Help
Axiom transaction failed: causes and fixes
A failed Axiom transaction almost always traces back to one of four things: slippage set too low for the token, not enough SOL in the wallet for fees, a priority fee too low for current congestion, or a pool too thin to trade. The error message tells you which. This page lists each message, what it means, and the single change that fixes it.
Error messages and fixes
| Message | What happened | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Slippage exceeded | The price moved beyond your slippage limit before the trade confirmed. Nothing was bought; network fees were paid. | Raise slippage for this trade only, or wait for calmer price action. On a launch, expect to need a high value. |
| Insufficient SOL balance to cover priority fee and bribe fee | The wallet lacks spare SOL for the network extras, even if it holds tokens or USDC. Nothing was sent. | Deposit a small amount of SOL (0.01 to 0.02 is plenty), or lower priority fee and bribe. |
| Transaction expired, dropped, or stuck "confirming" | Your priority fee was too low for the current network load, so validators never included it. | Raise the priority fee and resend. Use Axiom's recommended value as a floor during congestion. |
| This pair has too little liquidity and buys are not permitted | The pool is too thin for Axiom to route a buy safely. | Not a settings problem. Wait for liquidity or skip the token. |
| Trade filled far above the quoted price | Either price impact on a thin pool, wide slippage consumed by volatility, or a sandwich attack with MEV mode off. | Switch MEV mode to Secure, lower slippage, size trades against liquidity. |
| Convert failed, nothing was sent | Same SOL-buffer problem, during a USDC conversion. | Add SOL. See convert SOL and USDC. |
Diagnosing in order
- Read the message. Slippage, SOL balance and liquidity messages are unambiguous.
- Check your SOL balance. Below about 0.01 SOL, assume every failure is a fee problem until proven otherwise. Every action on Solana, including sells and conversions, costs SOL.
- Check whether other trades are slow. If the whole network is sluggish, raise the priority fee rather than retrying at the same value.
- Check Solscan. Paste your wallet address. A failed transaction's reason ("insufficient lamports", "slippage tolerance exceeded") confirms the diagnosis. No transaction at all means it was never sent and you can retry safely.
- Change one setting, retry once. Raising everything at once hides which fix worked and costs more.
The settings behind the errors
| Setting | Default | When to change it |
|---|---|---|
| Slippage | Per preset | Raise per trade for volatile tokens; keep low by default |
| Priority fee | 0.001 SOL | Raise during congestion |
| Bribe | 0.001 SOL | Raise above the shown minimum for competitive launches |
| MEV mode | Secure recommended | Keep on Secure for buys unless you consciously trade protection for speed |
Each is explained with suggested values in settings explained and MEV protection.
Do failed trades cost money?
Axiom's trading fee applies only to executed trades. Network costs depend on whether the transaction reached the chain. A slippage failure was sent and processed, so the base fee, priority fee and bribe were paid. An "insufficient SOL" failure was never sent, so nothing was paid. Repeated slippage failures on a launch can quietly cost more than the trade would have.
When it is not you
If a token blocks sells, or liquidity has been removed, no setting helps; that is why the bundle checker and Trader Scan exist for use before buying. If Axiom itself is degraded, its X account and Discord announcements will say so; this site cannot see Axiom's status. For anything else, open a ticket as described in contacting support.
Transaction FAQ
Why do my Axiom buys keep failing?
Most often slippage too low for a volatile token, priority fee too low for a busy network, or no spare SOL for fees. The error text says which.
Why does it say insufficient SOL when I have USDC?
Fees on Solana are paid in SOL only. USDC and tokens cannot pay them. Keep a SOL buffer.
What slippage should I use on Axiom?
Low for tokens with liquidity, raised only for the specific volatile trade that needs it. High slippage with MEV mode off invites sandwiching.
Was I charged for a failed trade?
If the transaction reached the network, you paid the network fee, priority fee and bribe. You never pay Axiom's trading fee on a failed trade.
Sources: Solana Fees and Market pages on docs.axiom.trade. Read 5 November 2026.