Inclusion comes first
A broadcast transaction is initially pending. A validator or miner must include it in a block before it becomes part of the network history.
Each later block adds confidence
A confirmation commonly refers to the transaction block and the blocks built after it. Because block production and finality differ by network, confirmation counts should not be compared as if they were identical.
Services set their own thresholds
Wallets, exchanges and payment services decide when to credit a deposit. Their threshold can depend on the network, asset, value and internal risk controls, so check the receiving service rather than relying on one universal number.
Record status precisely
When documenting a transfer, record the observed confirmation count, block number, timestamp and source explorer. Avoid describing a pending transaction as completed.