What is a blockchain explorer? How to look up a crypto transaction
By SendPay Business · · 2 min read
A blockchain explorer is a website that lets anyone look up what has happened on a public blockchain. Paste in a transaction ID or a wallet address, and it shows the payments, amounts and status recorded on the chain.
Checking a payment
- Get the transaction ID (also called the transaction hash) from the sender or your wallet.
- Open an explorer for the right network, such as a Bitcoin explorer for BTC or Etherscan for Ethereum.
- Paste the ID into the search box.
- Check the amount, the receiving address, the fee paid and the number of confirmations.
What confirmations mean
Each new block added after the one holding a transaction counts as a confirmation. The more confirmations, the harder the transaction is to reverse, which is why exchanges often wait for several before crediting a deposit. A transaction with no confirmations is still waiting to be included in a block.
What an explorer can't tell you
An explorer shows addresses, not names, so it can't tell you who owns a wallet. It also can't reverse a payment sent to the wrong address. And it only covers its own network: a token sent on one chain won't appear on another chain's explorer.
Where SendPay fits
SendPay platforms let your customers buy, sell and hold crypto in your branded app, with assets held with regulated partners and a trading fee you set.
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Pick a template, name it, brand it, preview every page before you pay. Your brand, your users, your fees.
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This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank, and does not take deposits; regulated services on the platforms are provided by licensed partners. PayPal, Patreon and Substack are named as reference points only and are not affiliated with SendPay Business.