Why are Bitcoin (BTC) transaction confirmations often delayed?

Several factors can contribute to extended Bitcoin transaction confirmation times. The primary reasons for these delays are outlined below:

• Network Congestion: A significant factor is network congestion. The volume of Bitcoin transactions has increased substantially in recent years. This heightened transaction load results in a queue of transactions awaiting confirmation, consequently slowing down overall processing speeds.

• Transaction Fees: The Bitcoin network’s operational integrity is maintained by miners. These miners prioritize transaction processing based on associated transaction fees. A higher transaction fee, calculated per byte of data, elevates a transaction’s priority and, correspondingly, accelerates its confirmation time.