Why is your sui transaction stuck in checkpoint pending?
Your Sui transaction shows as "checkpoint pending" because the Sui network has accepted it into a validator's transaction queue, but a checkpoint - a batch of finalized transactions - has not yet been produced to confirm it. This is normal behavior, not an error, and most transactions resolve within a few seconds. If it persists longer than a minute, the transaction may have been dropped or is experiencing network congestion.
How checkpoints work on sui
Sui processes transactions in two stages. First, a validator certifies the transaction by collecting signatures from a quorum of other validators. This creates a "certified transaction" that is ready for finalization. Second, the network packages certified transactions into checkpoints, which are then committed to the Sui blockchain. A checkpoint acts as a permanent record, similar to a block on other chains, but Sui does not use a linear block structure.
When you see "checkpoint pending" in a block explorer or your wallet interface, it means your transaction has reached stage one (certification) but has not yet been included in a checkpoint. The transaction is not lost, but it is also not yet irreversible.
Normal timeframe for checkpoint inclusion
Under typical network conditions, a checkpoint is created every 1 to 3 seconds. Your transaction should appear in a checkpoint within that window. If you are using a public endpoint or a wallet that polls for updates, the status may lag by a few seconds due to propagation delays. Refresh the page or wait 10 to 15 seconds before investigating further.
Common Causes of Extended "Checkpoint Pending" Status
Network Congestion
During periods of high activity - such as a popular NFT mint or a surge in DeFi usage - validators may backlog certified transactions. The network can handle thousands of transactions per second, but spikes can temporarily exceed that capacity. In these cases, your transaction is queued and will be processed in order. Monitor the Sui network status page for congestion alerts.
Low Gas Budget
Every Sui transaction requires a gas budget, which you set as the maximum amount of SUI you are willing to spend. If the gas budget is too low, validators may prioritize transactions with higher budgets. Check the "gasUsed" field in your transaction details. If it equals or exceeds your budget, the transaction may fail due to insufficient gas. If it is well below your budget, gas is likely not the issue.
Validator Issues
A small number of validators might be offline or slow to respond, which can delay checkpoint formation. Sui requires a supermajority of validator stake to certify a checkpoint. If a validator set is temporarily unstable, checkpoints may pause. This is rare and usually resolved within minutes. You can check validator performance on the Sui explorer.
Transaction Expiry
Sui transactions have a natural expiry mechanism. A certified transaction that is not included in a checkpoint within a certain number of epochs (each epoch lasts about 24 hours) will be discarded. This is a safety measure to prevent stale transactions from clogging the network. If your transaction has been pending for hours, it has likely expired. Submit a new transaction.
What to Do When a Transaction Is Stuck
- Wait 60 seconds. Most stuck transactions resolve on their own.
- Refresh the block explorer or wallet interface. The status may have updated but not displayed.
- Check the transaction details. Look for the "checkpoint" field. If it shows a number, the transaction is already finalized. If it shows "pending" or "null", proceed.
- Verify your gas budget. If it seems low, cancel the transaction (if possible) and resubmit with a higher budget. Sui wallets typically suggest a default gas budget that works for most transactions.
- Inspect the transaction for errors. Use the Sui explorer to view the "effects" or "status" fields. If the status shows "failure" or "execution error", the transaction cannot be checkpointed. Refer to the site's guide on Sui programmable transaction block failures for troubleshooting.
- Resubmit the transaction. If the pending status persists beyond 2 minutes, create a new transaction. The old one may be dropped or expired.
When to contact support
If your transaction remains in "checkpoint pending" for more than 30 minutes and the network is not experiencing a known outage, it is possible that your transaction has been lost due to a validator or endpoint issue. Contact the support team of the wallet or application you used. They can check the transaction hash against their infrastructure. Do not send SUI to random addresses or share your private keys.
Technical note: checkpoint finality
Once a checkpoint is created, the transactions within it are final. Sui does not have a fork or reorganization mechanism like some Proof-of-Work chains. If your transaction is included in a checkpoint, it cannot be reversed. The "checkpoint pending" status is therefore the only window during which a transaction is not yet final. After that, it is permanently recorded.
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