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Why Does a Transaction Show as Smart Contract?

What Does "Smart Contract" Mean in Activity?​

Most transactions in Gem Wallet Activity have a clear type, such as Sent, Received, Swap, Stake, or Token Approval. When your wallet interacts with a smart contract and Gem Wallet can't match it to one of those types, the transaction is shown as Smart Contract.

A smart contract is a program on the blockchain. Many everyday actions, like using a dApp, claiming tokens, or minting an NFT, are calls to a contract rather than a plain transfer. "Smart Contract" doesn't mean something went wrong. It only means the transaction is a contract call that Gem Wallet shows as-is.

Common Reasons You See a Smart Contract Transaction​

  • You used a dApp through WalletConnect, such as a lending app, a bridge, a game, or a DEX website.
  • You swapped outside Gem Wallet's Swap screen. Swaps made in Gem Wallet show as Swap, but a swap made on a dApp's website is a contract call.
  • You claimed, minted, or deposited something, such as an airdrop claim, an NFT mint, or a deposit into a protocol.
  • A contract sent tokens to more than one address, including yours, in one transaction. Gem Wallet can't show that as a single Received row, so it keeps it as a contract call.
  • Someone else's contract involved your address, for example a spam or "dusting" transaction that mentions your wallet.

If a contract call simply delivered one token to you, Gem Wallet shows it as Received instead, with the token and the sender.

How to Check What a Smart Contract Transaction Did​

  1. Open Activity and tap the transaction.
  2. Check the amount, Status, and Network Fee. The amount is the coin that was sent along with the call, if any.
  3. Tap View on to open the transaction in the network's block explorer.
  4. On the explorer, look at the contract (the "To" or "Interacted With" address), the method name, and any token transfers. These show what the contract did and which tokens moved.

To find the transaction ID for support or an explorer, see How to Find a Crypto Transaction ID.

If a Smart Contract Transaction Failed​

A failed contract call shows Failed in Activity. The action didn't happen and your tokens didn't move, but the network fee is still spent, because the network did the work of running the contract. See Why Was My Crypto Transaction Reverted? and Why Was I Charged a Network Fee for a Failed Transaction?.

If You Don't Recognize It​

If you didn't sign the transaction yourself, check who sent it on the explorer:

  • Sent from your address: your wallet signed it. Think back to any dApp you connected recently. If you don't recognize it, follow What to Do After Connecting to a Malicious dApp and review your token approvals.
  • Sent from another address: someone else's transaction mentioned your wallet. You didn't pay for it and nothing left your wallet. Don't interact with unknown tokens or links it brings.
warning

If funds left your wallet and you didn't approve it, move your remaining funds to a new wallet with a new Secret Phrase. See What to Do If Your Crypto Wallet Is Compromised?.

Before You Sign a Contract Call​

Gem Wallet shows a review screen before any contract call from a dApp. Check the dApp's name and website, what you're approving or sending, and any warnings. See How to Review a Transaction Simulation.