Library · Crypto, word by word · Transactions and fees
What is a failed transaction?
A failed transaction is one that was included in a block but did not complete, for example because it ran out of gas or a smart contract rejected it. The network reverts everything it tried to do, so no tokens move. A block explorer marks its status as failed.
What it means for you
A failed transaction still costs a fee: the gas used for the work done before it stopped is consumed and not returned. Your tokens stay where they were, but the fee is spent.
A common mistake: “If my transaction failed, I get the fee back.”
In fact: The fee pays for work the network did before the transaction stopped. That gas is consumed and not returned, even though no tokens moved.
How it works
When a transaction reverts, for example because it runs out of gas, the network undoes every change it made, so balances return to where they were. The work done up to that point is still paid for: the gas consumed is charged at the base fee, which is burned, plus the tip. If a transaction runs out of gas, all the gas provided is consumed. On a block explorer it shows status failed, with gas used next to the gas limit; gas used equal to the limit means every unit provided was spent.
An example
Say you set a gas limit of 100,000 for a swap and it fails after using 60,000 gas at 10 gwei per unit. Nothing is swapped, but you pay 600,000 gwei (0.0006 ETH). If it had instead run out of gas, you would pay for all 100,000 units.
Sources: ethereum.org: Gas and fees, ethereum.org: Block explorers · checked 4 October 2026
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