Otterscan. Your wallet or exchange often links directly to an explorer from each transaction.

How to look up a transaction

1. Find the transaction ID. In your wallet or exchange, open the transaction. Look for “transaction ID”, “TXID” or “transaction hash”.
2. Open an explorer for the right network. A bitcoin transaction won’t appear on an Ethereum explorer, and a layer 2 transaction appears on that layer 2’s explorer. See what is a layer 2?
3. Paste the ID into the search box.
4. Read the result (see below).

You can also search by address to see its balance and transaction history, or by block number.

What the result shows

ethereum.org lists the standard details for a transaction:

Bitcoin explorers show similar information, including inputs, outputs and the fee rate in satoshis per virtual byte. See satoshis and bitcoin’s units.

Reading a bitcoin transaction: inputs, outputs and change

Bitcoin transactions often look confusing the first time, because you rarely see a single “from” and “to”. The bitcoin white paper explains why: transactions have multiple inputs and outputs, so amounts can be combined and split. Usually there’s a single larger input, or several smaller ones combined, and at most two outputs: one for the payment and one returning the change to the sender.

So if someone pays you 0.01 BTC from a wallet holding 0.05 BTC in one piece, the explorer may show one input of 0.05, an output of 0.01 to your address and an output of about 0.04 back to an address the sender controls, minus the fee. The fee is the difference between total inputs and total outputs.

Reading a block

You can also open a whole block. ethereum.org lists the standard data an Ethereum explorer shows:

ethereum.org notes that new Ethereum blocks are added every 12 seconds, unless a proposer misses its turn. Bitcoin.org says bitcoin blocks arrive about every 10 minutes on average, though timing varies.

Pending, failed or confirmed?

• Pending: broadcast but not yet in a block. On bitcoin, a fee below what the network is prioritizing can mean a long wait. See bitcoin transaction stuck?
• Failed: on Ethereum, a transaction can be included in a block but fail, for example if it runs out of gas, and you still pay the fee. See Ethereum gas fees explained.
• Confirmed: included in a block. Each later block adds a confirmation. Bitcoin.org explains that a transaction buried under more blocks becomes exponentially harder to reverse.

Example: checking that you’ve been paid

Someone says they’ve sent you USDC on Ethereum. To check:

1. Ask for the transaction hash, or find the incoming transaction in your own wallet.
2. Open a well-known Ethereum explorer by typing its address yourself, and search for the hash.
3. Check the status says success, not pending or failed.
4. Check the token: under “tokens transferred”, confirm it’s the real USDC contract, not a look-alike token with the same name.
5. Check the recipient is your full address and the amount is right.
6. Wait for confirmations if the amount is large, then confirm the balance in your own wallet.

If the payment was on a layer 2, use that network’s explorer instead. ethereum.org notes explorers exist for the main network and test networks, and each layer 2 has its own.

Other things explorers help with

• Choosing fees. ethereum.org notes that some explorers show current gas prices and estimated confirmation times, to help you avoid overpaying.
• Checking approvals. Some explorers let you see and revoke token approvals. See token approvals and how to revoke them.
• Verifying deposits. If an exchange says it hasn’t received your deposit, the explorer shows whether the transaction reached the address and how many confirmations it has.

Tax records

Explorers are handy for keeping records. The IRS’s instructions for Form 8949 ask you to describe each digital asset sale with the asset’s name, the units disposed of and the sale transaction ID number, if available. Saving transaction IDs as you go makes it easier to rebuild your history later. See US crypto tax, UK crypto tax and Canada crypto tax.

Privacy: explorers work both ways

Anyone can look up any address. If someone links an address to you, they may be able to see its balance and history. Bitcoin.org recommends using a new address for each payment to make it harder to link payments together. See public keys, private keys and addresses.

Avoid explorer scams

• Type the explorer’s address yourself or use a bookmark, rather than following links in messages or ads. See fake crypto apps and phishing.
• Don’t trust screenshots or links from a buyer or “platform” claiming a payment was sent. Check the transaction ID yourself, and confirm the funds in your own wallet.
• Never connect your wallet or enter a seed phrase to “view” a transaction. Reading the blockchain doesn’t require either.

For more on safe transfers, see how to send crypto safely.