Every payment in Conekta goes through a lifecycle: it starts as a charge attempt, goes through one or more validations, and ends in a final status. Understanding that journey tells you what to expect at each moment, when to deliver a product, and when something needs your attention.

The normal journey

When the buyer starts the payment — opens a link, completes Checkout, or generates a reference — the transaction is recorded with the status Pending. With instant methods such as cards or wallets, validation takes seconds and the transaction moves almost immediately to Paid or Declined. With deferred methods, such as cash or bank transfer, the transaction stays Pending until the buyer completes the deposit, which can take hours or days.

The possible paths

  • Paid: the charge was confirmed and the amount goes into your balance. This is the signal to deliver.
  • Declined: the issuer or the validations didn't approve the charge. No money moved.
  • Expired: the reference or payment session expired without the buyer paying.
  • Canceled: you or the system canceled the transaction before it was completed.
  • In review: the transaction is being evaluated by fraud prevention before it's confirmed.
  • Refunded: the payment was confirmed and you later returned the money, in full or in part.

What you need to do

The rule of thumb: deliver products or services only when the status is Paid. A Pending payment can still be declined or expire, and one in review may not be confirmed. The status is always visible in the transaction details in the Conekta Panel.

Next step

Explore the meaning and recommended actions for each status, starting with What the Paid status means.