Products FM Marketplace
Multi-dealer marketplace
FM Liquidity Match
Saas for electronic trading
FM White Label
B2B White Label Crypto Trading Platform
FM Pulse
Real-time market data analytics
FM Space
Counterparty selection
Clients Banks & brokers
Neobanks, crypto-native and FX brokers
Payment providers
PSPs, payment gateways, on/off ramp
OTC desks
Crypto trading desks, retail platforms
Buy-side
Passive funds, hedge funds, asset managers
Liquidity providers
Market makers, proprietary shops
Prime brokers
Agency and risk-principle brokers
Stablecoin issuers
Next gen of fintech
Company About Careers Blog Media kit Referral Legal Imprint Operating rules Privacy Policy Risk Disclosure Support Contact us

For Customers Log in

Pending Balance Meaning

A pending balance refers to money that has been initiated in a transaction but has not yet been finalized or settled. In traditional banking, when you deposit a check, you might see the amount in your account, but you cannot spend it yet. This is because banks are still performing risk checks, verifying that the sender has the money and that the transaction isn't fraudulent.

This wait time is a source of frustration for many, as it creates opportunity cost for the user.In the context of a crypto wallet, a pending balance refers to transactions that have been broadcast to the network but are still sitting in the mempool. For a transaction to move from pending to confirmed, it must be included in a block by a miner or a validator. On a fast network like Solana, this takes seconds; on a congested network like Bitcoin, it can take hours if the user didn't pay a high enough transaction fee.Technically, a pending balance in crypto is probabilistic.

On some blockchains, even if a transaction is included in a block, it is still considered pending for a few minutes until several more blocks are added on top of it. This process is called confirmation.

Most exchanges wait for multiple confirmations for Bitcoin before they move funds from a pending balance to an available balance to protect against a chain reorganization.For merchants, managing pending balances is a liquidity challenge. If a business sells a product but the payment is pending for 3 days, they have a gap in their cash flow.

Modern fintech apps like Cash App or Venmo solve this by fronting the money to the user; they show the balance as available immediately, taking on the risk themselves while the traditional rails settle in the background. This instant experience is a primary driver of fintech adoption.

← Back to Glossary

Explore our services

Providing liquidity in the cryptocurrency market?
Authorize on our platform and do it smarter with FM Pulse.

FM Marketplace

A reliable and high-performance crypto liquidity marketplace for institutions and businesses.

Learn more

FM White Label

Launch your fully branded B2B crypto trading platform in under one week.

Learn more

FM Liquidity Match

Crypto OTC-as-a-Service infrastructure for enhanced monetization and trade control.

Learn more

Scale your business, leave the hard work of your trading needs to us

Reduce your integration costs and operational risk across multiple access points with our platform

Get started

Important Disclaimer:

Finery Markets BVI Limited (“Finery Markets”) provides software, technology infrastructure, and related Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services on a Software-as-a-Service (“SaaS”) basis. Finery Markets acts solely as a software vendor and does not operate a trading platform, does not intermediate, match, execute, clear, or settle transactions, and does not engage in any activities that would require regulatory authorisation under applicable laws.

Finery Markets’ software is non-custodial and is provided exclusively to licensed institutional entities that act as independent operators of their own environments. All counterparties are solely responsible for establishing and maintaining their own bilateral trading and settlement relationships. Finery Markets is not a party to any such arrangements and assumes no responsibility for the conduct, verification, or compliance obligations of any users of the software.

Nothing on this website shall be construed as a financial promotion, investment advice, or an offer to engage in regulated activities. Access to and use of the software is strictly limited to clients who have entered into a software licensing agreement with Finery Markets. Persons located in jurisdictions where such access is restricted should not rely on this website or any of its contents.

Additional notice to UK visitors: This website and associated communications are not intended to constitute a financial promotion under The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended) and related guidance. Access to services provided by Finery Markets is limited to regulated entities, professional clients and eligible counterparties as set out by the Financial Conduct Authority. UK users are not permitted to use this website for the services of Finery Markets if they don't fall within these categories.