What makes an asset native?
BTC is native to Bitcoin, ETH is native to Ethereum, and SOL is native to Solana. Each is used directly by its network for transaction settlement and follows that network's address and confirmation model.
A native asset does not require a token contract to represent itself on its home chain. Sending it means creating a transaction on the asset's own network.
What a wrapped token represents
A wrapped token follows the token standard of the network where it is issued. WBTC, for example, is an Ethereum token representing bitcoin held or managed through the wrapper's system; it is not BTC on the Bitcoin network.
Wrapped assets add interoperability, but they also add assumptions about the wrapper, issuer, bridge, smart contract, or custodian. Those assumptions are separate from the security model of the original chain.
Why the distinction matters in a swap
A Bitcoin address cannot receive an Ethereum token, and an Ethereum address does not turn WBTC into native BTC. Always select the exact asset-network combination you intend to send and receive.
TorrentSwap network-qualifies assets in its route data and selector. Availability can change, so use the current supported-route inventory rather than assuming that a ticker is accepted on every network.
- Check the network, not only the ticker.
- Confirm whether the destination expects the native coin or a token contract.
- Treat wrapped-token issuer and contract risk separately from native-chain risk.