The short answer
Paste the transaction hash into the explorer for the network you used. Read the status first, then the sending and receiving addresses, the amount and the fee. The explorer proves what happened on that network; it cannot prove that an exchange has credited an account or that an address belongs to who you think.
Finding the transaction
Every transaction has a hash, and your wallet or exchange shows it in the transaction details. Etherscan’s documentation is simple about the lookup: add the transaction hash to the search field.
Use the explorer for the network the transaction was on. Etherscan covers Ethereum, and each network has its own — Basescan, Arbiscan, Polygonscan, and so on. A hash from one network will not resolve on another explorer, and a hash that resolves nowhere usually means you are on the wrong explorer rather than that the transaction does not exist.
Status: the field that decides everything else
Etherscan documents the states clearly. A transaction approved by the network shows as Successful. Otherwise it shows as Pending, Failed or Dropped, and a dropped transaction can be replaced.
Each state calls for a different response. Successful means the network did what was asked and any remaining delay is on the receiving side. Pending means it is still waiting, usually on fees. Failed means it executed and did not succeed — and on most networks the fee is still consumed, because the work was done. Dropped means it left the queue without being included.
The distinction between pending and failed is the one most often confused; pending vs failed transactions covers it in depth.
The fields that matter for a transfer
| Field | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| From | The account the transaction was sent from. |
| To | The receiving address, or the contract that was called. |
| Value | The amount of the network’s native asset transferred. |
| Transaction fee | What was paid for processing, in the network’s native asset. |
| Token transfers | Separate rows showing which token moved, and how much. |
For a token transfer, Value often reads zero while the token movement appears in the token transfer section. That is normal: you sent a token, not the native asset, and the native asset only paid the fee.
What the explorer cannot tell you
It cannot tell you that a deposit has been credited to an account. That is the platform’s ledger, not the network’s.
It cannot tell you who owns an address. Labels shown next to well-known addresses are the explorer’s own annotations, useful but not proof.
It cannot tell you that a token is legitimate. Any contract can use any name and symbol, and appearing on an explorer is not a verification of anything beyond existence.
And it cannot reverse anything. A confirmed transaction is a record, not a request.
Using it well
Reach the explorer by typing its address yourself or from a bookmark. Fake explorers exist and are effective, because a page that looks like a record is persuasive.
Be careful with the explorer’s write features. Etherscan and others allow contract interaction directly from the site, which is genuinely useful and also a way to sign something you do not understand. Reading is safe; signing is signing, wherever you do it.
Frequently asked
My transaction hash does not show up. What does that mean?
Most often you are using the explorer for a different network. Check which network the transaction was on and use that explorer. A dropped transaction may also no longer appear as pending.
Why does Value show 0 when I sent USDC?
Value refers to the network’s native asset. A token transfer appears in the token transfer section of the same page, and the native asset only covered the fee.
Does a successful status mean my exchange will credit it?
No. It means the network processed the transaction. Crediting depends on the platform’s confirmation requirements, the asset, the network and whether anything else about the deposit was wrong.
Is a labelled address proof of who owns it?
No. Labels are annotations added by the explorer. They are a useful signal, not evidence of ownership.
Before you act
- Use the explorer for the network the transaction was actually on.
- Read the status before drawing any conclusion about the transfer.
- For token transfers, read the token transfer rows, not only Value.
- Reach the explorer from your own bookmark and avoid signing from it casually.
Sources & further reading
- Etherscan: understanding an Ethereum transaction
Transaction statuses and the meaning of the From, To, Value and fee fields.
- Etherscan: viewing transactions
Looking up a transaction by hash.
- Etherscan: transaction dropped and replaced
Dropped and replaced states, distinct from a failed execution.
- Ethereum: transactions
What a transaction contains and how it is processed.
Sources checked on 18 September 2026. Network features and platform support can change; check the relevant provider before acting.
AI-assisted editorial content; no independent expert review or transaction verification is claimed. Tokens and bridges carry issuer, market and smart-contract risks. This is educational information, not investment advice. Read our editorial policy.