BTC - RBF and stuck transactions in the mempool (2024)

Bitcoin Replace-By-Fee (RBF) is a feature that allows you to replace a stuck or unconfirmed Bitcoin transaction in the mempool - a temporary storage area for pending transactions, with a new one that includes a higher transaction fee.

RBF is particularly useful during times of network congestion when transactions might take longer to get confirmed due to high demand.

When you broadcast a Bitcoin transaction, a transaction fee comes along with it to incentivize miners to include the transaction in the next block.

However, if the network becomes congested, or if the initial fee is too low, the transaction might get stuck in the mempool. With RBF, you have the option to increase the transaction fee on an unconfirmed transaction, making it more attractive for miners to prioritize it.

Replacing a Stuck Transaction using RBF

To replace a transaction that's stuck in the mempool using RBF, follow these steps:

  1. Check Transaction Status: Use a blockchain explorer or wallet software to monitor the status of your original transaction. Make sure it is still unconfirmed and stuck.
  2. Confirm RBF is enabled: Look for the RBF flag in the tx on a BTC mempool explorer.
  3. Create a Replacement Transaction: Create a new transaction with the same inputs as the stuck transaction but with a higher fee. This is essentially a "double-spend" transaction but with a higher fee. The higher fee incentivizes miners to prioritize the new transaction.
  4. Broadcast the Replacement Transaction: Once the replacement transaction is created, broadcast it to the Bitcoin network. Miners will see the higher fee and prioritize it.
  5. Wait for Confirmation: Monitor the replacement transaction to see if it gets confirmed in a block. If miners prioritize the new transaction, it should confirm relatively quickly.

📘

Via Tatum, only transactions submitted through RPC calls can enable RBF. For additional information on RBF, check the following guide. Alternatively, see our CPFP article.


Updated 4 months ago

BTC - RBF and stuck transactions in the mempool (2024)

FAQs

BTC - RBF and stuck transactions in the mempool? ›

Bitcoin Replace-By-Fee (RBF) is a feature that allows you to replace a stuck or unconfirmed Bitcoin transaction in the mempool - a temporary storage area for pending transactions, with a new one that includes a higher transaction fee.

What happens if Bitcoin transaction stays unconfirmed? ›

However, if a transaction remains unconfirmed for an extended period, it may be due to a low transaction fee or network congestion. In such cases, you might need to cancel the unconfirmed transaction to recover your funds or expedite the process.

What is BTC RBF? ›

Replace-by-fee (RBF) is a feature that allows users to replace one version of an unconfirmed transaction with a different version of the transaction that pays a higher transaction fee (i.e., bump the transaction fee). This can be done multiple times while the transaction is unconfirmed.

How do I remove a transaction from mempool? ›

If the transaction is already confirmed in a block, it cannot be canceled. Create a Replacement Transaction (Optional): If the transaction fee was too low and you want to ensure faster confirmation, you can create a new transaction with a higher fee to replace the original one.

Why is my transaction stuck in the mempool? ›

Why Is My Bitcoin Transaction Stuck? The mempool size always changes based on the rate at which new transactions are being created. When there is high demand in the network, the mempool may become congested due to many unconfirmed transactions.

How long can a transaction stay in the mempool? ›

Mempools vary in size and speed. However, the average time of transactions leaving the mempool is 10 minutes on the Bitcoin network. A transaction will be automatically cancelled if it is stuck in a mempool for more than 72 hours.

How long can a BTC transaction be stuck? ›

Now that there's huge congestion in the Bitcoin blockchain network some transactions could remain unconfirmed for 2 weeks depending on the transaction fee, and the mempool status. A Bitcoin transaction can remain unconfirmed forever if your miner fee bid is too low.

What's the longest a Bitcoin transaction can take? ›

Bitcoin's transaction times can vary greatly, ranging anywhere from ten minutes to one day. However, it will usually take between thirty minutes and two hours to complete the process. It is worth keeping in mind that the average transaction time tends to be around one hour.

How to speed up an unconfirmed Bitcoin transaction? ›

You can use the accelerate feature to accelerate your pending transaction by paying a higher fee. Depending on how it was sent, the accelerate feature will either use RBF or CPFP to speed up your transaction.

What is Bitcoin tornado? ›

Enter Tornado Cash, a program that allows deposits to, and withdrawals from, a pooled crypto fund. This breaks up direct connections between senders and receivers of crypto, allowing for greater privacy in crypto transactions.

What is dirty Bitcoin? ›

Dirty cryptocurrency, similar to "dirty" money, refers to digital assets that are associated with criminal transactions or illegal activities. → Examples of when a cryptocurrency can be considered "dirty"

How to check unconfirmed bitcoin transaction? ›

On the blockchain explorer
  1. Go to the blockchain explorer that you'd like to check the transaction on.
  2. Paste the transaction ID or address into the search bar.
  3. On the transaction screen, you'll see whether the transaction was confirmed, unconfirmed or has failed.

Will an unconfirmed Bitcoin transaction be returned? ›

To check your transaction status or progress, you can enter the transaction ID, receiving address, or sending address on any blockchain explorer. Note that transactions that remain unconfirmed for too long can be completely ignored by the network or dropped from the mempool and returned to the user's wallet.

How to accelerate a mempool transaction? ›

To get your transaction confirmed quicker, you will need to increase its effective feerate. If your transaction was created with RBF enabled, your stuck transaction can simply be replaced with a new one that has a higher fee.

How can I speed up my BTC transaction? ›

How do I accelerate a stuck Bitcoin transaction? If you set your custom fee too low or there is a sudden spike in network fees, your transaction might get stuck pending. If this happens, you can accelerate the transaction with either replace-by-fee (RBF) or a child-pays-for-parent (CPFP) transaction.

How do I make blockchain transactions faster? ›

To enhance blockchain transaction speed, key strategies involve implementing Parallel Proof of Work, Layer 2 solutions, and selecting an appropriate consensus mechanism like Proof-of-Stake or Delegated Proof-of-Stake. These strategies can significantly improve the efficiency of blockchain transactions.

What is mempool Accelerator? ›

Frequently asked questions. What is Mempool Accelerator™? Mempool Accelerator™ is a service to get your stuck transactions confirmed by paying an out of band fee. How does Mempool Accelerator™ work? Mempool sends your acceleration request to our mining pool partners.

How to speed up Bitcoin transaction ledger? ›

Setting custom fees through your Ledger device and Ledger Live can significantly enhance the speed of your transactions, but at the cost of paying a higher fee.

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