When the coins you sent take ages to arrive, the first thought is usually "has it been swallowed?". In fact, most of the time you don't have to sit and wait or rush to support — every on-chain transfer is publicly checkable. Take the transaction hash to the matching block explorer and the status, the confirmations, success or failure are all right there. This page shows you how to check it yourself.
Get the approach straight first: before you start, work out whether this is "a deposit that didn't arrive" or "a withdrawal that didn't arrive", because what you check differs. We'll go step by step. A block explorer is just a public on-chain lookup tool that shows you what happened on-chain; but whether the money counts as arrived, and whether the platform can act on it, is for the platform to verify — don't draw a conclusion from the explorer display alone. (And for the record, FiatPath is an independent third party, not Gate's official site, and this isn't investment advice.)
Step 1: is it a deposit or a withdrawal that didn't arrive?
"Not arriving" is really two completely different problems, so match yours first:
- Withdrawal didn't arrive (sending out of an exchange): you started a withdrawal at the exchange, but the destination address (your wallet, or another exchange) hasn't received it. Here you check this withdrawal's status on-chain.
- Deposit didn't arrive (sending into an exchange or wallet): someone, or you, sent coins to an address, but the receiving side doesn't show it. Here you check whether that incoming transaction successfully reached the receiving address.
The core of checking both is the same — "take the transaction hash to a block explorer" — the only difference is which end you get the hash from.
Step 2: get the transaction hash (txid)
The transaction hash (transaction hash, often shortened to txid or hash) is the unique ID for each on-chain transaction, a long string of letters and numbers. It's the key to your search — without it, the block explorer has nothing to go on. How to get it:
- Withdrawal didn't arrive: find it in the exchange's "Withdrawal records / withdrawal history", which usually shows the transaction hash (txid). Some platforms even give a "View on block explorer" link that jumps you straight there.
- Deposit didn't arrive: the transaction hash is in the sender's hands. If you sent it yourself from another platform, find it in that platform's withdrawal records; if someone sent it to you, ask them for the transaction hash.
If a transaction hash hasn't even been generated yet (a withdrawal still "processing / under review" inside the platform that never went on-chain), it hasn't been sent and the block explorer can't find it — you have to wait for the platform to push it on-chain. That's a platform-progress issue, not a chain issue.
Step 3: pick the right block explorer
Block explorers are split by chain — whichever chain your transaction is on, use that chain's explorer. The common mappings:
| Chain (network) | Common block explorer |
|---|---|
| TRON (TRC20) | Tronscan |
| Ethereum (ERC20) | Etherscan |
| BNB Smart Chain (BEP20) | BscScan |
| Other chains (Arbitrum / Polygon etc.) | Each one's own official explorer |
Not sure which chain it's on? Look back at the network you selected when withdrawing or depositing. For how the chains differ and what addresses look like, see TRC20, ERC20 and BEP20: what's the real difference and Which chain to withdraw USDT on. The wrong explorer finds nothing — not because the transaction doesn't exist, but because you're looking for it on the wrong chain.
Step 4: paste the hash in and read the key fields
Open the matching block explorer, paste the transaction hash into the search box at the top, and press enter. Focus on these:
- Status: shows Success or Failed. Success means the chain has confirmed it and the coins reached the destination address; Failed means the transaction didn't take effect, and the coins generally stay on the sending side.
- Confirmations: how many blocks have stacked on after this transaction. More is steadier. An exchange usually requires a certain number of confirmations before crediting, so while the confirmations are still building, the coins have reached the address on-chain but the platform hasn't credited you yet — that's normal, give it time.
- To address: check whether the money went to the address you expected. If it went to the wrong address, that's a different problem — see Wrong chain or wrong address: can you get the coins back?
- Amount, time: match them against what you expect to confirm this is the right transaction.
A block explorer is a website that displays public on-chain data — it doesn't hold your coins and can't act for you or issue a refund. It can tell you whether a transaction succeeded, reached the address, and how many confirmations it has, but it can't change any state. So after you check: if the chain shows success with enough confirmations but it still isn't credited, that's a platform-side issue, and you should open a ticket with the platform's official support (attach the transaction hash); if the chain shows nothing at all, it may not be on-chain yet, or you've got the chain or hash wrong. Don't look for a "contact support" box on the block explorer — there isn't one.
Check the usual timing and first troubleshooting step for deposits, on-chain transfers or C2C before contacting official support.
How to tell "keep waiting" from "contact the platform"
Once you've checked, match the result to these cases:
- Chain shows success, but not enough confirmations yet: normal — keep waiting until the platform's required confirmation count is reached, usually a few minutes to ten or twenty.
- Chain shows success, confirmations are enough, platform still hasn't credited: the chain end is fine; the issue is platform-side. Take the transaction hash to the platform's official support and open a ticket asking them to check the crediting manually.
- Chain shows failed: the transaction didn't take effect, and the coins usually remain on the sending side. Read the note in the platform's withdrawal records, and contact the sending platform's support if needed.
- The block explorer can't find the transaction: it may not be on-chain yet (still processing at the platform), or you used the wrong chain's explorer, or copied the hash wrong. Rule each out; if it genuinely isn't on-chain yet, wait for the platform to process it.
- Money went to the wrong address or wrong chain: that's not "not arrived" but "sent wrong", handled differently — see Wrong chain or wrong address: can you get the coins back?
A plain rule of thumb: chain failed → wait or ask the sender; chain succeeded but platform hasn't credited → ask the receiving platform; can't find it → most likely not on-chain yet or you checked the wrong chain.
How long before a delay counts as abnormal
Block times differ by chain, so normal waiting times differ too. Ethereum produces a block roughly every twelve seconds, and TRON produces blocks faster, so for the same number of confirmations TRC20 is usually quicker than ERC20. In general, a wait of a few minutes to ten or twenty is the norm; what really counts as abnormal is when it clearly exceeds that chain's usual time (far beyond what's typical), or when it's already succeeded on-chain with enough confirmations but goes uncredited for a long stretch. Before that, check and wait — don't panic and ask everyone, and especially don't trust private "speed up your arrival" services, which are mostly scams.
FAQ
The block explorer shows success — why hasn't the exchange credited it?
Most likely the confirmations haven't reached the exchange's crediting threshold yet, so keep waiting. If the confirmations are already enough and the chain shows success but it still isn't credited, that's a platform-side processing issue — take the transaction hash to the platform's official support to check.
What if I don't have the transaction hash?
A withdrawal's hash is in the withdrawal records of the platform you withdrew from; a deposit's hash is in the sender's hands — find it in the sending platform's records if you sent it, or ask the other person if they sent it. Without the hash, a block explorer can't look the transaction up.
The block explorer can't find my transaction — are the coins lost?
Not necessarily. Common reasons: the transaction isn't on-chain yet (still processing at the platform), you used the wrong chain's explorer, or the hash was copied wrong. Rule these out one by one before concluding anything.
Can a block explorer issue a refund or speed things up?
No. It's only a lookup tool for public on-chain data — it doesn't hold your coins, can't act on transactions, and has no support function. When something needs handling, contact the relevant platform's official support.
How long without arrival before I contact the platform?
There's no fixed number. A wait of a few minutes to ten or twenty is usually normal; when the time clearly exceeds that chain's usual level, or it's succeeded on-chain with enough confirmations but goes uncredited for a long stretch, then take the transaction hash to the platform.
Sources and further reading: common block explorers are Tronscan (TRON), Etherscan (Ethereum) and BscScan (BSC), all lookup tools that display public on-chain data; for how Ethereum confirmations work, see ethereum.org; anything to do with platform crediting and processing follows what the Gate Help Center verifies. This is an independent third-party explainer, not investment advice.