For participants in the cryptocurrency ecosystem, seeing a transaction remain unconfirmed for an extended period can be a source of confusion. However, from a technical standpoint, a "stuck" transfer is rarely a system error. It is usually a predictable outcome of the blockchain's consensus mechanism working under high load. The delay typically stems from three specific factors: network congestion, miner fees, and confirmation thresholds.
The Economics of Miner Fees
The blockchain functions on a supply and demand model. Block space—the capacity to store transaction data—is limited. When many users attempt to transact simultaneously, the network becomes congested. Transactions wait in a holding area called the "Mempool." Miners select which transactions to process based on the attached fee (Gas). If a user sets a fee that is lower than the current market average, miners will bypass that transaction in favor of more profitable ones. The transaction will remain in the Mempool until the network traffic subsides or the fee market stabilizes.
The Necessity of Confirmations
Once a transaction is finally selected and included in a block, it is still not considered "final." It must accrue "confirmations." A confirmation is generated every time a new block is mined on top of the one containing the transaction. This process secures the network against reversals or double-spending attacks. A transaction is only deemed settled once it reaches a specific confirmation count, which varies depending on the protocol of the specific chain being used.
Interpreting Interface Data
It is crucial to distinguish between the user interface and the underlying network. When users observe a "pending" status on analytical dashboards or exchanges like JGCMGS, the platform is merely reflecting the current state of the decentralized ledger. It indicates that the nodes have not yet reached the required consensus. To understand the precise nature of a delay, users should utilize a block explorer to check the transaction hash (TXID), which provides raw data on Mempool position and confirmation depth.