If a cross-chain swap is stuck or failed, first find where the funds are. Copy the source transaction hash from your wallet, open it in the explorer of the source chain, then check the transfer status in the bridge or aggregator explorer (for LI.FI routes, scan.li.fi). In most cases the funds are either still in your wallet (the source transaction failed), on the way (the bridge is waiting for confirmations), or already delivered as a different token (the destination swap failed).
Key Takeaways
- Wait first: most routes finish within seconds to about 20 minutes.
- Source failed: tokens did not leave; you paid only gas.
- Destination swap failed: you likely got the bridged token instead.
- Contact support with the hash; never share your seed phrase.
What Each Status Means
| What you see | Where the funds are | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Source tx failed | In your wallet | Check balance, get a new quote, retry |
| Source tx pending | In your wallet, tx not mined | Wait or speed up / cancel in the wallet |
| Source done, transfer pending | In the bridge | Wait for the route’s normal time |
| Delivered, different token | Destination wallet | Swap that token on the destination chain |
| Refunded | Source wallet, sometimes as another token | Check the refund tx in the explorer |
| Pending far longer than quoted | In the bridge | Contact app support with the hash |
Step by Step
- Find the source tx hash in your wallet activity.
- Check it on the source explorer (Etherscan, Arbiscan, Basescan, BscScan, Solscan). “Failed” means nothing was sent.
- Track the transfer in the aggregator or bridge explorer: it shows the bridge used, the destination tx and the token delivered.
- Check the destination wallet on the right network. If the balance is missing, the wallet may be on another network or need the token added by contract; see how to add a network to MetaMask.
- Wait the normal time for that route: seconds for intent-based bridges, about 18 minutes for standard CCTP in our October 2026 check, longer from Bitcoin. See how long bridging takes.
- Contact support if the transfer is far past its quoted time.
Why Swaps Fail
- Slippage too low for a volatile token: the price moved beyond your limit. See what is slippage.
- Not enough gas on the source chain; see gas tokens by chain.
- Quote expired while the wallet was open.
- Missing approval or an approval for a smaller amount; see token approvals.
Avoid Scams
People who reply to your post with “support links” are usually scammers. Real support works through the app’s official site, and no one legitimate asks for your seed phrase or to “validate” your wallet.
Related: sent crypto to the wrong network, cross-chain swap.
