What is a TXID (transaction hash)?

You sent crypto and the recipient says it hasn’t arrived? A TXID works like a parcel’s tracking number: it lets you look up that specific transaction, instead of guessing what happened by looking only at your wallet balance.

The name comes from transaction ID. On Bitcoin and Ethereum, it’s generated by cryptographically hashing the transaction data and appears as a long string of letters and numbers. You’ll also come across it as the transaction hash. It isn’t the recipient’s address, nor is it any kind of access secret.

You can usually find it in the transfer details, in your wallet or in the exchange’s withdrawal history. You copy it into a block explorer that supports the right network. There you can see whether the transaction is pending, whether it has been included in a block and, depending on the network, the confirmations, the fees and the transfers it contains.

Why it matters

If you’re waiting for a deposit on an exchange, the TXID helps you tell two different things apart: what has happened on the blockchain and what the platform shows. A transaction may have been recorded on the network, while the platform waits for more confirmations before crediting your balance.

We consider the TXID a key piece of information when you contact support about a transfer. Its existence alone, however, doesn’t prove a successful payment. You need to check the status, the network, the amount and the correct recipient address.

What to watch out for

A screenshot or a code someone sends you isn’t enough. Check the transaction on the appropriate explorer. If it doesn’t show up, you may be searching on the wrong network, or the transaction may not have been broadcast yet. Also, an exchange’s internal withdrawal number isn’t necessarily a TXID.

A TXID doesn’t let anyone spend your crypto, but on public blockchains it can reveal amounts, addresses and linked activity. If you publish it together with your name, you may tie your identity to that information.