Why Some Crypto Transfers Are “Instant” and Others Take Minutes

Sometimes you send crypto, and it shows up in seconds.
Other times… you wait minutes or more.
It’s not random — it’s how blockchains work.

Three main factors decide the speed:

1. Block Time
2. Confirmations Needed
3. Network Congestion

1. Block Time — The Chain’s “Heartbeat”

Every blockchain creates new blocks at a set interval:

• Solana — ~0.4 seconds
• Polygon — ~2 seconds
• Ethereum — ~12 seconds
• Bitcoin — ~10 minutes

The shorter the block time, the faster your transaction can get included.

If a chain has a 10-second block time, you might see your transaction almost instantly.
If it’s 10 minutes, like Bitcoin, you’re waiting at least that long for one confirmation.

2. Confirmations — Extra Safety Checks

Some wallets and exchanges don’t trust just one block.
They wait for multiple blocks after your transaction is included to be sure it can’t be reversed.

Example:

• Sending BTC to an exchange? They might wait 3–6 confirmations → ~30–60 minutes.
• Sending USDT on Tron? 1–2 confirmations → often under a minute.

More confirmations = more security, but slower to finalize.

3. Network Congestion — The Crypto Traffic Jam

When too many people send transactions at once:

• Miners/validators can only fit so many into each block
• Your transaction waits in the mempool (the “pending” list)

If you pay a higher gas fee, you jump the line.
If you set a low fee during heavy traffic, your transfer could take much longer.

Real-World Analogy

Imagine mailing a letter:

1. Block time = How often the postal truck comes.
2. Confirmations = How many postal hubs check your letter before delivery.
3. Congestion = How big the line is at the post office.

Fast chain + low congestion + few confirmations = lightning-fast transfers.

Conclusion

The next time your crypto is instant or delayed, remember:

• Block time decides the minimum speed
• Confirmations add security but slow things down
• Congestion can turn seconds into minutes (or hours)

It’s not magic — it’s blockchain logistics.

For More Info related to Mitosis please follow official links below

Mitosis Website : https://mitosis.org/

Mitosis Expedition : https://expedition.mitosis.org/

Mitosis Docs : https://docs.mitosis.org