In this article, we’re answering “how long does ‘pending transactions’ take?”
Not surprisingly, it will depend on the type of transactions you’re sending and the reason why it hasn’t yet been processed. We’ll look at these factors below while also answering several important questions.
This article is part of our free series on how to send money, including answers to questions like what is a money order and navigating options for transferring funds abroad.
Feel free to use the table of contents to jump ahead to the sections most relevant to you.
Table of Contents
- How Long Does Pending Transactions Take?
- What Is a Pending Transaction?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Ready to Explore Your Options?
How Long Does “Pending Transactions” Take?
Pending transactions generally take between one and three business days for the sending bank to process. During this time, the pending transactions will appear in the account balance. However, these funds will not be available for use as the transaction has already been approved by the sender.
That said, pending transactions also take time to be processed by the receiving bank, which can take another one to three days. Of course, this depends on the size of the transfer in comparison to other regular account activities. In short, the processing by the receiving bank is a hold period to confirm transaction details.
What Is a Pending Transaction?
A pending transaction can either refer to a transaction being sent or a transaction is received.
A pending transaction that is being sent refers to a payment that has been initiated from your account, has been deducted from your available funds, but still shows on your current balance. After a transfer has been processed, it will no longer show pending and will be debited against your account.
On the other hand, a pending transaction that is being received refers to a payment that has been initiated by a sender and has been received by the receiving bank but has not yet been posted to the recipient’s bank account. After the transfer is posted to the recipient’s bank account, it will no longer be pending and the funds will be available for use.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Below are three of the most common questions that we receive from people looking into how long pending transactions take. If you have further questions you would like answered, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us directly.
How Long Does It Take for a Pending Transaction to Hit Your Account?
How long it takes for pending transactions to clear does depend on the receiving bank. In most cases, they do not take more than one or two days. However, if you receive a large transfer, the bank will review the details. This can take longer for the transaction to process and post to your account.
Does Pending Mean It Went Through?
When sending a transfer, pending means that a transaction is still processing and has not yet been sent to the receiving bank. Once the transfer has cleared (sent to the recipient), it will no longer appear as pending and the funds will no longer appear in your account balance.
Are Pending Transactions Already Deducted From Account?
Pending transactions are already dedicated from the available funds in an account after the transfer is initiated. However, they will still appear on the total balance of the account until the transfer has been processed and sent to the recipient.
Ready to Explore Your Options?
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