How do I speed up or cancel a pending transaction on Ethereum?

Sometimes, Ethereum transactions can get stuck pending — especially when gas fees are low or the network is congested. If you need to speed up or cancel a transaction, your wallet (e.g., MetaMask) can help — but timing is key.

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🔁 Why Do Transactions Get Stuck?

Every Ethereum transaction must be confirmed by the network. If your gas fee is too low, your transaction may stay pending for a long time or get stuck behind others offering higher fees.

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⚡ How to Speed Up a Transaction

You can speed up your pending transaction by submitting the same transaction again with a higher gas fee. This replaces the original and gets it processed faster.

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❌ How to Cancel a Transaction

You may also choose to cancel the transaction entirely (if it hasn't already been picked up by the network). This replaces the pending transaction with a zero-value transaction that uses the same nonce.

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📖 Follow This Step-by-Step MetaMask Guide

If you're using MetaMask, here's their official article that walks you through both options:

🔗 MetaMask Guide: How to Speed Up or Cancel a Pending Transaction