TROUBLESHOOTING · ETHEREUM
Failed Ethereum transaction: why did I pay gas?
The swap did not happen, yet your ETH balance went down. Start with the transaction’s status in the correct network explorer. An application’s “error” message alone does not tell you what was charged.
Useful first: How to read an Etherscan transaction: a simple guide
THE SHORT ANSWER
An Ethereum transaction included in a block can fail after consuming computation. Its action is reverted, but consumed gas is still charged. Rejecting a request in your wallet before broadcast is different: that attempt never ran on-chain.
What does the explorer show?
Choose an observed status. This guide does not look up a transaction.
The transaction was included, but execution failed. Read its receipt: consumed gas can still be charged. Identify the error before trying again.
- Status
- Reverted
- Gas used
- 53 000
- Effective gas price
- 12 gwei
- Network cost
- 0.000636 ETH
The calculation is charged even when the intended action is reverted.
Read a failed transaction receipt
Our fictional receipt shows 53,000 gas units used at an effective price of 12 gwei. The calculation is 53,000 × 12 × 10⁻⁹ = 0.000636 ETH. At a teaching assumption of €3,000 per ETH, that is €1.91. These are not current market figures.
On Ethereum L1, the receipt distinguishes gas used from the permitted gas limit. The limit is not automatically the amount spent. An out-of-gas error can, however, consume the entire execution limit. On a layer 2, displayed fees can include other components.
Why did the action fail?
The cause depends on the contract: an expired deadline, an unmet condition, an output minimum not met or an insufficient execution limit. Look for the exact error in the receipt and the application’s official documentation. Raising the gas price does not fix a rejected contract condition.
A multi-step purchase can have a successful approval receipt and a failed swap receipt. The failed swap does not necessarily remove the previously confirmed approval. Check the operations separately.
Before trying again
Keep the hash and error message. Check the network, available balance for fees and the action’s conditions. Retrying without understanding can repeat the same cost. A still-pending operation requires a different approach, explained in our dedicated guide.
- Do not confuse gas price, gas quantity and the amount sent.
- Do not blindly increase slippage tolerance to make an error disappear.
- An ordinary on-chain failure does not create an automatic network-fee refund.
The questions that remain
Are transferred tokens lost in a revert?
In an ordinary EVM transaction that reverts, execution changes are undone, but fees remain payable. An earlier approval or another transaction is separate. Check the receipt and balances rather than relying only on the interface message.
Does clicking “Reject” cost gas?
Rejecting a request before broadcast does not execute that request on the network. Check whether another step had already been signed and sent, though.
Sources and further reading
- Ethereum.org — Gas and fees · in English
- Ethereum.org — Transactions · in English
- MetaMask — Failed smart contract transactions · in English
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Documentation checked on · WhyTheBlockchain · Editorial approach