Troubleshooting
What to do when a payment is pending or expired
Check the order and transaction before paying again.
1Identify the stage that is waiting
Open the original order and sending history. Separate the sender accepting a request, the blockchain receiving a transaction and the merchant crediting the payment. When a screen says “complete,” establish which stage it describes. Pause new payment attempts and keep the original invoice, order reference and sending time. The task is to trace the first payment; creating another invoice or deposit can add another record to investigate.
2No transaction ID? Start with the sender
An exchange withdrawal-request reference is different from a blockchain transaction ID (TXID or hash). If history says “reviewing” or “processing,” ask whether a transaction has been broadcast and check any official verification or cancellation options. A request ID that cannot be found in an explorer does not prove funds are lost. A missing TXID alone also does not prove nothing was sent. If the invoice is nearing expiry, tell the sender and keep the original order. Arrange another payment only after the original request is confirmed canceled or unsent.
3A transaction exists but is not confirmed
Use the sender’s transaction details to open an explorer for the correct network. Check whether the transaction is found, its status, recipient and amount. A TRON transaction will not be found in an Ethereum explorer. Displayed completion estimates are only estimates. For an unconfirmed transaction, consult the wallet and merchant instructions. Do not send a separate “acceleration fee” to the merchant address or connect a wallet through an unsolicited support link. Invoice expiry and blockchain confirmation are separate issues; use the expiry branch below if needed.
4Failed or reverted on-chain: should you keep waiting?
A TXID and inclusion in a block do not by themselves mean a token transfer executed successfully. Read the execution status and check the token-transfer details. On Ethereum, a failed execution can still consume gas; paying a network fee does not mean the merchant received payment. For a confirmed execution failure, inspect the wallet’s token balance and failure reason. If an exchange sent it, ask that sender how it will reconcile the withdrawal with your account balance. The blockchain result does not prove the exchange has already credited your account. An app error with an unclear on-chain result remains unresolved. Decide whether to retry only after confirming that the original transfer did not complete and the merchant did not credit it. Use a valid invoice and read its amount and recipient afresh. Gas spent on the failed attempt is not an amount to top up to the merchant.
5Confirmed on-chain, missing from the order
Compare the original invoice with the asset, network, recipient and actual amount received. Similar network names or identical address formats are not enough. Once these match, check whether the merchant is waiting for further confirmations or processing the order. For a network or recipient mismatch, stop further payments and ask recipient support to assess the transaction. Recovery depends on the receiving arrangement; this site cannot recover funds. If all details match, give the merchant the order reference and TXID and ask whether the payment is linked to the order.
6Expired invoice: distinguish sent from unsent
Confirmed unsent: return to the merchant, create a valid invoice and read its amount, address and deadline afresh. Do not reuse an old screenshot. Already sent, or unsure: investigate the original transaction and order before paying again. BitPay says payments submitted after its invoice window are declined and handled through a refund process. Other merchants may have different rules. Follow the original order or processor’s official instructions and establish what happens to the first payment before replacing it.
7Underpaid or overpaid? Contact the right provider
Compare the invoice’s token quantity with actual receipt, not a wallet’s dollar estimate. A deducted fee or a different conversion can leave an apparent full payment short. Do not independently send the difference. For BitPay, underpaid and late payments can be handled by its refund process, and it can refund an overpaid portion. A fully paid order requires the merchant to initiate a refund. A request is not the same as receipt: keep the support reference, refund amount and method, then check delivery. Other processors have their own rules.
8Send support a useful payment record
Prepare this record for support: 1. Merchant, order reference, order time and timezone. 2. Invoice asset, network, quantity and expiry. 3. Sender, sending time, quantity and TXID. 4. Current order/transaction status and error message. 5. The requested outcome: locate the payment, cancel the order or request a refund. Share private invoice links and account details only through official support. Redact personal information, gift-card codes and QR codes from public screenshots. Support does not need your seed phrase, private key, password or verification codes.
Sources
Based on the merchant’s official instructions. We have not tested every payment ourselves; check your own invoice before paying.
BitPay · Paying an invoice ↗BitPay · Underpaid and overpaid invoices ↗BitPay · Expired invoices ↗BitPay · Who handles an invoice refund ↗Proton · Bitcoin payments and account credit ↗Ethereum · Gas fees and failed execution ↗