Unstick a Stuck Ethereum Transaction
How to unstick a pending Ethereum transaction โ Speed Up or Cancel via a same-nonce replacement that pays at least 10% more gas under EIP-1559 rules.
Updated June 2026 ยท Reviewed by the PipeFlare team
Replace it with a same-nonce transaction that pays at least 10% more gas โ Speed Up to push it through, Cancel for a no-op
A pending Ethereum transaction blocks every later transaction from your wallet, because Ethereum processes transactions in strict nonce order. Until the stuck one clears, nothing else from that wallet can confirm.
Read the official source โCategory
Stuck transaction
Recoverability
Often recoverable
What you need
The pending transaction's nonce, the original sending wallet, and enough ETH to cover a replacement gas fee at least 10% higher than the original
Time window
Any time before the original transaction is mined โ if it confirms first, Speed Up and Cancel do nothing
About this situation
An Ethereum transaction is stuck when you submitted it with a gas fee too low for current network demand. It sits in the pending state and blocks every later transaction from your wallet. That is because Ethereum processes transactions in strict nonce order. To cancel a pending Ethereum transaction or push it through, you replace it with a same-nonce transaction that pays at least 10% more gas. MetaMask, Rabby, and most modern wallets have built-in Speed Up and Cancel buttons that do this for you.
How it actually works
Every transaction from your wallet has a nonce โ a counter that increases by 1 each time you send. Nonce 6 cannot confirm until nonce 5 is mined or replaced. A pending transaction can be replaced by a new one that uses the same nonce and pays a higher gas fee. Under EIP-1559, the replacement must raise both the max fee per gas and the max priority fee per gas โ at least one by 10% or more. Speed Up resubmits the same transaction with higher gas. Cancel sends a zero-value transaction to your own address with the same nonce, which overwrites the stuck one with a harmless no-op.
Step by step
- 1Open your wallet's activity tab and find the pending transaction. Note its nonce.
- 2Check a live gas tracker like etherscan.io/gastracker to see the current required gas price.
- 3Tap Speed Up to push it through, or Cancel to replace it with a no-op. Set the new priority fee at least 10% above the original.
- 4If your wallet has no button, manually send a same-nonce transaction with higher gas. Work backwards from the oldest pending nonce.
What works in your favor
- Speed Up and Cancel are built into MetaMask, Rabby, and most modern Ethereum wallets.
- Cancel only costs the gas of one basic ETH transfer.
- Once the stuck nonce clears, every later transaction in your wallet can move again.
Watch out for
- If the original transaction confirms first, your Speed Up or Cancel does nothing.
- A 10% bump may not be enough during fee spikes. You may need to bump again.
- Cancel is not free. The replacement transaction still pays its own gas.
Common questions
What does "pending" mean on an Ethereum transaction?
Pending means your transaction was broadcast but not yet included in a block. The usual cause is a gas fee below current demand. It will eventually confirm, get replaced via Speed Up or Cancel, or drop from the mempool.
How do I cancel a pending Ethereum transaction?
Send a zero-value transaction to your own address with the same nonce as the stuck one, paying at least 10% more in gas. MetaMask and Rabby have a Cancel button that does this in one click. The replacement overwrites the stuck transaction with a no-op.
What is a nonce in Ethereum?
A nonce is a counter that increases by 1 for each transaction you send from a wallet. Transactions confirm in strict nonce order. If nonce 5 is stuck, nonce 6 cannot confirm until 5 is mined or replaced. That is why one stuck transaction blocks everything after it.
Why didn't my Speed Up work?
Geth and most Ethereum clients require the replacement to raise the max fee per gas or the max priority fee per gas by at least 10%. If your bump is below that, the network ignores it. If your bump is above 10% but still below current demand, it stays pending. Bump it again.
Does Cancel cost gas?
Yes. Cancel sends a real on-chain transaction with the same nonce. It still pays gas to be mined. The cost is roughly that of a basic ETH transfer โ small, but not zero.
Sources
Other recovery guides
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