user124766: I requested BTC from someone back in 2013. Its been in pending status ever since. It has nearly 500,000 confirmations. The value of transaction when initiated was only $200 or so. Now the value is over $40k.

How can I get the transaction to finally clear?
Can the BTC be stolen or redirected elsewhere to another wallet?


user13866: Just to clarify how Bitcoin works:

How can I retrieve it?

You don't ever really retrieve Bitcoin money, it is always kept track of in the list of transactions that almost every Bitcoin user has their own copy of (or access to a trusted copy).
This list of transactions is a transaction-journal that is called the blockchain, but it isn't owned or controlled by any of the businesses that use the words blockchain or bitcoin in their name. Bitcoin was designed so that you don't need to use that sort of business, it was designed to do away with trusted intermediaries like that.
With a normal wallet, the wallet will keep track of the amounts under your control, If the transaction has 500,000 confirmations but your wallet has the amount marked as "pending" then there is something wrong with your wallet.

How can I get the transaction to finally clear?

Bitcoin transactions are never cleared. Clearance is not a thing in the Bitcoin network. Having more than 6 confirmations is the equivalent of being cleared.

Can the [BTC] be stolen or redirected elsewhere to another wallet?

Only by someone who knows the secret number called a private key that your wallet was designed to hold and protect.
Your money is safe so long as you are the only person who knows either the secret number or the "seed phrase" AKA "recovery phrase" AKA "backup phrase" from which that secret number can be calculated. You will have one of those two things written down somewhere as safe as the place you keep your regular backups of your wallet (i.e. not on your PC).
Bitcoin money is never really redirected in that you can't intercept it in transit (it is never really in transit). The recipient of the money can issue a new transaction to move the money elsewhere but that requires a wallet that knows the money is no longer "pending".

Update/Addendum based on comment to another answer:

Its on Coinbase. It says pending in my wallet history within coinbase. I see nearly 500,000 confirmations in the blockchain explorer.

The you likely have what I would call a bitcoin account and not what I think of as the normal sort of wallet. How exactly that account works is not part of the Bitcoin network or specification - it is an internal matter for that business. You'll need to ask Coinbase customer support why your account shows the amount as "pending" despite the 500,000 confirmations.
Check that you are accessing the website of the real Coinbase company at coinbase.com and not the website of some fake business like coińbase.com (with an accented n).

124766: <p>I requested BTC from someone back in 2013. Its been in pending status ever since. It has nearly <code>500,000</code> confirmations. The value of transaction when initiated was only <code>$200</code> or so. Now the value is over <code>$40k</code>.</p>
<ul>
<li>How can I get the transaction to finally clear?</li>
<li>Can the BTC be stolen or redirected elsewhere to another wallet?</li>
</ul>
 13866: <p>Just to clarify how Bitcoin works:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>How can I retrieve it?</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<p>You don't ever really <em>retrieve</em> Bitcoin money, it is always kept track of in the list of transactions that almost every Bitcoin user has their own copy of (or access to a trusted copy).</p>
<p>This list of transactions is a transaction-journal that is called the blockchain, but it isn't owned or controlled by any of the businesses that use the words blockchain or bitcoin in their name. Bitcoin was designed so that you don't need to use that sort of business, it was designed to do away with trusted intermediaries like that.</p>
<p>With a normal wallet, the wallet will keep track of the amounts under your control, If the transaction has 500,000 confirmations but your wallet has the amount marked as &quot;pending&quot; then there is something wrong with your wallet.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>How can I get the transaction to finally clear?</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Bitcoin transactions are never cleared. Clearance is not a thing in the Bitcoin network. Having more than 6 confirmations is the equivalent of being cleared.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>Can the [BTC] be stolen or redirected elsewhere to another wallet?</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Only by someone who knows the secret number called a private key that your wallet was designed to hold and protect.</p>
<p>Your money is safe so long as you are the only person who knows either the secret number or the &quot;seed phrase&quot; AKA &quot;recovery phrase&quot; AKA &quot;backup phrase&quot; from which that secret number can be calculated. You will have one of those two things written down somewhere as safe as the place you keep your regular backups of your wallet (i.e. not on your PC).</p>
<p>Bitcoin money is never really redirected in that you can't intercept it in transit (it is never really in transit). The recipient of the money can issue a new transaction to move the money elsewhere but that requires a wallet that knows the money is no longer &quot;pending&quot;.</p>
<hr />
<p>Update/Addendum based on comment to another answer:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>Its on Coinbase. It says pending in my wallet history within coinbase. I see nearly 500,000 confirmations in the blockchain explorer.</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<p>The you likely have what I would call a bitcoin account and not what I think of as the normal sort of wallet. How exactly that account works is not part of the Bitcoin network or specification - it is an internal matter for that business. You'll need to ask Coinbase customer support why your account shows the amount as &quot;pending&quot; despite the 500,000 confirmations.</p>
<p>Check that you are accessing the website of the real Coinbase company at coinbase.com and not the website of some fake business like coińbase.com (with an accented n).</p>
