What is an Atomic Swap?
A smart contract technology that enables the exchange of one cryptocurrency for another without using centralized intermediaries.
Key details
- Trustless
- No need to trust a third party with your funds.
- Cross-chain
- Allows exchanges between different blockchain networks.
- Decentralized
- Occurs peer-to-peer without centralized control.
- Time-bound
- Includes time locks to ensure the trade completes or fully refunds.
Examples
- 01Swapping Bitcoin for Litecoin directly between user wallets.
- 02Cross-chain DEXs that utilize atomic swaps for trading.
- 03Lightning Network's submarine swaps for off-chain to on-chain exchanges.