Bitcoin Confirmation — Explained
When you send or receive Bitcoin, the transaction doesn’t settle instantly. It needs to be confirmed by the Bitcoin network. Here’s what that means.
What Is a Bitcoin Confirmation?
When a Bitcoin transaction is broadcast, it waits in the mempool (memory pool) for miners to include it in the next block. Each time a new block is added after the block containing your transaction, that counts as one confirmation.
1 confirmation = your transaction is in the blockchain
6 confirmations = considered fully settled and irreversible
How Long Does It Take?
A new Bitcoin block is added approximately every 10 minutes. Typical confirmation times are:
| Confirmations | Time Approximate |
|---|---|
| 0 (unconfirmed) | Instant broadcast |
| 1 | ~10 minutes |
| 3 | ~30 minutes |
| 6 | ~60 minutes |
Actual times vary. If the Bitcoin network is congested, transactions with low fees may wait longer.
How Many Confirmations Do You Need?
- Small amounts ($100-$1,000): 1–3 confirmations is typically sufficient
- Large amounts ($10,000+): 6 confirmations recommended
- 1Bitcoin.ca withdrawals: We typically require 1–3 confirmations before crediting
What If My Transaction Is Stuck?
If your transaction has 0 confirmations for a long time, it may have a low fee and is waiting in the mempool. It will eventually confirm, which could take hours or days, or be dropped from the mempool after approximately two weeks.
Check your transaction: Go to mempool.space and enter your transaction ID (TXID) to see its current status.
See also: Bitcoin Blockchain Explained Canada | Bitcoin Transaction Fees Canada | Bitcoin Lightning Network Canada