Using Blockchain Explorers

Using Blockchain Trackers to Track Transaction Data and View Blocks

Most cryptocurrencies use blockchains. Blockchains are public ledgers of transactions. You can use blockchain explorers (aka blockchain trackers) to see all public transaction data.

These tools are usually featured on websites created by the organization behind a coin or by third parties. The data used is gleaned off the crypto’s blockchain itself.

With a blockchain explorer you can, for example, track the activity of your wallet. This can help you see all the transactions you made and see what stage a transaction that is being processed is in.

You’ll need to use a different explorer for each blockchain. So for example you could use BlockExplorer.com for Bitcoin and Etherscan.io for all Ethereum tokens.

To track the activity of a wallet, just type the wallet address in the search bar.

To track a transaction, just type the transaction number in.

To see what transactions were in a given block, type in the block number.

You can also simply explore the chain to see what block we are on, how quick blocks are getting mined, and how full blocks are.

Although not every coin will have a blockchain explorer, most will. With that in mind, you’ll need to use a search engine to find out which explorer you should use for a given token. To find it try typing in, “[coin name] blockchain explorer” or “[coin name] blockchain tracker.”

WARNING: Never type your private information into a blockchain explorer. There is no reason to input your private key. Everything you need to know about a wallet can be known from the public key (the address).