What does transaction confirmation mean?¶

Confirmation means the network has accepted a transaction into its ledger under network-specific rules. It does not necessarily mean immediate, irreversible finality or personal authorisation.

Finality varies by system¶

Some networks add successive blocks; others use different validation and finality mechanisms. Providers may wait for several confirmations before crediting an account. The displayed time can record inclusion rather than when a user initiated the transfer.

Even a final transaction can result from deception, key theft or an intermediary address.

Record status at an identified time¶

Preserve hash, network, block, confirmation count or status, observation time and source. Explain what that status meant under the relevant network rather than applying one standard to every chain.

Treat network acceptance, provider credit, sender control, recipient ownership and consent as separate propositions.