Datasets:

dataforge-labs
/

bitcoin-mempool-lifecycle

license: odc-by
pretty_name: Bitcoin and Litecoin transaction lifecycle observations
tags:
  - mempool
  - bitcoin
  - litecoin
  - unconfirmed-transactions
  - transaction-fees
  - blockchain
  - cryptocurrency
  - time-series
task_categories:
  - time-series-forecasting
size_categories:
  - 1M<n<10M
configs:
  - config_name: bitcoin_transaction_lifecycle
    data_files:
      - split: train
        path: bitcoin_transaction_lifecycle/**/*.parquet
    default: true
  - config_name: bitcoin_mempool_comparison
    data_files:
      - split: train
        path: bitcoin_mempool_comparison/**/*.parquet
  - config_name: litecoin_transaction_lifecycle
    data_files:
      - split: train
        path: litecoin_transaction_lifecycle/**/*.parquet
  - config_name: bitcoin_block_composition
    data_files:
      - split: train
        path: bitcoin_block_composition/**/*.parquet
  - config_name: collection_runs
    data_files:
      - split: train
        path: collection_runs/**/*.parquet

Bitcoin and Litecoin mempool lifecycle

Transaction observations covering first sight, time spent pending, confirmation and disappearance from monitored mempools. The repository also contains comparisons between Bitcoin provider views and a measure of how much of each block was visible before it arrived.

Table	Record
`bitcoin_transaction_lifecycle`	A Bitcoin transaction's observed lifecycle, fee information and outcome
`bitcoin_mempool_comparison`	A provider's pending-set size and overlap with other views
`litecoin_transaction_lifecycle`	A Litecoin transaction lifecycle observation
`bitcoin_block_composition`	A block's previously observed and newly seen transaction counts

Observation coverage

pre_existing identifies transactions already pending when a collection window opened. Their first-seen times do not establish when they originally entered the network.

fee_rate_sat_vb is populated only where a fee was obtained. Coverage changed substantially during the initial collection period, especially on 2026-08-28. Measure the non-null share within each partition and outcome group before conducting fee-based analysis. A missing fee does not by itself invalidate the other lifecycle fields.

Bitcoin dropped-transaction records begin on 2026-08-26. An earlier collection defect prevented this classification, so the absence of drops before that date is not evidence that none occurred.

Outcomes and package fields

dropped requires the collector's absence checks and debounce period. unresolved records a disappearance whose outcome could not be established. These labels describe observations within a collection window; a transaction may later reappear or confirm. Litecoin uses a single-provider view, so it has less cross-checking than Bitcoin.

effective_fee_rate_sat_vb is ancestor_fees_sat / ancestor_vsize. Ancestor and descendant fields describe package structure when recorded, which can change as related transactions confirm. This ratio is useful context for fee analysis, but it is not a guarantee of miner selection.

Block composition and limitations

The block-composition table excludes the coinbase and counts transactions the collector had already observed pending. Transactions first seen in a block may reflect private submission, missed polls or gaps in provider visibility. The unseen share is an upper-bound proxy for private submission, not a direct measurement.

Use polls_so_far, poll_failures and pool_size_at_block to assess that comparison. Mempools differ between nodes, and timestamps include polling and network delays. Zero fee rates can be valid observations; distinguish them from nulls.

Files and access

Data is stored as Parquet files under table_name/YYYY/MM/, with partitions for collection windows. Each measurement table has a fixed 7-day sample beginning at its configured collection start date. The sample windows in this repository span 2026-08-25 to 2026-09-05. Availability within each window depends on successful collection. The public sample dates remain fixed as additional history accumulates privately. Contact DataForge through the discussions tab to enquire about additional history.

Load a table

Install datasets and pandas to run this example. The train split contains all observations in the selected table; it is not a predefined modelling split.

from datasets import load_dataset

data = load_dataset("dataforge-labs/bitcoin-mempool-lifecycle",
                    "bitcoin_transaction_lifecycle", split="train")
df = data.to_pandas()

Coverage

collection_runs records collection windows, poll counts and failures. It is published in full and may cover dates beyond the fixed data sample. Collection gaps are not interpolated. Use this table together with measurement timestamps and error fields to assess coverage.

License and contact

The public sample is published under ODC-BY. Attribute it to "DataForge (dataforge-labs)". For questions about the data or access to additional history, open a discussion in this repository.

Earlier file paths

Each table is stored under a directory with the same descriptive name. The file contents and date partitions are unchanged. Scripts using an earlier directory name should use the corresponding table name below, or pin downloads to revision before-folder-rename-20260915 to access the original layout. Internal collector IDs are retained in the private archive and may appear in raw coverage records.

Current table and directory	Earlier directory
`bitcoin_transaction_lifecycle`	`e8_btc_mempool_lifecycle/`
`bitcoin_mempool_comparison`	`e9_btc_mempool_divergence/`
`litecoin_transaction_lifecycle`	`e11_ltc_mempool_lifecycle/`
`bitcoin_block_composition`	`e8_btc_block_composition/`
`collection_runs`	`e0_run_manifest/`