A cross-chain swap is pending. Find the stage before you act

To resolve a pending cross-chain swap, find which step has stopped: the source transaction, the bridge transfer, or the destination swap. A wallet can show one “pending” label for very different states. The transaction hash and the route’s status page help separate them.

A swap starts when you approve the token, if approval is required, then sign and submit the source-chain transaction. That transaction may lock or transfer your tokens into a contract. A bridge or cross-chain protocol then coordinates delivery on the destination chain. Some routes use a relayer, which advances funds there and settles with the protocol later; others use different mechanisms. A final swap may convert the delivered asset into the token you selected. A Biswap guide to choosing a cross-chain wallet route explains the route-selection step in more detail. Each stage can have its own transaction and status.

What does “pending” mean at each stage?

“Pending” means the next step has not yet completed, but the cause depends on where the route stopped. First, check whether the source-chain transaction appears as pending or confirmed in that chain’s block explorer. If it is still pending, the bridge has not necessarily received a completed deposit. If it is confirmed, check the swap interface or protocol tracker using the source transaction hash. Look for a status such as received, processing, filled, completed, expired, or refunded; wording varies by route.

If the tracker shows delivery completed, check the destination chain’s explorer and the receiving wallet address. The bridge delivery and the destination swap can be separate actions, so confirm whether you received the expected token or an intermediate asset. Verify the selected destination network and address too. Wallet balances can look empty when the wallet is viewing another network or has not added the token to its display.

What should I check before taking action?

Match the route details to the transaction you actually signed. Check the source and destination chains, input and output tokens, recipient address, and the source transaction hash. Then use the route’s own tracker or the protocol’s official status page. A general block explorer can confirm that a transaction was included, but it may not explain what the bridge is doing off that chain.

• Source transaction pending: Wait for the wallet or explorer to show a result. Do not submit another swap just because the first one is slow; you could create a second transaction.
• Source confirmed, route still processing: Keep the hash and check the tracker again. Cross-chain steps can take longer than a single-chain transaction because another network and its contracts must act.
• Route marked complete: Check the destination transaction and recipient address. If the destination swap failed, the route may have delivered an intermediate token rather than the selected output.
• Route marked expired or refunded: Follow the route’s stated refund process and check the specified refund address and chain.

Do not share a seed phrase or private key with anyone offering to “unstick” a transfer. Use only the route’s official interface for a retry, claim, or refund. A pending label alone does not mean the funds are lost, and it does not prove that they are safe to spend again.

When can you retry or recover the swap?

Retry only after you know what happened to the first transaction. If the source transaction failed or was dropped, the explorer should show that outcome; check whether the wallet nonce is still available before submitting again. If the source transaction confirmed, do not repeat the swap unless the route’s tracker or official instructions say the first attempt failed and explain what happens to the original deposit.

Refunds are route-specific. Some protocols make funds eligible for refund after a fill deadline passes; a refund may then require a separate on-chain transaction or take time to settle. Check the status and refund instructions rather than assuming that an expired route has already returned tokens. If the tracker cannot identify the transfer, contact the route’s official support with the public transaction hash, chain, and wallet address—never a secret recovery phrase.

The practical rule is simple: locate the last confirmed step, then follow the instructions for the next one. A source-chain confirmation proves that one transaction happened; it does not by itself prove that the destination delivery or swap finished.