<blockquote>
  <p>I thought confirmations after the 1st were every time a new block was added to the chain.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Yes, as long as the block being added is 'on top' of the most recent block.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>So my question is, why would this transaction take so long for a second confirmation?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Blocks generally come every ten minutes, but that's not guaranteed. Sometimes they come seconds apart, sometimes it takes an hour.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Bonus Question: Is there some way for me to see how many blocks have been added to the blockchain since the block my transaction is in?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Yes, that's what the number of confirmations represents.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-04T00:05:09.263Z
Thanks for the info!  I was wondering what do you mean exactly by 'on top' of the most recent block ?
Tech Savant
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-13T10:37:48.740Z
@Notorious Pet0 Each block that is mined refers to a 'parent' block (thus creating a 'chain' of blocks). 'on top' refers to blocks mined after the block containing your transaction which also add to that specific chain. This is because there can be multiple chains at any moment, with miners eventually converging on the longest chain.
Jonathan Cross
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-03T02:58:55.173Z
2016-04-03T02:58:55.173Z
Nick ODell
<p>I have sent a bitcoin transaction of 0.18, you can see it here.</p>

<p><a href="https://live.blockcypher.com/btc/tx/22bacef7d4fb78e4e90cd04540daad257a39cb4ab4510f9e0efe5a88efaf0f87/" rel="nofollow">https://live.blockcypher.com/btc/tx/22bacef7d4fb78e4e90cd04540daad257a39cb4ab4510f9e0efe5a88efaf0f87/</a></p>

<p>I included a fee of 0.002 even though blockchain only recommended a fee of 0.00012 hoping it would help speed it along.</p>

<p>The first confirmation took about an hour, but I understood because it was spending an unconfirmed input.  Once that input confirmed, so did this transaction (at least I think thats why, I am not sure).</p>

<p>Anyway, that is fine, but now I have been waiting 40 minutes for the second confirmation.</p>

<p>I thought confirmations after the 1st were every time a new block was added to the chain. </p>

<p>So my question is,  why would this transaction take so long for a second confirmation?</p>

<p>Bonus Question:  Is there some way for me to see how many blocks have been added to the blockchain since the block my transaction is in?</p>

<p>Sorry if I'm way off or misinformed here,  but any help would be appreciated.</p>

<transactions><transaction-fees><confirmations>
Second, Third, Etc Confirmations taking a long time, why?
Tech Savant
# Second, Third, Etc Confirmations taking a long time, why?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-04-03)

I have sent a bitcoin transaction of 0.18, you can see it here.

<https://live.blockcypher.com/btc/tx/22bacef7d4fb78e4e90cd04540daad257a39cb4ab4510f9e0efe5a88efaf0f87/>

I included a fee of 0.002 even though blockchain only recommended a fee of 0.00012 hoping it would help speed it along.

The first confirmation took about an hour, but I understood because it was spending an unconfirmed input. Once that input confirmed, so did this transaction (at least I think thats why, I am not sure).

Anyway, that is fine, but now I have been waiting 40 minutes for the second confirmation.

I thought confirmations after the 1st were every time a new block was added to the chain.

So my question is, why would this transaction take so long for a second confirmation?

Bonus Question: Is there some way for me to see how many blocks have been added to the blockchain since the block my transaction is in?

Sorry if I'm way off or misinformed here, but any help would be appreciated.

**Tags:** transactions, transaction-fees, confirmations


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-04-03. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

> I thought confirmations after the 1st were every time a new block was added to the chain.

Yes, as long as the block being added is 'on top' of the most recent block.

> So my question is, why would this transaction take so long for a second confirmation?

Blocks generally come every ten minutes, but that's not guaranteed. Sometimes they come seconds apart, sometimes it takes an hour.

> Bonus Question: Is there some way for me to see how many blocks have been added to the blockchain since the block my transaction is in?

Yes, that's what the number of confirmations represents.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks for the info!  I was wondering what do you mean exactly by 'on top' of the most recent block ?  
> **username_2**: @Notorious Pet0 Each block that is mined refers to a 'parent' block (thus creating a 'chain' of blocks). 'on top' refers to blocks mined after the block containing your transaction which also add to that specific chain. This is because there can be multiple chains at any moment, with miners eventually converging on the longest chain.  

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