How to check pending approvals on my wallet using Revoke.cash?

Understanding Token Approvals on Ethereum and BSC

1. Every time a user interacts with a DeFi protocol or NFT marketplace, the wallet may grant permission for that contract to spend specific ERC-20 tokens.

2. These approvals are recorded permanently on-chain and remain active until explicitly revoked—even if the user no longer uses the service.

3. Approvals can be limited to a fixed amount or set to unlimited, with the latter posing severe security implications if the target contract is compromised.

4. On Ethereum and BSC, approvals are governed by the approve() function in ERC-20 contracts, and their state is publicly readable via blockchain explorers.

5. A single wallet may hold dozens of dormant approvals across multiple chains, many of which originate from abandoned testnets, defunct protocols, or phishing domains.

Step-by-Step Process Using Revoke.cash

1. Navigate to https://revoke.cash in any modern browser—no extension or login required.

2. Connect your wallet using WalletConnect, MetaMask, or any compatible Web3 provider supported by the site.

3. Select the correct network: Ethereum Mainnet, BSC Mainnet, or other EVM-compatible chains where your assets reside.

4. Once connected, the interface automatically scans your address for all active token approvals across verified token contracts.

5. Each approval displays the spender address, token symbol, approved amount, and timestamp of the original transaction.

Interpreting Approval Details

1. An approval marked as Unlimited indicates the spender can withdraw all available balance of that token at any time.

2. Contracts with names like 'Uniswap Router V2' or 'SushiSwap Router' are generally safe if verified, but unknown or obfuscated addresses demand immediate attention.

3. Look for approvals tied to contracts deployed less than 7 days ago—these often correlate with newly launched scams or rug pulls.

4. Cross-check spender addresses against Etherscan or BscScan; unverified source code, zero transactions, or lack of audit badges signal high risk.

5. Dust-token approvals—those involving tokens with no liquidity, no website, or suspicious naming—should be revoked without delay.

Risk Prioritization Framework

1. Highest priority: Unlimited approvals granted to contracts with no public audit, no GitHub repository, or zero historical interaction.

2. Medium priority: Limited approvals exceeding 10x your current token balance, especially for stablecoins or governance tokens.

3. Low priority: Approvals for native chain tokens (e.g., ETH, BNB) where the spender is a known bridge or staking contract.

4. Monitor recurring patterns—multiple approvals to the same address across different tokens suggest coordinated phishing activity.

5. Never ignore approvals linked to domains resembling legitimate services but with typos, extra hyphens, or alternate TLDs like .org or .xyz.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Does revoking an approval cost gas?Yes. Revoking requires a blockchain transaction, so you must hold sufficient native tokens (ETH on Ethereum, BNB on BSC) to cover fees.

Q: Can I revoke approvals for tokens not listed on Revoke.cash?Yes. The tool supports all ERC-20 and BEP-20 tokens. If a token doesn’t appear, manually verify its contract address on Etherscan or BscScan and search directly.

Q: What happens if I revoke an approval while a staking position is active?Revoking breaks the contract’s ability to auto-compound or withdraw rewards. You must re-authorize before claiming or unstaking.

Q: Is it safe to use Revoke.cash on mobile devices?Yes. The site is fully responsive and works with mobile wallets like Trust Wallet and MetaMask Mobile. Avoid using public Wi-Fi during the process.