How to fund bitcoin

The Bitcoin.com Company Blog

How To Find Any Bitcoin Transaction On The Blockchain 🔍

March 27, 2019 by Bitcoin.com

Wondering, “Where’s my Bitcoin?” Our free Block Explorer tool can help you track down specific transactions.

The Bitcoin.com Block Explorer quite literally lets you explore both the Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Bitcoin Core (BTC) blockchains.

Similar to a search engine, you can use it to search for specific blocks, transactions, and even addresses.

The Bitcoin.com Block Explorer summarizes transaction confirmations, block number, and more.

How do you use Block Explorer to find transaction details?

1. Select the transaction within your wallet

Open up your digital wallet and select the transaction you’d like to learn more about. Most software wallets and crypto exchanges clearly list your recent transactions for you, making them easy to find.

2. Find the unique transaction ID

Every Bitcoin transaction comes with its own transaction ID (TXID), a string of letters and numbers that makes it unique. The Bitcoin.com wallet conveniently provides the TXID for you, as do some other wallets and exchanges.

3. View on Block Explorer

If you’re using the Bitcoin.com wallet, simply click ‘view on blockchain’ and you’ll be taken to the corresponding page on Block Explorer. Otherwise, cut and paste the transaction ID and search for it manually within Block Explorer.

The Bitcoin.com wallet has a built-in button for viewing a TXID

Why might you need a transaction ID?

You might need to track down a transaction ID for various reasons. Two of the most common include:

Delayed transactions

If you’re worried about a delay, you can use Block Explorer to view your transaction. If it appears there, you can rest assured that your transaction is in progress.

Proof of sending

Sometimes a recipient may ask you to send a transaction ID to verify you’ve sent Bitcoin to them. This TXID provides irrefutable proof of a successful transfer.

Struggling to find the transaction ID?

Not all wallets and exchanges provide the TXID for you. However, you can still find it yourself.

Start by locating the address you sent the Bitcoin to and paste this into the Block Explorer search bar. The result will show all incoming and outgoing transactions specific to that address.

As such, there’s often more than one transaction listed. To find the TXID you’re looking for, check figures like date, time, and amount sent so you can be sure its the right transaction.

Searching wallet addresses manually on Block Explorer is another way to find TXIDs

What if your transaction isn’t found on Block Explorer?

Firstly, don’t panic. This is one of the most common questions we get asked and there’s usually a simple explanation.

It’s possible that you’ve searched the wrong blockchain. For instance, if you’re looking for a BCH TXID but you’ve searched on the BTC section of a typical Block Explorer, no results will be found.

To prevent confusion, the Bitcoin.com Block Explorer is clever enough to redirect you when this happens: you’ll be automatically sent to the right page after a few seconds.

The Bitcoin.com Block Explorer covers both Bitcoin Cash (BCH) and Bitcoin Core (BTC).

If you’re still struggling to find your transaction, it could be that the TXID is simply incorrect.

Particularly if you’ve been sending it back and forth in various messengers used by other people, errors can occur and, since Block Explorers are very precise, even one tiny mistake will return no results.

It’s most likely that the TXID was either not copied in full or, potentially, it may not be a transaction at all (i.e. just a randomized set of digits and letters instead).

In the case of the latter, this could mean somebody is trying to prove they’ve sent you Bitcoin when in fact they haven’t—so proceed with caution.

What if your transaction has been sent to the wrong address?

Sometimes, transactions can be sent to the wrong address (i.e. due to a typo) or to the wrong blockchain entirely. Unfortunately, both cases are difficult to resolve.

Occasionally, crypto exchanges will try to help you if you’ve made a mistake when sending. Since these exchanges are centralized, they can technically control the cryptocurrency moving in and out of wallets, so they could potentially reverse a transaction for you.

However, if you’re not using an exchange, getting your coins back is impossible. Bitcoin is decentralized by design meaning nobody can undo transactions you make.

Plus, wallets are not tied to anybody’s identity, so you can’t simply reach out to the recipient and ask them to kindly return your funds.

To prevent this from ever happening to you, always double check addresses before sending any Bitcoin.

What if your TXID exists but your Bitcoin hasn’t arrived?

Occasionally, transactions take more time to send. In this case, you’ll see that the TXID shows up on Block Explorer but the Bitcoin has yet to arrive in the recipient’s wallet.

There’s no reason to worry! Once a transaction appears on the Block Explorer, you know it will eventually complete. But why do Bitcoin transactions sometimes get delayed?

The Bitcoin Core (BTC) network experienced severe transaction delays in 2017. See Charts.Bitcoin.com for more.

Different cryptocurrencies

Regular Bitcoin Cash (BCH) transactions typically transact in seconds and, for larger amounts, they usually complete within an hour. However, Bitcoin Core (BTC) transactions have been known to take several days to complete when the network is busy.

Exchange requirements

Crypto exchanges have different requirements when it comes to how many confirmations they require. Until this number has been reached, you won’t see the Bitcoin in your wallet. You can check how many confirmations your exchange requires by reading their website.

Blockchain maintenance

Occasionally, blockchains undergo planned maintenance. During this time, transactions will be delayed as most wallets and exchanges temporarily freeze transfers. You’ll get advance notice of this and all transactions will complete once the maintenance is finished.

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How to Add Funds to a Bitcoin Wallet

You may have just downloaded your first Bitcoin wallet, but now want to know how to add coins to it.

Doing your first transfer from an exchange to a wallet can be intimidating for first timers.

Not to worry! In this short guide, we will show you how to add coins to your Bitcoin wallet. Once you are finished you’ll be a pro at this very common process.

By the end, you’ll see how easy it is to send and receive Bitcoins from anyone you want!

But first, in case you haven’t got a wallet yet, check out our picks below:

Our Top Picks

Best Wallet For

Best for Security

Ledger Nano X

Secure storage for any cryptocurrency

The Ledger Nano X is the newest crypto hardware wallet, and is very easy to use. It connects to iOS, Android & desktop.

Best for Mobile

Easy to use iOS & Android wallet

BRD is an easy-to-use iOS and Android Bitcoin wallet. It’s available on both iOS and Android.

Best for Desktop

Electrum

Simple yet powerful desktop wallet

Electrum is a Bitcoin-only wallet that has been around since 2011. It’s easy to use, but has advanced features.

On a technical level, your wallet is more like a window onto the Bitcoin network that you control with your own electronic private keys. Whether you use a super secure hardware wallet like the Ledger Nano X, a convenient mobile app like the BRD wallet or an old school favorite Electrum you’ll need to be sure to keep your private keys safe.

I have a wallet, do I have to buy a whole bitcoin?

It’s a common misconception to think that you need to buy one whole bitcoin at a time. These days, that would be quite an expensive endeavor. You can check out the current price of one bitcoin, here.

Instead, the inventor of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto, made it possible to divide one bitcoin into 100,000,000 pieces.

QUICK TIP

One bitcoin is divisible to 8 decimal places and you can own as little as 0.00000001 bitcoin. In reality, most places where you can buy bitcoin allow you to spend as little as $5 at a time.

In 2010 an early member of the Bitcointalk community, Ribuk, proposed the name ‘satoshi’ for the smallest unit of a bitcoin, and the name stuck. In recent years it’s become common to use the phrase “stacking sats” for buying and holding small amounts of bitcoin in order to periodically accumulate more of the coin.

The best place to buy your first bitcoin is on an exchange

Wallets themselves tend not to give you the option to buy and sell bitcoin for fiat. So, you’re going to have to find a trustworthy and low-cost exchange, and then send the coins from the exchange to your wallet.

• Exchange based in Canada
• Very high buy and sell limits
• Supports Interac & wire

This ad promotes virtual cryptocurrency investing within the EU (by eToro Europe Ltd. and eToro UK Ltd.) & USA (by eToro USA LLC); which is highly volatile, unregulated in most EU countries, no EU protections & not supervised by the EU regulatory framework. Investments are subject to market risk, including the loss of principal.

An ideal fiat cryptocurrency exchange for people just getting started is Coinbase. For the following reasons:

• It has the most simple and easy to use user interface
• It’s quick to get verified so you can buy bitcoin almost instantly
• There are great mobile apps for Android and iPhone
• Coinbase is a regulated and FDIC insured exchange

Three important factors for choosing which exchange is the right choice for you are reputation, fees and speed:

Reputation

It’s sad to say, but a lot of exchanges in the past turned out to be scams. That means the longer an exchange has been around, building up a positive reputation, the less likely it is to be a bad actor in the space.

You can also check if the exchange is regulated in your part of the world. We reviewed the top exchanges we would recommend, here.

Another important factor in choosing the right exchange to fund your bitcoin wallet is to compare how much they will charge for converting your fiat to bitcoin.

On average the fees for credit card purchases are around 4%. If you send your money via bank transfer you usually save on fees and can expect to pay somewhere between 1 and 1.5%.

Speed

Finally it’s important to look at how quickly will you be able to buy and then receive your coins. It’s interesting to note that a lot of the problems connected with how quickly you can fund your Bitcoin wallet, are actually due to the slowness of the legacy financial systems, and not cryptocurrency itself.

However, it’s a good idea to look at waiting times and withdrawal limits for the purchasing method of your choice as it’s never a good feeling to be caught out by these kind of factors when you want to buy some Bitcoin in a hurry.

Credit card purchases are usually quicker than bank transfers, but they come at a higher cost.

WARNING

Do NOT get comfortable leaving your cryptocurrency on an exchange. Ideally you should send your money to an exchange, purchase your crypto, and then withdraw the coins immediately to a secure hardware wallet like the Ledger Nano X.

Ledger Nano X

• SCREEN:
• RELEASED: 2019
• PRICE: $145

Ledger Nano S

• SCREEN:
• RELEASED: 2016
• PRICE: $72

TREZOR T

• SCREEN:
• RELEASED: 2018
• PRICE: $189

TREZOR One

• SCREEN:
• RELEASED: 2013
• PRICE: $79

How to withdraw to your wallet

The first few times you withdraw to a bitcoin wallet it can feel a bit nerve wracking. You do need to be careful and ensure that you follow the steps carefully. Wallets that have modern user interfaces and easy to follow step by step processes will help reduce the chance of you making a mistake.

The most important thing is to make sure that the wallet address you send your bitcoin to, the long string of numbers and letters, is correct. If you send your bitcoin to a different address by accident there is no way of getting your money back. So be careful.

As an example, if you are withdrawing from your Coinbase account to your Ledger Nano X you would follow these steps:

1. Select ‘Send’

Select “Send’ and choose the coin you want to withdraw from your exchange account. You can send as little or as much as your BTC as you wish, but be aware that each withdrawal will have a fee. Once you are comfortable sending and receiving bitcoin it is worth learning a little more about transaction fees and how you can minimize the costs.

2. Get a Receiving Address

Log in to your Ledger Live account and follow the instructions to copy your wallet address so that you can input it in Coinbase as the receiving address. First you must connect and unlock your Ledger, then open the Bitcoin app on your device.

3. Verify and Copy Receiving Address

Next, check the Bitcoin address that is showing on your device. It should be your Bitcoin wallet address, and nobody else’s.

Then, use the app to copy the address from Ledger Live, or scan the QR code that shows in Ledger live.

4. Give Exchange Your Receiving Address

From your Coinbase or other exchange account, double check the address by sight to ensure you are sending the bitcoin to your wallet address.

How long will it take till my bitcoin arrives?

That depends. If you get into the next block, you Bitcoin will arrive in your wallet within about 10 minutes.This is the time it takes to get one confirmation on the Blockchain.

Typically you should wait 3-6 confirmations before you can be sure your bitcoin has arrived safely.

1 confirmation can be enough if you are sending less than $1000. Each confirmation is a block in the Bitcoin blockchain with your transaction recorded accurately.

These blocks are created about every ten minute by the Bitcoin miners. The miners verify the blocks and get rewarded with Bitcoin for their work.

Once the transaction has confirmed a few times, you can relax and be certain that you have added the funds correctly.

About the Author: Jordan Tuwiner

Jordan Tuwiner is the founder of BuyBitcoinWorldwide.com. His work has been featured in The Guardian, International Business Times, Forbes, VentureBeat, CoinDesk and many other top Bitcoin media outlets. His articles are read by millions of people each year looking for the best way to buy Bitcoin and crypto in their country.

He has also written extensively about the history, technology, and business of the crypto world. Jordan is also the creator of some of the internet’s most famous Bitcoin pages, including The Quotable Satoshi and Bitcoin Obituaries.

To learn more about Jordan, see his full bio.

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