# TorrentSwap: full product context Canonical site: https://torrentswap.com Language: English Content schema version: 1.0 Content last reviewed: 2026-10-22 Public catalog generated: 2026-09-28T14:30:00.000Z Published assets: 39 Verified route records: 1369 ## What TorrentSwap is TorrentSwap is a private, no-account cross-chain swap and bridge aggregator. Its brand promise is "Your assets. A clear way across." A user selects a source asset and destination asset, enters an amount, compares routes from the open protocols that can execute the pair (NEAR Intents, Chainflip and Flashnet through deposit addresses, plus THORChain and Pact Swap as wallet-signed routes from EVM chains), provides a destination address and a source-network refund address, and then sends the exact deposit requested by the interface — from any wallet or exchange, or by connecting a supported wallet and approving one transfer. Every route names its executing protocol. Routes are ranked by the amount received after all fees; the best-paying route is pre-selected and the quickest is marked. TorrentSwap never holds user funds, is not a wallet, has no customer balances, and is not a fiat on-ramp. The protocols that execute swaps can apply their own compliance screening, for example against sanctioned addresses. ## Executing protocols ### NEAR Intents Solvers compete to fill your swap at the best price. Custody: Held briefly by the intents deposit service until a solver fills the order. Typical time: About 1–3 minutes between fast chains; around 30 minutes when Bitcoin is the source, because it waits for confirmations. Details: https://torrentswap.com/protocols/near-intents ### Chainflip Decentralised cross-chain AMM for native assets. Custody: Held briefly in validator-run vaults (threshold signatures) while the swap settles. Typical time: Roughly 10–15 minutes with Bitcoin involved; 2–3 minutes between Ethereum, Arbitrum and Solana. Details: https://torrentswap.com/protocols/chainflip ### Flashnet Fast cross-chain settlement network. Custody: Held briefly at a Flashnet deposit address while the swap settles. Typical time: Often the fastest route: about 1 minute between EVM chains and Solana, around 10 minutes with Bitcoin. Details: https://torrentswap.com/protocols/flashnet ### THORChain The original decentralised cross-chain liquidity network. Custody: Held briefly in validator-run vaults while the swap settles. Typical time: Usually 10–30 minutes as a streaming swap; large payouts can be queued for up to about an hour. Details: https://torrentswap.com/protocols/thorchain ### Pact Swap Cross-chain DEX for native BTC, ETH and more. Custody: Sent from your own wallet to the protocol's contract, which settles the swap. Typical time: As fast as the two chains confirm: a few minutes between EVM chains, about 10 minutes or more when Bitcoin is paid out. Details: https://torrentswap.com/protocols/pact-swap ## Source of truth Route availability changes with network and market conditions. The live quote in the swap interface is the source of truth for whether a route can be created, the expected receive amount, the minimum received, the deposit requirement, and any route estimate shown. Editorial pages intentionally avoid fixed exchange rates, fixed minimums, and transaction guarantees. The public route catalog is https://torrentswap.com/data/routes.json. Its companion status document is https://torrentswap.com/data/status.json. The status document reports route-level availability and check times, not the outcome of an individual transaction. ## Swap flow 1. Select the source and destination assets, including the correct network for each token. 2. Enter an amount and compare the named routes that answer, each with its receive amount, protected minimum and time estimate. 3. Provide a destination address on the destination network. 4. Provide a refund address on the source network. 5. Review the expected receive amount, minimum received, route timing, and address details. 6. Send only the requested asset and exact deposit amount while the displayed deposit instructions remain active. 7. TorrentSwap saves the created swap on the device and watches deposit, exchange, payout, or refund status automatically. No manual transaction-hash entry is required. ## Using TorrentSwap from an AI agent or app TorrentSwap offers the same swap flow to software, with no API key and no account. All fees are already included in every quoted amount. MCP server: https://torrentswap.com/mcp (Streamable HTTP, stateless). Tools: - list_assets — every swappable asset with its id (for example bitcoin-btc, ethereum-eth, solana-sol, tron-usdt, zcash-zec). - get_quote(sellAssetId, buyAssetId, sellAmount, slippage?) — live routes ranked by amount received, each with a quoteToken valid for about 2 minutes, the executing protocol, expectedReceive, minimumReceived and estimated time. - create_swap(quoteToken, destinationAddress, refundAddress) — returns a one-time depositAddress, the exact amount, expiresAt and a swapId. - get_swap_status(swapId) — awaiting_deposit, confirming, exchanging, sending, completed, refunded, failed or expired. REST API (OpenAPI 3.1 at https://torrentswap.com/openapi.json): - GET https://torrentswap.com/api/v1/assets - GET https://torrentswap.com/api/v1/quote?from=bitcoin-btc&to=ethereum-eth&amount=0.05 (or POST with sellAssetId, buyAssetId, sellAmount) - POST https://torrentswap.com/api/v1/swap with quoteToken, destinationAddress, refundAddress - GET https://torrentswap.com/api/v1/status?swapId=... An agent should show the user the route and confirm both addresses before creating a swap. The user sends the funds from their own wallet or exchange; an agent never needs a private key or seed phrase. Documentation: https://torrentswap.com/developers. ## Safety and limitations - Blockchain transfers are generally irreversible. Verify the asset, network, destination address, and refund address before sending. - A correctly formatted address is not proof that the address belongs to the user. - Never share a seed phrase, private key, or wallet password with TorrentSwap or anyone claiming to provide support. - Quotes are time-sensitive. Request a new quote when the interface says a quote is stale or expired. - Network congestion, confirmation requirements, liquidity, and price movement can affect completion time and output. - If a route cannot settle under its configured conditions, the refund address is the intended recovery destination. Recovery timing depends on the source network and route state. - On-chain activity is public. No account requirement does not make blockchain transactions anonymous. - TorrentSwap content is educational product information, not investment, legal, or tax advice. ## Canonical product resources - Home and swap interface: https://torrentswap.com/ - Swap pages: https://torrentswap.com/exchange - Cross-chain bridge: https://torrentswap.com/bridge - Protocols: https://torrentswap.com/protocols - Track a source transaction: https://torrentswap.com/track - Supported networks: https://torrentswap.com/supported-chains - How it works: https://torrentswap.com/how-it-works - Security: https://torrentswap.com/security - Frequently asked questions: https://torrentswap.com/faq - About: https://torrentswap.com/about - Contact: https://torrentswap.com/contact-us ## Canonical educational resources - What Is a Cross-Chain Swap?: https://torrentswap.com/learn/how-cross-chain-swaps-work - What Is Slippage in Crypto?: https://torrentswap.com/learn/what-is-slippage-in-crypto - How to Recover Crypto Sent on the Wrong Network: https://torrentswap.com/learn/recover-crypto-sent-to-wrong-network - WBTC vs BTC: native vs wrapped crypto explained: https://torrentswap.com/learn/native-vs-wrapped-crypto - Why Crypto Swap Quotes Expire: https://torrentswap.com/learn/why-crypto-swap-quotes-expire - Pending, Failed, or Refunded Crypto Swap: What to Do: https://torrentswap.com/learn/pending-failed-refunded-crypto-swap - USDT and USDC Networks: How to Choose the Right One: https://torrentswap.com/learn/usdt-usdc-network-guide - How to buy Zcash (ZEC) — with or without an exchange account: https://torrentswap.com/learn/how-to-buy-zcash - Zcash vs Monero: how the two privacy coins differ: https://torrentswap.com/learn/zcash-vs-monero - What is a bridge aggregator?: https://torrentswap.com/learn/what-is-a-bridge-aggregator - USDT ERC-20 vs TRC-20: what’s the difference?: https://torrentswap.com/learn/usdt-erc20-vs-trc20 - THORSwap & THORChain alternative: compare cross-chain routes, no memo: https://torrentswap.com/learn/thorswap-alternative - ChangeNOW alternative: no account, no KYC tiers, fees shown upfront: https://torrentswap.com/learn/changenow-alternative - FixedFloat (ff.io) alternative: live multi-protocol quotes instead of one exchanger: https://torrentswap.com/learn/fixedfloat-alternative - SideShift alternative: cross-chain swaps with a published fee and named protocols: https://torrentswap.com/learn/sideshift-alternative - Changelly alternative: native cross-chain swaps without an account: https://torrentswap.com/learn/changelly-alternative - SimpleSwap alternative: compare live cross-chain routes without an account: https://torrentswap.com/learn/simpleswap-alternative Reviewed editorial updates: - What Is THORChain? How It Works, Fees and Safety: https://torrentswap.com/blog/what-is-thorchain - How to Let an AI Agent Swap Crypto (MCP Setup): https://torrentswap.com/blog/ai-agent-crypto-swap-mcp - No-KYC Crypto Wallets: Self-Custody Picks by Chain: https://torrentswap.com/blog/no-kyc-crypto-wallets - cbBTC vs WBTC vs tBTC: Which Wrapped Bitcoin?: https://torrentswap.com/blog/cbbtc-vs-wbtc-vs-tbtc - Chain Abstraction Explained: Intents and Solvers: https://torrentswap.com/blog/chain-abstraction-explained - Atomic Swaps Explained: HTLCs vs Cross-Chain Swaps: https://torrentswap.com/blog/atomic-swaps-explained - The Crypto Travel Rule and Self-Custody Swaps: https://torrentswap.com/blog/crypto-travel-rule-self-custody - MetaMask Swap and Bridge Fees in 2026, Explained: https://torrentswap.com/blog/metamask-swap-bridge-fees - TRX Energy and Bandwidth: Why USDT on Tron Costs That: https://torrentswap.com/blog/trx-energy-bandwidth-explained - x402 Explained: How AI Agents Pay With Crypto: https://torrentswap.com/blog/x402-explained # Reviewed swap pages ## Swap BTC to ETH — native, no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/btc-bitcoin-to-eth-ethereum Intent: btc to eth; convert btc to eth; btc to eth converter; swap bitcoin to ethereum; btc to eth bridge; bridge btc to eth Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 30 min), Chainflip (typically about 10–12 min), Flashnet (typically about 10 min) This route starts with native BTC on the Bitcoin network and delivers native ETH on Ethereum mainnet. Nothing is wrapped along the way: you do not receive WBTC, and the ETH is not on Arbitrum, Base or another layer-2. It is the most common way to move from Bitcoin into the Ethereum ecosystem — to pay for gas, use an application, or rebalance — without parking coins on a centralised exchange. Most of the waiting is Bitcoin confirmations. Once the deposit is accepted, the ETH payout usually lands within a minute or two. - Deposit: Send the exact BTC amount only to the one-time deposit address shown for your quote. If you pay a very low Bitcoin network fee, the first confirmation can take much longer than the estimate; a normal fee keeps the swap on schedule. - Receiving address: Use an Ethereum address you control and make sure the receiving wallet shows Ethereum mainnet. The same 0x address exists on several EVM networks, so the network label decides where the ETH appears. - Refund: The refund address must be a Bitcoin address you control. If you are sending from an exchange, do not use the exchange's withdrawal address as the refund address — use one from your own wallet. ## Swap BTC to USDC on Ethereum — no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/btc-bitcoin-to-usdc-ethereum Intent: btc to usdc; bitcoin to usdc; convert btc to usdc Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 30 min), Chainflip (typically about 10–12 min), Flashnet (typically about 10 min) This route starts with native BTC on Bitcoin and delivers USDC issued on Ethereum (contract 0xA0b8…eB48). It does not deliver USDC on Solana, Arbitrum, Base or any other network where USDC also exists. USDC on Ethereum is the version most applications, lending markets and many exchanges accept by default. If you only want to park value cheaply, USDC on Solana or Base costs less to move later; those are separate destinations in the selector. - Deposit: USDC uses a different contract on every network. Confirm that the receiving wallet or exchange has Ethereum selected before copying its address. - Receiving address: Use an Ethereum mainnet address that can hold USDC. A valid-looking 0x address does not prove that an exchange will credit Ethereum USDC to it — check its deposit screen. - Refund: The refund address must be a Bitcoin address you control. Keep the BTC transaction ID until the USDC arrives or the tracker reports a final state. ## Swap BTC to USDT (ERC-20) — no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/btc-bitcoin-to-usdt-ethereum Intent: convert btc to usdt; swap btc to usdt; btc to usdt erc20 Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 30 min), Chainflip (typically about 10–12 min), Flashnet (typically about 10 min) This route starts with native BTC and delivers the ERC-20 version of USDT on Ethereum (contract 0xdAC1…1ec7). USDT exists on many networks, so the ticker alone never identifies the token you receive. People use it to lock in a dollar value from BTC while keeping the stablecoins in their own wallet. ERC-20 USDT is accepted by most Ethereum applications and hardware wallets; TRC-20 USDT on Tron is cheaper to move afterwards. Choose based on where you will use it next. - Deposit: Confirm that the receiving wallet or exchange supports USDT on Ethereum, not USDT on Tron, Solana or BNB Chain. Deposit only BTC on the Bitcoin network to the address shown for this quote. - Receiving address: Use an Ethereum mainnet address. If you deposit to an exchange, open its current USDT deposit screen, select ERC-20 and copy that address rather than reusing an old one. - Refund: The refund address must be a Bitcoin address you control. Refunds return BTC to that address; they are never paid in USDT. ## Swap BTC to WBTC — no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/btc-bitcoin-to-wbtc-ethereum Intent: btc to wbtc; convert btc to wbtc; how to get wbtc Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 30 min), Flashnet (typically about 10 min) This route swaps native BTC for WBTC on Ethereum. WBTC is a token backed by BTC held in custody by the WBTC custodians, so after the swap you hold a claim that depends on that custody arrangement rather than bitcoin itself. Minting WBTC directly means going through an approved WBTC merchant, which involves identity checks. Swapping for WBTC from existing liquidity skips that step. WBTC normally trades very close to BTC, but the rate you get is set by the market, not a fixed 1:1 peg. - Deposit: Only the Ethereum version of WBTC is delivered. Wrapped bitcoin on other networks (for example cbBTC on Base) is a different token from a different issuer. - Receiving address: Use an Ethereum mainnet address. If you plan to deposit the WBTC into an application, send it to your own wallet first rather than to a contract address. - Refund: The refund address must be a Bitcoin address you control. A refund returns native BTC, not WBTC. ## Swap BTC to SOL — native, no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/btc-bitcoin-to-sol-solana Intent: btc to sol; btc to sol converter; convert btc to sol; bitcoin to solana swap; how to convert btc to sol; btc to solana bridge; bridge btc to solana Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 30 min), Chainflip (typically about 10–12 min), Flashnet (typically about 10 min) This route takes native BTC on Bitcoin and delivers native SOL on Solana. Without a cross-chain swap, the usual path is BTC to an exchange, a trade, and a SOL withdrawal — or wrapping BTC and bridging the token. This route replaces both with one deposit. Bitcoin and Solana use completely different address formats and transaction models, which is why this pair cannot be moved with a simple token bridge. A protocol holding liquidity on both networks accepts your BTC and pays SOL from its Solana side. The SOL arrives seconds after settlement; the wait is almost entirely Bitcoin confirmations. - Deposit: Send BTC only on the Bitcoin network, to the address shown for this quote. A Bitcoin fee spike can delay the first confirmation; paying a normal network fee keeps the swap close to the quoted time. - Receiving address: The destination must be a Solana address: base58, 32–44 characters, no 0x. If the SOL is going to an exchange, confirm the exchange credits SOL on the Solana network without a memo. - Refund: The refund address must be a Bitcoin address you control. A refund returns BTC, never SOL, so a Solana address cannot be used for it. ## Swap BTC to BNB — native, no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/btc-bitcoin-to-bnb-bsc Intent: btc to bnb; convert bitcoin to bnb; swap btc to bnb Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 30 min), Flashnet (typically about 10 min) This route starts with native BTC and delivers native BNB on BNB Smart Chain (network id 56). It does not deliver BNB as an ERC-20 token on Ethereum, and it cannot pay to an old BNB Beacon Chain (bnb1…) address. BNB is the gas token of BNB Chain, so this is a direct way to fund a BSC wallet from bitcoin. The time is mostly Bitcoin confirmations; BNB Chain pays out within seconds once the deposit is accepted. - Deposit: Send only BTC on the Bitcoin network to the deposit address. Exchanges label the destination network BEP20 or BSC — make sure that is what your receiving side expects. - Receiving address: Use a 0x address from a wallet set to BNB Smart Chain. Any bnb1… address belongs to the retired Beacon Chain and cannot receive. - Refund: The refund address must be a Bitcoin address you control. ## Swap BTC to USDT on Tron (TRC-20) — no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/btc-bitcoin-to-usdt-tron Intent: btc to usdt trc20; convert btc to usdt tron; bitcoin to tether trc20 Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 30 min), Chainflip (typically about 10–12 min), Flashnet (typically about 10 min) This route starts with native BTC and delivers USDT on Tron (TRC-20, contract TR7N…Lj6t). It is not ERC-20 USDT on Ethereum, which is a different token with 0x addresses. Moving USDT on Tron costs a fraction of an Ethereum token transfer, which is why many exchanges and payment services default to TRC-20. If you plan to send the USDT again soon, keep a little TRX in the same wallet: TRC-20 transfers burn TRX for energy when the wallet has none staked. - Deposit: Send only BTC on the Bitcoin network to the address shown. Double-check that the service receiving the USDT lists the network as TRC-20 or Tron. - Receiving address: The destination must be a Tron address: 34 characters starting with T. A 0x address is never a Tron address, even though both can hold something called USDT. - Refund: The refund address must be a Bitcoin address you control. ## Swap BTC to DOGE — native, no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/btc-bitcoin-to-doge-dogecoin Intent: btc to doge; convert bitcoin to dogecoin Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 30 min) This route starts with native BTC on Bitcoin and delivers native DOGE on the Dogecoin network. DOGE is only available natively here — not as a token on another chain. DOGE routes are currently quoted by NEAR Intents, where solvers compete to fill the order. With a single protocol, the receive amount can move more between quotes than on BTC–ETH routes, so request a fresh quote right before you send. - Deposit: Send only BTC on the Bitcoin network to the deposit address, within the quote's time window. An expired quote should be refreshed rather than paid. - Receiving address: The destination must be a Dogecoin address, normally starting with D. Bitcoin and Litecoin addresses are not valid. - Refund: The refund address must be a Bitcoin address you control. ## Swap BTC to LTC — native, no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/btc-bitcoin-to-ltc-litecoin Intent: btc to ltc; convert bitcoin to litecoin; swap btc to ltc Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 30 min), Flashnet (typically about 10 min) This route starts with native BTC on Bitcoin and delivers native LTC on Litecoin. Both are UTXO coins with similar-looking addresses, which makes the address check more important than on most routes. Litecoin blocks arrive every 2.5 minutes, so LTC is often used for payments that should confirm quicker than bitcoin. The wait on this route is the Bitcoin deposit; the LTC payout confirms within a few minutes. - Deposit: Send only BTC to the Bitcoin deposit address shown for this quote. Do not send LTC to it: a Litecoin transfer cannot reach a Bitcoin address. - Receiving address: The destination must be a Litecoin address starting with L, M or ltc1. A Bitcoin address (bc1…, 1…, 3…) is not valid here, and MWEB addresses (ltcmweb1…) are not supported. - Refund: The refund address must be a Bitcoin address you control. ## Swap BTC to ZEC — native, no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/btc-bitcoin-to-zec-zcash Intent: btc to zec; convert bitcoin to zcash; swap btc to zec Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 30 min), Flashnet (typically about 10 min) This route starts with native BTC on Bitcoin and delivers native ZEC on the Zcash network to a transparent (t1/t3) address. Zcash supports shielded transactions that hide the sender, receiver and amount on-chain. The swap itself is public on both chains — your BTC deposit and the ZEC payout are ordinary transparent transactions — but once the ZEC is in your wallet you can shield it with wallets such as Zashi or Ywallet. - Deposit: Send only BTC on the Bitcoin network. Keep your own expectations honest: the swap does not hide your Bitcoin transaction, and the ZEC payout is visible until you shield it. - Receiving address: Use a transparent Zcash address (t1… or t3…) unless the quote explicitly accepts a shielded or unified address. - Refund: The refund address must be a Bitcoin address you control. ## Swap ETH to BTC — native, no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/eth-ethereum-to-btc-bitcoin Intent: eth to btc; swap eth to btc; convert eth to btc; how to convert eth to btc; eth to btc bridge; bridge eth to btc Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min), Chainflip (typically about 1–3 min), Flashnet (typically about 1–3 min) This route exchanges native ETH on Ethereum for native BTC on Bitcoin. The destination is a Bitcoin-network address; nothing is delivered as WBTC on Ethereum. Because the ETH deposit is accepted within a couple of minutes, this direction is usually quicker than BTC to ETH. The BTC payout is broadcast as soon as the swap settles and then needs a Bitcoin block — around ten minutes — before most wallets show it as confirmed. - Deposit: Send native ETH on Ethereum mainnet only. ETH sent from Arbitrum or Base to this deposit address is a wrong-network transfer; those networks have their own routes. - Receiving address: The destination must be a Bitcoin mainnet address you control (bc1q…, bc1p…, 1… or 3…). Lightning invoices and Liquid addresses are not supported. - Refund: The refund address must be an Ethereum address that can receive native ETH. Recovery of a wrong-asset or wrong-network deposit is not guaranteed. ## Convert ETH to USDT (ERC-20) — no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/eth-ethereum-to-usdt-ethereum Intent: convert eth to usdt; eth to usdt; swap eth to usdt; ethereum to usdt Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min), Chainflip (typically about 1–3 min), Flashnet (typically about 1–3 min) Both assets are on Ethereum mainnet: native ETH in, ERC-20 USDT (contract 0xdAC1…1ec7) out. This is the classic way to lock in the dollar value of ETH. If you plan to send the USDT onward, consider receiving it on Tron (TRC-20) instead: the swap box quotes ETH to TRC-20 USDT directly, and later transfers on Tron cost far less than on Ethereum. - Deposit: Send native ETH on Ethereum mainnet only — not ETH on a layer 2 or WETH. - Receiving address: Use an Ethereum mainnet 0x address you control. Keep a little ETH there to pay gas when you move the USDT. - Refund: The refund address must be an Ethereum address that can receive ETH. ## Swap ETH to SOL — native, no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/eth-ethereum-to-sol-solana Intent: eth to sol; swap eth to sol; convert eth to sol; how to swap eth to sol Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min), Chainflip (typically about 1–3 min), Flashnet (typically about 1–3 min) This route starts with native ETH on Ethereum and delivers native SOL on Solana. An Ethereum address and a Solana address use different formats and are never interchangeable. Both networks confirm quickly, so ETH to SOL usually completes in a few minutes end to end. It replaces the older path of bridging ETH to Solana as a wrapped token and then trading it on a Solana exchange. - Deposit: Send native ETH on Ethereum mainnet only. If your ETH is on Arbitrum, use the Arbitrum to SOL route instead, which also has lower network fees. - Receiving address: A Solana destination is a base58 public key. Copy it from the Solana account in your wallet and check the first and last characters before continuing. - Refund: The refund address must be an Ethereum address for native ETH. If the quote expires, request a new one rather than sending to old deposit details. ## Bridge ETH from Ethereum to Arbitrum — no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/eth-ethereum-to-eth-arbitrum Intent: bridge eth to arbitrum; how to bridge eth to arbitrum; eth to arbitrum Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min), Chainflip (typically about 1–3 min), Flashnet (typically about 1–3 min) This route sends native ETH on Ethereum and delivers native ETH on Arbitrum One. It is the same asset on a different network; the destination is not Arbitrum Nova. The official Arbitrum bridge is a solid option for deposits: it credits in roughly ten to fifteen minutes and costs only gas. A swap route can be quicker, works with a plain transfer to a deposit address (handy for exchange withdrawals), and shows exactly what you receive after fees so you can compare. - Deposit: Send ETH on Ethereum mainnet only. The deposit address is a normal Ethereum address; do not send it from Arbitrum by mistake. - Receiving address: Your usual 0x address works on Arbitrum. Smart-contract wallets such as Safe are deployed per network, so confirm yours exists on Arbitrum before using it as the destination. - Refund: The refund address must be an Ethereum mainnet address that can receive ETH. ## Bridge ETH from Ethereum to Base — no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/eth-ethereum-to-eth-base Intent: bridge eth to base; how to bridge to base; eth to base Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min), Flashnet (typically about 1–3 min) This route sends native ETH on Ethereum and delivers native ETH on Base, Coinbase's OP Stack layer-2. The canonical Base bridge is quick for deposits and charges only gas; its withdrawals back to Ethereum take about a week. A liquidity route delivers in minutes in either direction and lets you compare the amount you receive against the official path. - Deposit: Send ETH on Ethereum mainnet only to the deposit address. - Receiving address: Your usual 0x address works on Base. If you are sending to Coinbase, open its ETH deposit screen and choose Base as the network first. - Refund: The refund address must be an Ethereum mainnet address that can receive ETH. ## Bridge ETH to BNB Chain — swap ETH to BNB, no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/eth-ethereum-to-bnb-bsc Intent: eth to bnb; how to bridge eth to bnb; bridge eth to bsc Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min), Flashnet (typically about 1–3 min) This route sends native ETH on Ethereum and delivers native BNB on BNB Smart Chain (the network exchanges label BEP20 or BSC). Getting BNB for gas is the first hurdle on BNB Chain. This route solves it directly from ETH, without an exchange account and without first bridging ETH as a token to BSC. - Deposit: Send native ETH on Ethereum mainnet only. - Receiving address: Use a 0x address from a wallet set to BNB Smart Chain. BNB Beacon Chain addresses (bnb1…) are retired and cannot receive. - Refund: The refund address must be an Ethereum address that can receive ETH. ## Swap ETH to AVAX — native, no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/eth-ethereum-to-avax-avalanche Intent: eth to avax; bridge eth to avalanche Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min), Flashnet (typically about 1–3 min) This route sends native ETH on Ethereum and delivers native AVAX on Avalanche C-Chain. Avalanche has several internal chains; applications and most wallets use the EVM-compatible C-Chain, which is where this route pays out. You get the gas token directly instead of bridging ETH as a token first. - Deposit: Send native ETH on Ethereum mainnet only. - Receiving address: Use a C-Chain 0x address. X-Chain and P-Chain addresses (X-avax1…, P-avax1…) cannot receive this payout. - Refund: The refund address must be an Ethereum address that can receive ETH. ## Swap ETH to TRX — native, no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/eth-ethereum-to-trx-tron Intent: eth to trx; convert ethereum to tron Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min), Chainflip (typically about 1–3 min), Flashnet (typically about 1–3 min) This route sends native ETH on Ethereum and delivers native TRX on the Tron network. TRX is what a Tron wallet needs to pay for bandwidth and energy, so this route is a direct way to fund a new Tron wallet before moving TRC-20 USDT. - Deposit: Send native ETH on Ethereum mainnet only. - Receiving address: The destination must be a Tron address starting with T. - Refund: The refund address must be an Ethereum address that can receive ETH. ## Swap ETH to DOGE — native, no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/eth-ethereum-to-doge-dogecoin Intent: eth to doge; convert ethereum to dogecoin Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min) This route sends native ETH on Ethereum and delivers native DOGE on Dogecoin. The ETH deposit is accepted within a couple of minutes. NEAR Intents currently quotes this route, so refresh the quote just before you send to make sure the amount still reflects the market. - Deposit: Send native ETH on Ethereum mainnet only. - Receiving address: The destination must be a Dogecoin address, normally starting with D. - Refund: The refund address must be an Ethereum address that can receive ETH. ## Swap USDC to BTC — native, no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/usdc-ethereum-to-btc-bitcoin Intent: usdc to btc; swap usdc to btc; convert usdc to btc Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min), Chainflip (typically about 1–3 min), Flashnet (typically about 1–3 min) This route starts with USDC on Ethereum and delivers native BTC on Bitcoin. It does not accept USDC from Solana, Arbitrum or Base, even though wallets show the same ticker. Moving from stablecoins into self-custodied bitcoin is a common way to exit an application or an exchange balance in one step. Chainflip, NEAR Intents and Flashnet can all quote it, so comparing the list is worthwhile for larger amounts. - Deposit: Sending an ERC-20 token requires ETH in the source wallet for gas. Verify the USDC network in your wallet before signing. - Receiving address: Use a Bitcoin mainnet destination address you control. A WBTC deposit address or any 0x address is not a destination for native BTC. - Refund: The refund address must accept USDC on Ethereum. Keep the Ethereum transaction hash until the BTC arrives or the tracker shows a final state. ## Swap USDC to SOL — no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/usdc-ethereum-to-sol-solana Intent: usdc to sol; swap usdc to sol; convert usdc to sol Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min), Chainflip (typically about 1–3 min), Flashnet (typically about 1–3 min) This route starts with USDC on Ethereum and delivers native SOL on Solana. USDC already on Solana is a different source asset with its own quote. It saves a step compared with bridging USDC to Solana and then trading it. Chainflip, NEAR Intents and Flashnet can all quote it, so for larger amounts the route list is worth a look. - Deposit: The sending wallet needs ETH for gas. Send USDC on Ethereum only. - Receiving address: The destination must be a Solana wallet address, copied from the Solana account in your wallet. - Refund: The refund address must be an Ethereum address that can receive USDC. ## Move USDC from Ethereum to Solana — no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/usdc-ethereum-to-usdc-solana Intent: usdc to solana; bridge usdc to solana; usdc ethereum to solana Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min), Chainflip (typically about 1–3 min), Flashnet (typically about 1–3 min) This route turns USDC on Ethereum into native USDC on Solana — the SPL token issued by Circle (mint EPjF…Dt1v). It is not a bridged or wrapped version of USDC. Circle's own transfer protocol moves USDC by burning it on one chain and minting it on another. A liquidity route like this one pays you from USDC already on Solana instead. Either way you end with the same native token; here you only sign one Ethereum transfer and the protocol handles the Solana side. - Deposit: You need ETH in the sending wallet for the Ethereum gas of the USDC transfer. Make sure the token you send is USDC on Ethereum, not USDC.e or USDC from another network. - Receiving address: The destination is a Solana wallet address (base58, no 0x). Paste the wallet's main address, not a token-account address. - Refund: The refund address must be an Ethereum address that can receive USDC. ## Move USDC from Ethereum to Arbitrum — no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/usdc-ethereum-to-usdc-arbitrum Intent: bridge usdc to arbitrum; usdc ethereum to arbitrum Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min), Chainflip (typically about 1–3 min), Flashnet (typically about 1–3 min) This route delivers native USDC on Arbitrum (contract 0xaf88…5831), not the older bridged USDC.e that some applications still use. Arbitrum has two USDC tokens: native USDC issued by Circle and USDC.e, bridged from Ethereum before native issuance existed. Most applications now use native USDC, which is what this route pays out. - Deposit: The sending wallet needs ETH on Ethereum for gas. Send USDC on Ethereum mainnet only. - Receiving address: Your Ethereum address normally works on Arbitrum. Confirm the receiving application expects native USDC rather than USDC.e. - Refund: The refund address must be an Ethereum address that can receive USDC. ## Swap USDT to BTC — native, no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/usdt-ethereum-to-btc-bitcoin Intent: usdt to btc; swap usdt to btc; how to convert usdt to btc Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min), Chainflip (typically about 1–3 min), Flashnet (typically about 1–3 min) This route starts with the ERC-20 version of USDT on Ethereum and delivers native BTC on the Bitcoin network. It does not accept USDT from Tron, Solana or BNB Chain, and it does not deliver wrapped bitcoin. Buying bitcoin with stablecoins you already hold is one of the most common swaps. The Ethereum deposit is accepted within minutes; after that, the BTC payout needs a Bitcoin block to confirm in your wallet. - Deposit: Sending an ERC-20 token needs ETH in the same wallet for gas. Confirm that both the token and the network in your wallet say USDT on Ethereum before you sign. - Receiving address: Use a Bitcoin mainnet destination address you control. An EVM address or a WBTC deposit address is not a Bitcoin destination. - Refund: The refund address must accept USDT on Ethereum. A Bitcoin address cannot receive an ERC-20 refund. ## Swap USDT to SOL — no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/usdt-ethereum-to-sol-solana Intent: usdt to sol; swap usdt to sol; convert usdt to sol Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min), Chainflip (typically about 1–3 min), Flashnet (typically about 1–3 min) This route starts with USDT on Ethereum (ERC-20) and delivers native SOL on Solana. It does not accept USDT from Tron, BNB Chain or Solana itself. It combines a network move and a trade in one deposit: you do not need to bridge USDT to Solana first and then trade it. The Ethereum deposit is accepted in a few minutes and SOL follows shortly after. - Deposit: Keep enough ETH for gas in the sending wallet. Check that the USDT in your wallet is the Ethereum version before you sign. - Receiving address: The destination must be a Solana address (base58, no 0x prefix). - Refund: The refund address must be an Ethereum address that can receive USDT. ## Move USDT from Ethereum to Solana — no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/usdt-ethereum-to-usdt-solana Intent: usdt to solana; bridge usdt to solana; usdt erc20 to solana Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min), Flashnet (typically about 1–3 min) This route sends USDT on Ethereum (ERC-20, contract 0xdAC1…1ec7) and delivers USDT on Solana (SPL, mint Es9v…NYB), the version Tether issues natively on Solana. Moving USDT to Solana is popular for trading on Solana applications, where transfers cost a fraction of a cent. Ethereum gas for the deposit is the main cost, so for small amounts compare the receive amount carefully. - Deposit: The sending wallet needs ETH for gas. Make sure the USDT you are sending is on Ethereum; USDT on Tron or BNB Chain needs its own route. - Receiving address: Use a Solana wallet address. If the destination is an exchange, check that it lists USDT on Solana (sometimes shown as USDT-SPL) as a deposit network. - Refund: The refund address must be an Ethereum address that can receive USDT. ## Swap USDT ERC-20 to TRC-20 — no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/usdt-ethereum-to-usdt-tron Intent: usdt erc20 to trc20; bridge usdt to tron; convert usdt erc20 to trc20 Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min), Chainflip (typically about 1–3 min), Flashnet (typically about 1–3 min) This route sends USDT on Ethereum (ERC-20, contract 0xdAC1…1ec7) and delivers USDT on Tron (TRC-20, contract TR7N…Lj6t). Both are issued by Tether, but they are separate tokens on separate networks. Many exchanges and payment services prefer TRC-20 USDT because transfers on Tron cost far less than Ethereum gas. Tether does not offer a public one-click conversion between its networks, so this normally means going through an exchange account; this route does it with a single transfer. - Deposit: Keep ETH in the sending wallet for gas. Once on Tron, sending the USDT again needs TRX for energy. - Receiving address: The destination must be a Tron address: 34 characters starting with T. Pasting a 0x address here is the classic ERC-20/TRC-20 mistake, and the form will reject it. - Refund: The refund address must be an Ethereum address that can receive USDT. ## Swap SOL to BTC — native, no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/sol-solana-to-btc-bitcoin Intent: sol to btc; sol to btc swap; convert sol to btc; solana to bitcoin Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min), Chainflip (typically about 1–3 min), Flashnet (typically about 1–3 min) This route starts with native SOL on Solana and delivers native BTC on the Bitcoin network. It does not accept SPL tokens such as USDC on Solana in place of SOL. Solana deposits are accepted in about a minute, so most of the time on this route is the Bitcoin payout confirming. It is a straightforward way to move gains from Solana into self-custodied bitcoin without leaving coins on an exchange. - Deposit: Leave a little SOL in the sending wallet for the network fee, and send only SOL — not an SPL token — to the deposit address. - Receiving address: The destination must be a Bitcoin mainnet address you control. Lightning invoices and wrapped-bitcoin addresses on Solana are not Bitcoin destinations. - Refund: The refund address must be a Solana address that can receive SOL. ## Swap SOL to ETH — native, no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/sol-solana-to-eth-ethereum Intent: sol to eth; convert sol to eth; swap sol to eth; how to convert sol to eth; solana to eth bridge; bridge solana to ethereum Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min), Chainflip (typically about 1–3 min), Flashnet (typically about 1–3 min) This route exchanges native SOL on Solana for native ETH on Ethereum mainnet. It does not accept an SPL token in place of SOL and does not deliver ETH on Arbitrum or Base. A common reason to use it is needing ETH for gas or applications on Ethereum while your funds sit on Solana. If you would rather land on a layer-2, pick ETH on Arbitrum or Base as the destination; network costs on the payout side are lower there. - Deposit: Keep the Solana transaction signature until the ETH arrives. The Solana deposit can show as final before the Ethereum payout is complete — that gap is normal. - Receiving address: The destination must be on Ethereum mainnet. A 0x address is shown by wallets on several EVM networks, so check the selected network in the receiving wallet. - Refund: The refund address must be a Solana address capable of receiving native SOL. ## Swap SOL to USDC on Solana — no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/sol-solana-to-usdc-solana Intent: sol to usdc; swap sol to usdc; convert sol to usdc; solana to usdc Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min), Chainflip (typically about 1–3 min), Flashnet (typically about 1–3 min) Both assets are on Solana: native SOL in, native Circle-issued USDC (mint EPjF…Dt1v) out. The deposit and the payout are ordinary Solana transactions. People use this route to take profit into a stablecoin, park value during volatility, or get USDC for Solana apps. Because several protocols quote it, the swap box shows who pays out the most USDC after fees before you send. - Deposit: Send native SOL only. SPL tokens, including wrapped SOL, sent to the deposit address are not part of this route. - Receiving address: Use a Solana wallet address (base58) you control. Keep a little SOL in that wallet so you can move the USDC later. - Refund: The refund address must be a Solana address that can receive SOL. ## Bridge ETH from Arbitrum to Ethereum — no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/eth-arbitrum-to-eth-ethereum Intent: bridge arbitrum to eth; arbitrum to ethereum bridge; withdraw eth from arbitrum Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min), Chainflip (typically about 1–3 min), Flashnet (typically about 1–3 min) This route sends native ETH on Arbitrum One and delivers native ETH on Ethereum mainnet. Withdrawals through the official Arbitrum bridge wait for a challenge period of about seven days and then need a claim transaction on Ethereum. A liquidity route skips both: the protocol pays you from ETH it already holds on mainnet, and takes your Arbitrum ETH in exchange. - Deposit: Send ETH on Arbitrum One only. Arbitrum gas is cheap, but keep a small amount for the deposit transaction. - Receiving address: Use an Ethereum mainnet address you control. Normal wallets use the same address on both networks. - Refund: The refund address must be an Arbitrum address that can receive ETH. ## Swap ETH on Arbitrum to SOL — no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/eth-arbitrum-to-sol-solana Intent: arbitrum to solana bridge; arbitrum eth to sol; bridge arbitrum to solana; arbitrum to solana bridge Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min), Chainflip (typically about 1–3 min), Flashnet (typically about 1–3 min) This route sends native ETH on Arbitrum One and delivers native SOL on Solana. Arbitrum gas is a small fraction of mainnet gas, which makes this route a cheaper way into Solana than ETH on Ethereum for small and medium amounts. Both networks confirm quickly, so the whole swap typically takes minutes. - Deposit: Send ETH on Arbitrum One only; ETH on Ethereum mainnet has its own route. - Receiving address: The destination must be a Solana address (base58, no 0x). - Refund: The refund address must be an Arbitrum address that can receive ETH. ## Bridge Polygon to Ethereum — POL to ETH, no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/pol-polygon-to-eth-ethereum Intent: bridge polygon to ethereum; how to bridge polygon to ethereum; polygon to ethereum bridge; pol to eth Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min), Flashnet (typically about 1–3 min) This route sends native POL on Polygon PoS and delivers native ETH on Ethereum mainnet. Polygon's official bridge withdrawals to Ethereum wait for checkpoints and then require a second claim transaction. A liquidity route pays out on Ethereum directly, and swaps POL into ETH in the same step, so you arrive with gas. - Deposit: Send native POL on Polygon PoS only — not MATIC or POL held as a token on Ethereum. - Receiving address: Use an Ethereum mainnet 0x address you control; the same wallet address works on both networks. - Refund: The refund address must be a Polygon address that can receive POL. ## BNB to ETH bridge — BSC to Ethereum, no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/bnb-bsc-to-eth-ethereum Intent: bnb to eth; bnb to eth bridge; bridge bsc to eth Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min), Flashnet (typically about 1–3 min) This route sends native BNB on BNB Smart Chain and delivers native ETH on Ethereum mainnet. It is a one-step exit from BNB Chain to Ethereum, with no wrapped ETH on BSC and no exchange account. BNB Chain deposits are accepted in about a minute. - Deposit: Send BNB on BNB Smart Chain only — not BNB held as a token on Ethereum. - Receiving address: Use an Ethereum mainnet address you control. - Refund: The refund address must be a BNB Smart Chain address that can receive BNB. ## Swap BNB to USDT (BEP-20) — no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/bnb-bsc-to-usdt-bsc Intent: bnb to usdt; swap bnb to usdt; convert bnb to usdt; bnb to usdt bep20 Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min), Flashnet (typically about 1–3 min) Both assets are on BNB Smart Chain: native BNB in, BEP-20 USDT (contract 0x55d3…7955) out. It is a same-network swap. Common reasons are taking profit into a stablecoin or funding a BNB Chain app that settles in USDT. If you need USDT on Ethereum or Tron instead, choose that network as the asset you receive; the swap box quotes those routes too. - Deposit: Send native BNB on BNB Smart Chain only — not BNB on another network or as a token. - Receiving address: Use a BNB Smart Chain 0x address you control; the same address format works on Ethereum, so double-check the network in your wallet. - Refund: The refund address must be a BNB Smart Chain address that can receive BNB. ## Swap AVAX to ETH — native, no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/avax-avalanche-to-eth-ethereum Intent: avax to eth; avalanche to ethereum; avax to eth bridge Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min), Flashnet (typically about 1–3 min) This route sends native AVAX on Avalanche C-Chain and delivers native ETH on Ethereum mainnet. Avalanche finalises blocks in about a second or two, so the deposit is accepted quickly; most of the time is the Ethereum payout. It avoids holding a bridged ETH token on Avalanche. - Deposit: Send AVAX on the C-Chain only. If you are withdrawing from an exchange, pick C-Chain as the network; X-Chain withdrawals cannot reach this deposit address. - Receiving address: Use an Ethereum mainnet address you control. - Refund: The refund address must be an Avalanche C-Chain 0x address. ## Swap USDT TRC-20 to ERC-20 — no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/usdt-tron-to-usdt-ethereum Intent: usdt trc20 to erc20; convert usdt trc20 to erc20 Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min), Chainflip (typically about 1–3 min), Flashnet (typically about 1–3 min) This route sends USDT on Tron (TRC-20) and delivers USDT on Ethereum (ERC-20). It does not accept USDT from any other network. Paying out on Ethereum costs more gas than on Tron, and that cost is included in the quote. For small amounts the fee share is noticeable; for larger amounts it matters less. Tron deposits are accepted within a few minutes. - Deposit: The sending Tron wallet needs TRX (or staked energy) to transfer USDT. If it has none, sending from an exchange withdrawal on the Tron network avoids the problem. - Receiving address: Use an Ethereum mainnet 0x address that can hold USDT. - Refund: The refund address must be a Tron address (starting with T) that can receive USDT. ## Swap USDT to TRX on Tron — no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/usdt-tron-to-trx-tron Intent: usdt to trx; swap usdt to trx; convert usdt to trx Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 1–3 min), Chainflip (typically about 1–3 min), Flashnet (typically about 1–3 min) Both assets are on Tron: TRC-20 USDT in, native TRX out. It is a same-network swap, so both the deposit and the payout are ordinary Tron transactions. The usual reason is fuel: a Tron wallet holding only USDT cannot pay the energy for its own transfers. Swapping some USDT for TRX solves that. Sending the USDT deposit itself still needs a little TRX or energy — if the wallet has none, send the USDT from an exchange withdrawal on the Tron network instead. - Deposit: Send only TRC-20 USDT (contract TR7N…Lj6t) to the deposit address. Other tokens that call themselves USDT on Tron are not accepted. - Receiving address: The destination must be a Tron address starting with T; it can be the same wallet you send from. - Refund: The refund address must be a Tron address that can receive USDT. ## Swap DOGE to BTC — native, no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/doge-dogecoin-to-btc-bitcoin Intent: doge to btc; convert dogecoin to bitcoin Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 5–20 min) This route starts with native DOGE on Dogecoin and delivers native BTC on Bitcoin. DOGE deposits need several one-minute blocks, typically 5–20 minutes, before the swap proceeds. NEAR Intents currently quotes this route; with one protocol, refresh the quote just before sending so the amount reflects current liquidity. - Deposit: Send only DOGE on the Dogecoin network to the deposit address, while the quote is still valid. - Receiving address: The destination must be a Bitcoin mainnet address you control. - Refund: The refund address must be a Dogecoin address you control, normally starting with D. ## Swap LTC to BTC — native, no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/ltc-litecoin-to-btc-bitcoin Intent: ltc to btc; convert litecoin to bitcoin; swap ltc to btc Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 5–15 min), Flashnet (typically about 5–15 min) This route starts with native LTC on Litecoin and delivers native BTC on Bitcoin. Both are UTXO coins with similar address styles, so check each address against the network it belongs to. Litecoin confirms every 2.5 minutes, so the LTC deposit is usually accepted within about 5–15 minutes. The BTC payout then needs a Bitcoin block before it shows as confirmed in most wallets. - Deposit: Send only LTC on the Litecoin network to the deposit address shown for this quote. - Receiving address: The destination must be a Bitcoin address (bc1…, 1… or 3…). A Litecoin address will be rejected, and that check is there to protect you. - Refund: The refund address must be a Litecoin address you control, starting with L, M or ltc1. ## Swap LTC to ETH — native, no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/ltc-litecoin-to-eth-ethereum Intent: ltc to eth; convert litecoin to ethereum Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 5–15 min), Flashnet (typically about 5–15 min) This route sends native LTC on Litecoin and delivers native ETH on Ethereum mainnet. Litecoin's 2.5-minute blocks mean the deposit is usually accepted in 5–15 minutes; the ETH payout follows within a minute or two. It moves value from a UTXO coin into Ethereum without wrapping anything. - Deposit: Send only LTC on the Litecoin network to the deposit address. - Receiving address: Use an Ethereum mainnet 0x address. The receiving wallet must be set to Ethereum to show the ETH. - Refund: The refund address must be a Litecoin address you control (L…, M… or ltc1…). ## Swap ZEC to BTC — native, no account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/exchange/zec-zcash-to-btc-bitcoin Intent: zec to btc; convert zcash to bitcoin Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Protocols that can quote it: NEAR Intents (typically about 5–15 min), Flashnet (typically about 5–15 min) This route starts with native ZEC on Zcash and delivers native BTC on Bitcoin. Deposit addresses for swaps are transparent Zcash addresses. Modern wallets such as Zashi can send from a shielded balance to a transparent address; that final transfer is visible on-chain, like the BTC payout. - Deposit: Send only ZEC on the Zcash network. Check that your wallet's send screen shows the full amount in the quote, including any fee it adds. - Receiving address: The destination must be a Bitcoin mainnet address you control. - Refund: The refund address must be a transparent Zcash address (t1… or t3…) you control. # Reviewed educational context ## What Is a Cross-Chain Swap? Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/learn/how-cross-chain-swaps-work Intent: what is a cross-chain swap; how cross-chain swaps work Reviewed: 2026-07-17 A cross-chain swap exchanges an asset on one blockchain for an asset on another. For example, a user can send native bitcoin on the Bitcoin network and receive ether at an Ethereum address without first managing an exchange account balance. The two blockchains do not share one ledger. A route must therefore coordinate a confirmed source deposit, an exchange under the quoted conditions, and a destination transaction. That coordination introduces network, liquidity, address, and timing risks that do not exist in a single-chain wallet transfer. ### Why two networks have to be coordinated Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and other networks validate their own transactions independently. A transaction confirmed by one network does not automatically create a transaction on another. A cross-chain route watches for the source deposit under its confirmation rules and then coordinates delivery of the destination asset. This is why a source transaction hash and a destination transaction hash describe different events. Both may be needed to understand whether a swap is waiting for confirmations, being executed, completed, or entering a recovery state. ### Cross-chain swap versus bridge A bridge usually describes moving a representation of value between networks, sometimes keeping the same ticker or creating a wrapped asset. A swap describes exchanging one asset for another. A transaction can do both at once when the source and destination assets are different and live on different networks. Names alone are not enough to identify the result. Check the exact destination asset and network in the quote—for example, native ETH on Ethereum is not the same asset as ETH represented on Arbitrum, and native BTC is not WBTC on Ethereum. ### The transaction flow First, select a source asset and network and a destination asset and network. Next, enter an amount and request a current quote. The quote should identify the expected receive amount, minimum received where applicable, and its expiry or freshness. Before creating the swap, provide a destination address on the destination network and a refund address on the source network. After creation, send only the requested asset and amount to the displayed deposit address. Keep the source transaction hash so the route can be tracked without exposing wallet secrets. - Select the asset together with its network rather than relying on a ticker alone. - Review a fresh quote and its minimum received before continuing. - Verify both destination and refund addresses against the correct networks. - Send only the exact asset and amount in the current deposit instructions. ### Why quotes expire Liquidity, market prices, and network conditions can change between quote creation and deposit confirmation. An expiry limits how long the route accepts the quoted conditions. If a quote is stale, request a new one instead of using old deposit instructions. No static guide can provide a valid rate, minimum, or settlement time. Those values are specific to the live route and amount, and an estimate is not a completion guarantee. ### What to verify before sending Blockchain transfers are generally irreversible. A correctly formatted address may still belong to the wrong person, and the same token ticker can exist on several networks. Confirm the site domain, source network, destination network, asset, amount, address, and quote freshness independently. Standard swaps do not require a TorrentSwap account, but that does not make on-chain activity anonymous. Transactions and addresses remain visible on their public ledgers, and route availability or checks can vary. Sources: - Bitcoin Developer Guide: Transactions: https://developer.bitcoin.org/devguide/transactions.html - Ethereum.org: Transactions: https://ethereum.org/developers/docs/transactions/ - Solana Documentation: Transactions: https://solana.com/docs/core/transactions ## What Is Slippage in Crypto? Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/learn/what-is-slippage-in-crypto Intent: what is slippage in crypto; crypto swap slippage Reviewed: 2026-07-17 Slippage is the difference between the exchange result you expect and the result the market can execute. It can happen when prices move, available liquidity changes, or a trade is large relative to the route being used. A quote should make this risk understandable before you send funds. The most useful figures are the expected receive amount, the minimum received amount, and the time at which the quote expires. ### Why slippage happens Crypto markets continue moving while a transaction is being confirmed. Cross-chain swaps also coordinate activity on more than one network, so a quote can remain exposed to changing market and liquidity conditions while the source transaction is confirmed. Trade size matters as well. A route with enough liquidity for a small swap may move through several price levels for a larger swap, producing a different average execution price. - Fast price movement can change the available exchange result. - Limited route liquidity can increase price impact for larger swaps. - Blockchain confirmation time can lengthen the interval between quote and execution. ### Expected amount versus minimum received Expected receive is the route's current estimate. Minimum received is the lower boundary permitted by the quote's slippage setting. If execution would fall below that boundary, the route should not silently complete at an unrestricted result. These values are quote-specific and should never be copied from a static article. Review the current values in the swap interface immediately before continuing. ### How to review slippage safely Confirm the exact source and destination networks, compare expected receive with minimum received, and check that the quote is still current. If the difference is larger than you are comfortable with, do not deposit funds; request a fresh quote or use a smaller amount. A very permissive slippage setting is not automatically better. It can make execution more likely, but it also accepts a wider range of outcomes. Sources: - Uniswap Labs: What is price impact?: https://support.uniswap.org/hc/en-us/articles/8671539602317-What-is-price-impact - Uniswap Labs: What is a slippage error?: https://support.uniswap.org/hc/en-us/articles/8643879653261-What-is-a-slippage-error ## How to Recover Crypto Sent on the Wrong Network Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/learn/recover-crypto-sent-to-wrong-network Intent: crypto sent to wrong network; recover wrong-network transfer Reviewed: 2026-07-17 Recovery depends on what was sent, which network processed it, and who controls the destination address. Some same-address EVM mistakes can be recoverable; transfers to unrelated networks or addresses may not be. Do not share a recovery phrase or private key with anyone offering help. Start with public transaction evidence and official support channels only. ### Step 1: verify what actually happened Open the source network's block explorer and confirm the transaction hash, status, token contract, destination address, and network. A wallet balance not appearing does not always mean the assets are gone; the wallet may be connected to the wrong network or may not display the token automatically. If the transaction is still pending, use only the wallet's documented speed-up or cancellation process. Once a transaction is confirmed, it normally cannot be reversed by the network. ### Step 2: identify who controls the destination When the same private key controls an address on two EVM-compatible networks, the wallet owner may be able to switch to the network where the assets arrived and access them there. This does not apply universally, especially when the source and intended destination use unrelated address systems. If the destination belongs to an exchange or custodial service, only that service can determine whether it can recover the deposit. Contact it through its official website and provide the public transaction details it requests. - Self-custody EVM address: check the actual network and token contract in the wallet. - Custodial address: contact the custodian through verified support channels. - Unknown or unrelated address: recovery may be impossible without the controlling key holder. ### Step 3: avoid making the loss worse Do not send an additional transaction just because someone claims it will unlock the first one. Do not import a seed phrase into an unfamiliar site, and do not pay an unsolicited recovery agent. For future swaps, verify both the asset and network, paste the address rather than typing it, compare the beginning and end of the address, and consider a small test transfer when the destination supports it. Sources: - MetaMask: I sent crypto to the wrong place: https://support.metamask.io/manage-crypto/move-crypto/send/funds-sent-on-wrong-network/ - Bitcoin developer guide: Transactions: https://developer.bitcoin.org/devguide/transactions.html ## WBTC vs BTC: native vs wrapped crypto explained Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/learn/native-vs-wrapped-crypto Intent: native crypto versus wrapped token; BTC versus WBTC Reviewed: 2026-07-17 A native asset belongs to the blockchain that issues and settles it. A wrapped token is a token on another network that represents an underlying asset through a separate issuance, locking, or custody mechanism. The ticker and market value may look similar, but native BTC on Bitcoin and WBTC on Ethereum are different assets on different networks and require different addresses and transaction rules. ### 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. Sources: - Ethereum.org glossary: Wrapped token: https://ethereum.org/glossary/#wrapped-token - Ethereum.org: What is Wrapped Ether?: https://ethereum.org/wrapped-eth/ - WBTC documentation: https://docs.wbtc.network/ ## Why Crypto Swap Quotes Expire Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/learn/why-crypto-swap-quotes-expire Intent: why crypto swap quotes expire; expired swap quote Reviewed: 2026-07-17 A crypto quote is a time-limited view of current market, liquidity, and route conditions. It cannot remain valid indefinitely while those inputs continue changing. The safest response to an expired quote is to request a new one and follow the new instructions. Do not assume an old deposit address or amount remains valid. ### What changes after a quote is created Prices, liquidity, blockchain conditions, route availability, and minimum viable amounts can change. Expiry prevents an old result from being presented as though those conditions were unchanged. The expected amount and minimum received belong to that quote. A newly requested quote may produce different values even when the selected assets are the same. ### Why exact deposit instructions matter A transaction flow can require an exact asset, network, amount, and deposit address. Reusing instructions from an expired or different route can make automatic matching or execution fail. Before sending, verify that the on-screen route is current and copy the deposit information from the active transaction view. Preserve the transaction reference for tracking and support. ### What to do when the quote expires Return to the quote step, confirm the selected networks and addresses, and request a fresh quote. Review the new expected and minimum receive amounts before creating another transaction. If funds were already sent, do not create a second deposit. Track the existing transaction and contact support with its public reference if the status is unclear. Sources: - Ethereum.org: Transactions: https://ethereum.org/en/developers/docs/transactions/ - Solana documentation: Transactions: https://solana.com/docs/core/transactions ## Pending, Failed, or Refunded Crypto Swap: What to Do Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/learn/pending-failed-refunded-crypto-swap Intent: crypto swap pending; failed swap; refunded crypto swap Reviewed: 2026-07-17 A swap can remain pending while the deposit confirms, the route executes, or the destination transaction settles. A failed or refunded state means something different and should not be treated as an ordinary delay. Keep the transaction reference, source transaction hash, selected networks, and refund address available. These public details help identify the state without exposing wallet credentials. ### Pending does not always mean failed First confirm that the source transaction exists on the correct network and has been accepted into a block. Different networks and current congestion levels can produce different confirmation timelines. After source confirmation, a cross-chain route may still need to execute and create the destination transaction. Use the route tracker instead of sending a duplicate deposit. ### When a swap fails Common categories include a route becoming unavailable, a quote expiring, an incorrect asset or network, a mismatched amount, or a deposit that could not be associated with the active transaction. A useful error state should preserve a safe reference and explain the next action. Do not troubleshoot by sharing private keys, recovery phrases, or screenshots containing them. ### How refunds work The refund address is the source-network address selected before deposit. A refund is a new blockchain transaction and can therefore require source-network processing and confirmation. Refund eligibility and timing depend on the route state and the information provided. Never assume a refund is complete until its transaction is visible and confirmed on the appropriate network. - Do not send a second deposit while the first one is unresolved. - Verify status using the source network and the transaction tracker. - Contact support through the official TorrentSwap contact page with public references only. Sources: - Bitcoin developer guide: Transactions: https://developer.bitcoin.org/devguide/transactions.html - MetaMask: Transaction troubleshooting: https://support.metamask.io/manage-crypto/transactions/ ## USDT and USDC Networks: How to Choose the Right One Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/learn/usdt-usdc-network-guide Intent: USDT networks; USDC networks; stablecoin wrong network Reviewed: 2026-07-17 USDT and USDC are issued on more than one blockchain. The ticker alone does not identify the network, contract, address format, or route you need. TorrentSwap lists USDT and USDC on several networks, always with the network shown next to the ticker. Availability can change, so verify the exact live route before sending. ### The same ticker can represent different network assets USDC on Ethereum, USDC on Solana, and USDC on Arbitrum are recorded by different networks. USDT also exists across multiple networks. A balance on one chain does not automatically exist on another. Wallets and exchanges often show the ticker prominently while placing the network in smaller text. Always treat the network label and token contract as part of the asset identity. ### What to verify before choosing Confirm which network currently holds your source asset and which network the destination wallet or service accepts. Then select that exact asset-network combination in the swap interface. Do not choose a network only because its general transaction cost is lower. The route must exist, the destination must support it, and you need the appropriate native asset if a later wallet transaction requires network gas. - Source asset ticker and network. - Destination asset ticker and network. - Destination wallet or custodian support. - Current route availability and address validation. ### Native issuance, bridges, and token contracts Stablecoins may be issued natively on a network or represented through another transfer or bridge mechanism. These versions can have different contracts and operational assumptions even when their displayed value is intended to track the same currency. Use issuer documentation for contract and network information. Never copy a token contract from an advertisement, unsolicited message, or unverified search result. Sources: - Circle documentation: What is USDC?: https://developers.circle.com/stablecoins/what-is-usdc - Circle: USDC contract addresses: https://developers.circle.com/stablecoins/usdc-contract-addresses - Tether: What is USDT?: https://tether.to/en/what-is-USDT ## How to buy Zcash (ZEC) — with or without an exchange account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/learn/how-to-buy-zcash Intent: how to buy zcash; buy zcash; where to buy zcash; buy zec without kyc Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Zcash (ZEC) is a privacy-focused cryptocurrency that lets you hold and send coins in a shielded pool, where the sender, receiver and amount are encrypted on-chain. There are two practical ways to get it: swap crypto you already own into ZEC, or buy it with cash on an exchange that lists it. Whichever you choose, the step that gives you Zcash’s privacy comes afterwards: moving your ZEC into a shielded address in a wallet you control. ### Step 1: get a Zcash wallet Use a self-custody wallet that supports shielded ZEC, such as Zashi or Ywallet. Zcash addresses come in several types: transparent addresses start with t1 or t3, shielded Sapling addresses with zs, and unified addresses with u1. Unified addresses bundle shielded and transparent receivers in one string. Most swap protocols and many exchanges pay out to a transparent (t1/t3) address, so note your wallet’s transparent receiving address as well as its shielded one. ### Option A: swap crypto you already own into ZEC (no account) If you hold BTC, ETH, USDT or another supported coin, you can swap it to ZEC without signing up anywhere. On TorrentSwap, pick the coin you are sending and ZEC as the asset you receive, enter your transparent Zcash address and a refund address on the sending network, and send the exact amount to the one-time deposit address. Every quote names the protocol that executes the swap and shows the ZEC you receive after all fees. Zcash deposits and payouts usually take about 5 to 15 minutes once the sending chain confirms. - No account, email or ID for the swap itself - The protocol pays ZEC straight to your own wallet - The swap is visible on both chains until you shield the ZEC ### Option B: buy ZEC with cash on an exchange To pay with a bank card or transfer, use a regulated exchange that lists ZEC in your country and complete its identity checks. Availability changes by region, so check the exchange’s supported-assets list before you sign up. Withdraw the ZEC to your own wallet rather than leaving it on the exchange. ### Step 2: shield your ZEC ZEC that arrives at a transparent address is as visible as a bitcoin transaction. To get Zcash’s privacy, move it into your wallet’s shielded pool; wallets such as Zashi do this with a single “shield” action. From then on, shielded-to-shielded transfers hide the sender, receiver and amount. Sources: - Zcash: what is Zcash?: https://z.cash/learn/what-is-zcash/ - ZecHub: the Zcash community wiki: https://zechub.wiki/ ## Zcash vs Monero: how the two privacy coins differ Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/learn/zcash-vs-monero Intent: zcash vs monero; monero vs zcash; zec vs xmr; which privacy coin Reviewed: 2026-09-28 Zcash and Monero are the two best-known privacy coins, but they protect you in different ways. Zcash uses zero-knowledge proofs and lets you choose between transparent and shielded transactions. Monero hides the sender, receiver and amount of every transaction by default. ### Privacy model Zcash: privacy is opt-in. Transparent (t-address) transactions work like Bitcoin and are fully public; shielded transactions use zk-SNARK proofs to encrypt sender, receiver and amount. Your privacy depends on actually using the shielded pool, ideally shielded-to-shielded. Monero: privacy is mandatory. Ring signatures hide which output is being spent, stealth addresses give every payment a one-time destination, and RingCT hides amounts. There is no transparent mode, so every user blends in with everyone else. ### Supply and consensus Zcash launched in 2016 and has a fixed maximum supply of 21 million ZEC, mined with proof of work in 75-second blocks. Monero launched in 2014 and has no hard cap: since 2022 a permanent tail emission of 0.6 XMR per block keeps miners paid. Blocks arrive about every two minutes and are mined with the CPU-friendly RandomX algorithm. ### Availability Because its privacy is optional and transparent addresses are easy to audit, ZEC remains listed on several large regulated exchanges. Monero has been delisted by a number of major exchanges, including Binance in 2024, so it is mostly traded through instant-exchange services and peer-to-peer. On TorrentSwap, Zcash cross-chain swaps are live today: swap between ZEC and BTC or other supported assets without an account. Private Monero (XMR) swaps are coming soon. ### Which should you use? Choose Monero if you want privacy that does not depend on your own choices and you are comfortable with more limited exchange access. Choose Zcash if you want strong privacy through the shielded pool combined with wider availability and a capped supply. Either way, privacy comes from how you use the coin, not just from holding it. Sources: - Zcash: what is Zcash?: https://z.cash/learn/what-is-zcash/ - Monero: what is Monero?: https://www.getmonero.org/get-started/what-is-monero/ - ZecHub: the Zcash community wiki: https://zechub.wiki/ ## What is a bridge aggregator? Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/learn/what-is-a-bridge-aggregator Intent: bridge aggregator; crypto bridge aggregator; cross-chain aggregator Reviewed: 2026-09-28 A bridge aggregator asks several cross-chain bridges and swap protocols for a price at the same time and shows you the options in one place, so you don’t have to check each bridge yourself. The good ones rank routes by what you actually receive after fees, show how long each route takes, and tell you which protocol will execute it. ### Why aggregators exist Moving value between chains can be done by many protocols — liquidity networks, intent solvers, validator-run AMMs — and their prices differ by a few tenths of a percent from minute to minute. On a $10,000 swap, 0.3% is $30. An aggregator removes the guesswork: one request, every live answer, ranked. ### How routes are ranked Compare the amount received, not the headline rate: the received amount already accounts for network fees, protocol fees and price impact. Then look at time, and at how each protocol holds your deposit while the swap runs. - Amount received after all fees - Estimated completion time - Minimum you receive (or refund) - Who holds the deposit and how ### Deposit-address routes vs wallet-signed routes Some routes give you a one-time deposit address you can pay from any wallet or exchange. Others require connecting a wallet and signing a contract call. Deposit routes are simpler and work from custodial accounts; wallet routes can reach more DEX liquidity. TorrentSwap offers deposit-address routes from NEAR Intents, Chainflip and Flashnet, plus wallet-signed routes from THORChain and Pact Swap when you connect an EVM wallet. ### What to check before using any aggregator Does it name the protocol that will execute your swap? Does it show the minimum you receive and what happens if that isn’t met? Does it require an account? Is the fee included in the quote or added later? Sources: - Ethereum.org: Bridges: https://ethereum.org/bridges/ - NEAR Intents documentation: https://docs.near-intents.org/ - Chainflip documentation: https://docs.chainflip.io/ ## USDT ERC-20 vs TRC-20: what’s the difference? Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/learn/usdt-erc20-vs-trc20 Intent: erc20 vs trc20; usdt erc20 vs trc20; trc20 vs erc20 fees Reviewed: 2026-09-28 ERC-20 and TRC-20 are token standards on two different blockchains. USDT exists on both: ERC-20 USDT on Ethereum and TRC-20 USDT on Tron. They are worth the same, but they are not interchangeable — each can only be sent to an address on its own network. ### Side-by-side ERC-20 (Ethereum): addresses start with 0x and are 42 characters long; you pay gas in ETH; transfers usually confirm within a minute or two; fees rise when Ethereum is busy. TRC-20 (Tron): addresses start with T and are 34 characters long; you pay fees in TRX (or energy); transfers confirm in about a minute; fees are usually lower for plain transfers. ### Which should you use? Use the network the receiving side supports. Exchanges and wallets list which USDT networks they accept for deposits; sending TRC-20 USDT to an ERC-20-only address (or the reverse) can lose the funds. If you need USDT on the other network, swap it: TorrentSwap converts ERC-20 USDT to TRC-20 USDT (and back) in one transfer without an account. ### How to move USDT from ERC-20 to TRC-20 Choose USDT on Ethereum as the asset you send and USDT on Tron as the asset you receive, enter your Tron (T…) address and an Ethereum refund address, then send the exact amount to the one-time deposit address. Sources: - Tether: supported protocols: https://tether.to/en/supported-protocols/ - Ethereum.org: ERC-20 token standard: https://ethereum.org/developers/docs/standards/tokens/erc-20/ - Tron developer docs: TRC-20: https://developers.tron.network/docs/trc20 ## THORSwap & THORChain alternative: compare cross-chain routes, no memo Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/learn/thorswap-alternative Intent: thorswap alternative; thorchain alternative; thorswap vs; bridge btc without thorchain memo Reviewed: 2026-10-21 THORChain is a decentralised cross-chain liquidity network for native assets, and THORSwap is one of the best-known apps built on it. Both are good tools. People look for an alternative when they want to compare THORChain's price against other cross-chain protocols, send from an exchange withdrawal that can't attach a memo, or let an AI agent run the swap. TorrentSwap is a no-account aggregator of cross-chain protocols: NEAR Intents, Chainflip, Flashnet, THORChain and Pact Swap quote your swap side by side, each route is named, and the list is ranked by the amount you receive. Every fee is already included in each quote, and TorrentSwap never holds your funds. ### THORSwap vs TorrentSwap at a glance Both let you swap native coins across chains (real BTC, not a wrapped token) without a centralised exchange account. The differences are in how you pay, which protocols compete for your order, and how the fee is shown. - Protocols: THORSwap routes mainly through THORChain (plus aggregated DEXs); TorrentSwap puts THORChain next to NEAR Intents, Chainflip, Flashnet and Pact Swap and ranks them by what you receive - Deposit: THORChain deposits carry a memo that encodes the swap; on TorrentSwap you either send a plain transfer to a one-time address (any wallet or exchange withdrawal works) or sign a THORChain route in your wallet with the memo built for you - Wallet: THORSwap is built around connecting a wallet; on TorrentSwap connecting a wallet is optional and only needed for wallet-signed routes such as THORChain - Fees: every fee is included in the amount you receive, and the swap box shows the total before you confirm - AI agents: TorrentSwap has a public MCP server and REST API, so Claude, ChatGPT and other agents can quote and create swaps ### Why the memo matters when bridging Bitcoin A THORChain swap is described by a memo inside the deposit transaction: which asset to buy, the destination address and the minimum output. A wallet that supports THORChain adds it for you. Many exchange withdrawals and basic wallets cannot add a memo, and a deposit without the right memo is not executed as the swap you intended. TorrentSwap never asks you to type a memo. Every deposit address it shows takes a plain transfer of the exact amount, which is why you can pay straight from an exchange withdrawal or any Bitcoin wallet. THORChain routes are offered only as wallet-signed transactions from Ethereum, Base, BNB Chain or Avalanche: TorrentSwap builds the memo from a fresh quote and checks the destination and minimum before you sign. ### Fees: what you actually receive Every cross-chain swap pays three kinds of cost: the protocol's swap or liquidity fee, the network fees on both chains, and the app's own fee. Every amount shown on a TorrentSwap quote already includes all three, so the figure under “You receive” is what arrives at your address, before any slippage up to the minimum shown. To compare fairly, enter the same amount on THORSwap and on TorrentSwap and compare the amount received, not the rate or the fee line. ### When THORSwap or THORChain may suit you better THORChain supports assets TorrentSwap does not list, such as XRP and ATOM, and THORSwap can send BTC into THORChain, which TorrentSwap does not offer yet. If your wallet already speaks THORChain and that is your pair, use it. For everything else, TorrentSwap shows THORChain's own quote next to the alternatives, so you can see which pays more. ### Swaps for AI agents (MCP) TorrentSwap publishes an MCP server at torrentswap.com/mcp and a REST API at /api/v1 with no API key. An agent can list assets, compare routes, validate addresses and create a deposit swap, then track it. The agent never touches the user's keys: the user still sends the deposit. Sources: - THORChain developer docs: transaction memos: https://dev.thorchain.org/concepts/memos.html - THORSwap: https://www.thorswap.finance/ - TorrentSwap MCP server: https://torrentswap.com/developers ## ChangeNOW alternative: no account, no KYC tiers, fees shown upfront Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/learn/changenow-alternative Intent: changenow alternative; changenow alternatives; sites like changenow; changenow kyc Reviewed: 2026-10-22 ChangeNOW (changenow.io), run by CHN Group LLC in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines since 2017, is one of the largest instant exchangers: you send coins to its deposit address and it pays out the asset you chose, with its margin built into the rate. It lists over 1,000 assets, including Monero, and sells crypto for fiat through its Pro account. People look for a ChangeNOW alternative mostly for three reasons: its terms require identity verification up front for residents of many large markets, the service is not available in some countries at all, and its fee is not published as a number. TorrentSwap answers those differently, at the cost of a much smaller asset list. ### Who has to verify on ChangeNOW ChangeNOW's terms make KYC mandatory before swapping for residents of a listed set of jurisdictions, naming the EU, the United States, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, the UAE, Australia and Canada. Everyone else swaps without an account, but every order passes an automated risk check, and an order can be put on hold until identity or source-of-funds documents are provided. Verification runs through Sumsub with a three-day link, and the terms say a user who declines receives a refund. Its terms also exclude residents of the United Kingdom, India and Russia, and limit US residents to the account-based ChangeNOW Pro product. ### Fees and mistakes: what each service charges ChangeNOW builds its margin into the quoted rate and does not publish a percentage. Fixed-rate orders must be funded within four minutes. A deposit sent on the wrong network or in an unsupported coin costs a $50 processing fee plus network fees to recover, and refunds can take up to 20 business days. TorrentSwap shows the total fees for your amount in the swap box, and they are already inside the amount you see. There is no separate recovery fee schedule, because TorrentSwap never holds a deposit: the protocol named on the route holds it while it settles and refunds to your refund address if it cannot fill the swap. ### ChangeNOW vs TorrentSwap at a glance The core difference is custody and pricing transparency: one company running the exchange, versus several open protocols competing on each quote. - Account: ChangeNOW optional (required for fiat, and up front for KYC-tier countries); TorrentSwap never - Pricing: ChangeNOW margin in the rate; TorrentSwap shows the total fees on every quote - Who holds the deposit: ChangeNOW itself; on TorrentSwap, the named protocol only while it settles - Assets: ChangeNOW 1,000+ including XMR and fiat; TorrentSwap 39 native assets, no XMR or fiat - Wrong-network recovery: ChangeNOW $50 fee; TorrentSwap shows the exact network and validates both addresses before you send ### When ChangeNOW is the better choice If you need Monero, a long-tail token TorrentSwap does not list, or a card or bank purchase, ChangeNOW covers it and TorrentSwap does not. For native BTC, ETH, SOL, USDT, USDC and the other 39 supported assets, compare the amount you would receive for the same input on both before deciding. - No account at any point: no email, no ID upload, no sign-up flow to fall back on - Every quote names the protocol that executes it (NEAR Intents, Chainflip or Flashnet), ranked by what you receive - All fees already included in the amount shown, with the total displayed before you confirm - 39 assets on 17 networks, native coins only (no wrapped IOUs); no Monero and no fiat - If a protocol cannot meet your minimum, the deposit is refunded to the refund address you entered Sources: - ChangeNOW Terms of Use: https://changenow.io/terms-of-use/changenow-terms - ChangeNOW AML/KYC Policy: https://changenow.io/terms-of-use/aml-kyc - About ChangeNOW: https://changenow.io/about ## FixedFloat (ff.io) alternative: live multi-protocol quotes instead of one exchanger Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/learn/fixedfloat-alternative Intent: fixedfloat alternative; ff.io alternative; fixed float alternative; fixedfloat fees Reviewed: 2026-10-22 FixedFloat (ff.io), operated by FFGX Group LLC in Georgia since 2018, is an instant exchanger known for two things: a published fee schedule (0.5% on floating-rate orders, 1% on fixed-rate orders) and a fixed rate that holds for ten minutes. It supports Monero and Bitcoin over Lightning, which few exchangers do. The usual reasons to look for an alternative are that FixedFloat is a single counterparty that holds your deposit during the order, that it is unavailable to US persons and to users in Georgia and India, and that its February 2024 hack showed what single-operator custody can mean. ### How FixedFloat's fixed rate actually works A fixed-rate order on FixedFloat costs 1% and freezes the rate for ten minutes, but only if the deposit is seen within that window, the exact amount arrives, and the market has not moved more than 1.2% by then. If any condition fails you choose between continuing at the market rate or a refund minus the network fee. Floating orders cost 0.5% and stay open for 30 minutes. TorrentSwap quotes are valid for about two minutes before you confirm; after that, each route carries a protected minimum: if the executing protocol cannot deliver at least that amount, it refunds your deposit instead of filling it at a worse price. ### Custody and the 2024 incident On FixedFloat, your deposit goes to an address the service controls until it pays out. In February 2024 FixedFloat confirmed a security breach; Cointelegraph reported at least $26 million in BTC and ETH drained from the service. TorrentSwap never controls a deposit. Your coins go to the protocol named on your route, and swaps are spread across several independent protocols rather than one operator's wallets. That does not make any route risk-free, but it removes TorrentSwap itself as a custody point. ### Mistakes and recovery fees FixedFloat handles wrong-network or unsupported-coin deposits case by case within 7 to 30 days, charges $10 plus the miner fee for unsupported cases (only above $20), and charges 10% (minimum $10) to recover a deposit sent without a required memo or tag. TorrentSwap only offers routes whose deposit is a plain transfer with no memo, and validates both addresses for the exact network before showing a deposit address. - No account at any point: no email, no ID upload, no sign-up flow to fall back on - Every quote names the protocol that executes it (NEAR Intents, Chainflip or Flashnet), ranked by what you receive - All fees already included in the amount shown, with the total displayed before you confirm - 39 assets on 17 networks, native coins only (no wrapped IOUs); no Monero and no fiat - If a protocol cannot meet your minimum, the deposit is refunded to the refund address you entered ### When FixedFloat may suit you better If you need Monero, Lightning, or a strict ten-minute fixed rate from one exchanger, FixedFloat offers that and TorrentSwap does not. For the native assets both cover, compare the received amount for your size: on larger swaps, competing protocols often beat a single exchanger's float price. Sources: - FixedFloat Terms of Service: https://ff.io/terms-of-service - FixedFloat FAQ: https://ff.io/faq - Cointelegraph: Fixed Float confirms $26M exploit: https://cointelegraph.com/news/fixed-float-confirms-26m-exploit-bitcoin-ether ## SideShift alternative: cross-chain swaps with a published fee and named protocols Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/learn/sideshift-alternative Intent: sideshift alternative; sideshift.ai alternative; sideshift usa; sites like sideshift Reviewed: 2026-10-22 SideShift.ai, run by Paradigm Ltd. and active since 2018, is a no-account, direct-to-wallet exchanger with about 200 coins on 48 networks and long-standing integrations in wallets such as Trezor, Bitcoin.com and Edge. Its XAI token rewards referrals; its staking rewards ended on 3 June 2026. SideShift and TorrentSwap agree on the basics: no account, coins straight to your wallet. They differ on who fills the swap, how the fee is shown, and where the service is available. ### Availability and freezes SideShift's terms say the service is not intended for citizens or residents of the United States, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, or Syria, and it may restrict others. There is no routine identity check, but an automated risk system screens every shift, and the terms allow a transaction to be frozen for as long as a risk investigation takes, without a stated time limit. On TorrentSwap, the protocols that execute routes run their own sanctions screening and can refund a flagged deposit; TorrentSwap itself holds nothing it could freeze. ### How the price is set SideShift includes its fee in the quoted rate and does not publish a flat percentage for end users; partner apps add a commission on top (0.5% by default). Fixed-rate shifts lock for 15 minutes; variable shifts take the rate when the deposit arrives and stay open up to seven days. TorrentSwap shows the total fees in the swap box and asks several protocols for a quote at once, so you see who fills the swap and the exact amount each one pays. ### Where SideShift is stronger SideShift lists far more coins and recovers most deposits sent on the wrong network for free, usually within three days, where it controls the address. If your asset is not among TorrentSwap's 39, SideShift is a reasonable option outside its restricted countries. ### TorrentSwap in one list What you get instead when you swap on TorrentSwap: - No account at any point: no email, no ID upload, no sign-up flow to fall back on - Every quote names the protocol that executes it (NEAR Intents, Chainflip or Flashnet), ranked by what you receive - All fees already included in the amount shown, with the total displayed before you confirm - 39 assets on 17 networks, native coins only (no wrapped IOUs); no Monero and no fiat - If a protocol cannot meet your minimum, the deposit is refunded to the refund address you entered Sources: - SideShift.ai Terms & Conditions: https://sideshift.ai/legal - SideShift developer FAQ: https://docs.sideshift.ai/faq - SideShift XAI white paper: https://sideshift.ai/xai-white-paper ## Changelly alternative: native cross-chain swaps without an account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/learn/changelly-alternative Intent: changelly alternative; changelly alternatives; sites like changelly; changelly kyc Reviewed: 2026-10-22 Changelly (changelly.com), operating since 2015 and run by Marella LLC under English law, is one of the best-known crypto exchangers: over 1,000 assets, a fiat marketplace comparing 15+ payment providers, and integrations with wallets such as Ledger, Tangem and SafePal. In April 2026 it added a separate wallet-connect DeFi swap flow. Changelly publishes a 0.25% fee on floating-rate swaps. The headline fee is only part of the cost, and the reasons people look for an alternative are availability (a long list of excluded countries), holds on flagged swaps, and refund times. ### Fees: 0.25% floating, but read the fixed-rate terms Changelly's floating-rate fee is 0.25% of the output plus the network fee. Fixed-rate swaps use a dynamic fee built into the locked rate with no published percentage; the rate holds for 15 minutes (20 for BTC, XMR, LTC and a few others). Selling crypto for fiat starts at a 3.95% fee. TorrentSwap includes every fee in each route's quote and shows several protocols side by side. A lower headline fee does not always mean more received: the rate each venue gets matters as much, so compare the final amount for the same input. ### Where Changelly is not available Changelly's terms exclude a long list of places, including the United States and its territories, the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Japan, Hong Kong, India and Turkey, alongside sanctioned regions. TorrentSwap has no account system and no country selector; the protocols executing each route apply their own sanctions screening. ### Verification and refunds Changelly says about 99% of swaps need no verification, but swaps its risk scoring flags are held until identity and source-of-funds checks are done, through Sumsub. Floating-rate refunds usually take 1 to 7 business days and some fixed-rate refunds up to 20. On TorrentSwap there is no account to verify. If the executing protocol cannot deliver at least your protected minimum, it refunds the deposit to your refund address automatically. ### When to use Changelly instead Use Changelly if you need fiat on- or off-ramps, Monero, or one of its long-tail tokens. For native BTC, ETH, SOL, stablecoins and the other assets TorrentSwap covers, TorrentSwap gives you live competing quotes without an account. - No account at any point: no email, no ID upload, no sign-up flow to fall back on - Every quote names the protocol that executes it (NEAR Intents, Chainflip or Flashnet), ranked by what you receive - All fees already included in the amount shown, with the total displayed before you confirm - 39 assets on 17 networks, native coins only (no wrapped IOUs); no Monero and no fiat - If a protocol cannot meet your minimum, the deposit is refunded to the refund address you entered Sources: - Changelly Terms of Use: https://changelly.com/terms-of-use - Changelly AML/KYC Policy: https://changelly.com/aml-kyc - Changelly FAQ: fees, exchange rates and limits: https://changelly.com/faq/changelly/fees/ - Changelly launches DeFi swap flow and API: https://changelly.com/blog/changelly-launches-defi-swap-flow-and-api/ ## SimpleSwap alternative: compare live cross-chain routes without an account Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/learn/simpleswap-alternative Intent: simpleswap alternative; simpleswap alternatives; sites like simpleswap; simpleswap frozen funds Reviewed: 2026-10-22 SimpleSwap (simpleswap.io), running since 2018, now describes itself as a multi-source swap aggregator routing across 20+ exchange and DEX liquidity sources. It claims 2,800+ coins including Monero, offers fiat through third-party providers, and runs an account-based loyalty program with 5 to 20% fee discounts. Two things make people look elsewhere: its terms list the US, the UK and every EU member state among places where it may not be available, and recovering funds frozen during a compliance review costs 1% with a $100 minimum. ### Verification and frozen funds SimpleSwap's AML policy lets it require KYC on any transaction based on its own risk assessment, including ID, a live selfie check and source-of-funds documents. A flagged order shows a 'Verifying' status and can be frozen during review; getting frozen funds back requires proof of identity and ownership plus the 1% return fee (minimum $100). Its terms do not name the legal entity that operates the service. TorrentSwap has no account and holds no funds, so it has nothing to freeze. Each route's protocol screens addresses itself and, if it cannot complete a swap, refunds to your refund address. ### Pricing and limits SimpleSwap shows an all-in rate without a separate fee line; its FAQ says the dynamic fee may start from 0.2% for some assets. Fixed rates hold for 20 minutes if the deposit gets one confirmation. Deposits below the minimum are not eligible for refund, and refund requests can take up to 31 days. TorrentSwap shows the total fees in the swap box and tells you each route's minimum and maximum before you send, so an under-minimum deposit is avoidable. ### Both aggregate: what is different SimpleSwap aggregates exchange liquidity behind its own deposit address. TorrentSwap aggregates open cross-chain protocols and tells you which one executes your swap, so the deposit goes to that protocol rather than to an intermediary. - No account at any point: no email, no ID upload, no sign-up flow to fall back on - Every quote names the protocol that executes it (NEAR Intents, Chainflip or Flashnet), ranked by what you receive - All fees already included in the amount shown, with the total displayed before you confirm - 39 assets on 17 networks, native coins only (no wrapped IOUs); no Monero and no fiat - If a protocol cannot meet your minimum, the deposit is refunded to the refund address you entered ### When SimpleSwap may fit better If you need Monero, a fiat purchase, an obscure token from its 2,800+ list, or loyalty discounts for frequent swaps, SimpleSwap offers them. For native assets TorrentSwap supports, compare the received amount for the same input. Sources: - SimpleSwap Terms of Service: https://simpleswap.io/terms-of-service - SimpleSwap AML/KYC Policy: https://simpleswap.io/aml-kyc - SimpleSwap FAQ: https://simpleswap.io/faq # Reviewed editorial updates ## What Is THORChain? How It Works, Fees and Safety Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/blog/what-is-thorchain Published: 2026-10-22 Reviewed: 2026-10-22 Author: TorrentSwap Editorial Team A plain-English guide to THORChain: RUNE, continuous liquidity pools, vaults, memos and streaming swaps, what swaps cost, its incident history through October 2026, and other ways to swap native BTC. THORChain is a Layer-1 blockchain that runs a decentralized exchange for swapping native coins such as BTC, ETH and DOGE across chains, with no wrapping. Liquidity sits in pools paired with its RUNE token, a rotating validator set controls the vaults, and swappers pay a slip-based liquidity fee plus gas on each side. This guide covers how THORChain works, what a swap costs, what has gone wrong, and where things stand as of October 2026. How THORChain works THORChain describes itself as a Layer-1 network built to move value between other blockchains. You swap from your own wallet with no account or identity check, and the protocol only holds inbound coins for as long as the swap takes. Its documentation lists Bitcoin, Ethereum, BNB Smart Chain, XRP Ledger, Solana, Tron, Zcash, Dogecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Avalanche, Base and Cosmos Hub as connected chains, and it notes that individual chains are sometimes paused. RUNE: the asset in the middle RUNE has four jobs in the system: Settlement. Swaps settle through RUNE, and every pool pairs an external asset with RUNE. A BTC-to-ETH trade therefore moves through two pools. Security. Node operators bond RUNE to join the validator set, and the bond is at risk if they misbehave. Liquidity. Liquidity providers deposit RUNE next to the paired asset. Governance. Active node operators vote on network parameters through a mechanism called Mimir. Continuous liquidity pools and the slip-based fee THORChain has no order book. Trades execute against Continuous Liquidity Pools (CLPs), and each pool holds a RUNE balance and an asset balance. The output starts from a constant-product curve, and then a fee scaled to the trade's own slip is taken out. Slip is the input amount divided by the input amount plus the pool's depth on that side. Small trades in deep pools pay very little, while large trades in shallow pools pay a lot. The docs give the reasoning: fees rise when demand on a pool rises and fall toward zero when it fades. That keeps pools solvent and gives arbitrageurs a reason to pull prices back toward the wider market. Governance can also set minimum fee floors, in basis points, for different asset classes, so tiny trades never pay literally nothing. Vaults, Bifrost and threshold signatures Bitcoin has no smart contracts, so THORChain doesn't rely on them there. Every node runs a service called Bifrost that watches the connected chains for deposits to the network's vaults. Nodes need 67% agreement on what they observed before the network acts on it. Outbound payments are signed with a threshold signature scheme (TSS): a supermajority of the nodes in a vault must cooperate, and no single operator holds a full private key. Vaults are split into shards of about 20 nodes by default, and funds migrate to new vaults as the validator set rotates, a process called churning. Memos: how a swap is instructed Your instructions travel as a memo attached to the deposit transaction. The swap format is SWAP:ASSET:DESTADDR:LIM/INTERVAL/QUANTITY:AFFILIATE:FEE , usually shortened with = or s . The limit field sets the minimum output you'll accept. If the network can't meet it, the deposit is refunded. An optional refund address can follow the destination. On Bitcoin the memo sits in an OP_RETURN output, which is capped at 80 bytes, so interfaces shorten memos as much as they can. Because the memo carries your destination and your price protection, it has to be exact. Front-ends generate it for you. Streaming swaps A slip-based fee makes big trades expensive, so THORChain can split them up. A streaming swap breaks one order into sub-swaps spaced a set number of blocks apart, which lets arbitrageurs rebalance the pool between pieces. The interval and quantity go in the memo, and a quantity of 0 lets the network choose. A stream can't run longer than 24 hours (14,400 blocks). The newer swap queue streams ordinary swaps by default with tuned parameters, and /1/1 forces a single execution. The cost is time: a large streamed swap takes far longer than a single-block trade. THORChain swap fees A THORChain swap has no single headline percentage. The developer docs list these components: Fee Where it comes from How it's calculated Inbound network fee Source chain The normal gas or miner fee on your deposit transaction Liquidity (slip) fee THORChain pools Slip multiplied by the swap amount, with governance-set minimum floors Affiliate fee The interface you use Basis points written into the memo by the front-end Outbound fee Destination chain Destination gas multiplied by a dynamic factor between 1x and 3x Native transaction fee THORChain itself 0.02 RUNE for transactions that start on THORChain Refunds aren't free, because the network deducts an outbound fee when it sends coins back. And the docs recommend a minimum swap size of of at least four times the largest of the source-chain outbound fee, the destination outbound fee and $1, because a swap whose fees approach the input will probably be refunded. Fee policy is still changing. THORChain's Q2 2026 quarterly report says a dynamic fee model (ADR-026) shipped in v3.18 in May 2026. It's off by default and is being turned on for whitelisted partners. Go by the quote you're shown, not a fee table. THORChain's incident history Any honest safety answer starts with the record: When Incident What happened Outcome July 2021 Ethereum router exploits Several attacks within about a week abused the way Bifrost read Ethereum router events. THORChain's post-mortem put the resulting insolvency at roughly $16M. The treasury covered liquidity providers' losses. Audits by Trail of Bits and Halborn followed. January 2025 THORFi lending and savers halted An admin key paused Lending and Savers on January 9, and node operators reversed it the same day. Nodes then voted to pause both on January 24, with about $200M owed to users. The debt was converted into TCY: 1 TCY per $1 owed, with 10% of network revenue paid to TCY stakers. February 2025 Byb Sources: - THORChain Docs: What is THORChain, RUNE, and TCY?: https://docs.thorchain.org/what-is-thorchain-and-rune.md - THORChain Docs: Continuous Liquidity Pools: https://docs.thorchain.org/technical-documentation/thorchain-finance/continuous-liquidity-pools.md - THORChain Docs: Bifrost, TSS and Vaults: https://docs.thorchain.org/technical-documentation/technology/bifrost-tss-and-vaults.md - THORChain Dev Docs: Transaction Memos: https://dev.thorchain.org/concepts/memos.html - THORChain Dev Docs: Streaming Swaps: https://dev.thorchain.org/swap-guide/streaming-swaps.html - THORChain Dev Docs: Fees: https://dev.thorchain.org/concepts/fees.html - THORChain: Post-mortem, ETH Router Exploits 1 & 2 and Premature Return to Trading: https://blog.thorchain.org/post-mortem-eth-router-exploits-1-2-and-premature-return-to-trading-incident - CryptoSlate: ThorChain suffers $8m hack, its second in a week (July 2021): https://cryptoslate.com/defi-darling-thorchain-rune-suffers-8m-hack-its-second-in-a-week/ - THORChain: THORFi Unwind: https://blog.thorchain.org/thorfi-unwind - Cointelegraph: THORChain $5.4B volume after Bybit hack: https://cointelegraph.com/news/thorchain-5m-fees-5-4-b-volume-bybit-hack - THORChain: Exploit Report #1 (May 2026): https://blog.thorchain.org/thorchain-exploit-report-1 - THORChain: Quarterly Report Q2 2026: https://blog.thorchain.org/thorchain-quarterly-report-q2-2026 - CoinCentral: THORChain resumes swaps after $10.7M exploit: https://coincentral.com/thorchain-resumes-swaps-as-security-upgrades-fix-10-7m-exploit/ - Crypto Briefing: THORChain targets Rujira restart with v3.21: https://cryptobriefing.com/thorchain-v321-upgrade-rujira-restart/ - Cryptopolitan: 18 THORChain node operators lose 140 RUNE to ZEC bug: https://www.cryptopolitan.com/thorchain-operators-lose-140-rune-zec-bug/ - Chainflip: What is Chainflip? Complete guide: https://chainflip.io/blog/what-is-chainflip-complete-guide - Chainflip Docs: Chains & Assets: https://docs.chainflip.io/protocol/supported-chains-assets/chains-assets - NEAR Intents Docs: What are intents?: https://docs.near-intents.org/getting-started/what-are-intents - NEAR Intents Docs: Verifier Contract: https://docs.near-intents.org/integration/verifier-contract/introduction - NEAR Intents 1Click API: supported tokens: https://1click.chaindefuser.com/v0/tokens ## How to Let an AI Agent Swap Crypto (MCP Setup) Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/blog/ai-agent-crypto-swap-mcp Published: 2026-10-22 Reviewed: 2026-10-22 Author: TorrentSwap Editorial Team A practical setup guide for connecting Claude, Claude Code, ChatGPT or Cursor to a crypto swap MCP server, with example prompts, tool calls and the guardrails that keep your keys out of the agent's hands. To let an AI agent swap crypto safely, connect it to a swap MCP server such as https://torrentswap.com/mcp . The agent can list assets, compare quotes, check addresses and create a one-time deposit address, but it never holds your keys. You approve the route and send the deposit from your own wallet. This guide shows the real setup for Claude, Claude Code, ChatGPT and Cursor, the exact tools the agent gets, example prompts with the calls they trigger, and the guardrails that keep an AI agent crypto workflow from turning into an expensive mistake. If you would rather skip MCP entirely, the last sections cover the plain REST alternative. What MCP is, and what a crypto AI agent can actually do with it The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is an open standard for connecting AI applications to outside tools and data. Anthropic published it in November 2024, and it is now supported by Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, VS Code and many other clients. An MCP server advertises a list of tools; the assistant decides when to call them and shows you the results. For crypto, that matters because the assistant can stop guessing. Instead of quoting a price from training data, it asks a live service. With the TorrentSwap server, the agent works with real routes from NEAR Intents, Chainflip and Flashnet across 39 assets on 17 networks, ranked by the amount you receive. Every quoted amount already includes all fees, including network and protocol fees. There is no account and no API key. Just as important is what the agent cannot do. It cannot sign transactions, move funds or see a private key. The last step, sending the deposit, always happens in your wallet. That design is the main reason "ai agent crypto trading" through a deposit-address swap is safer than handing a bot a hot wallet. The five tools your agent gets Tool What it does Changes anything? list_assets Returns every swappable asset with the id used in quotes (for example bitcoin-btc , ethereum-eth , tron-usdt ), plus ticker, network and decimals. Optional query and network filters. No (read-only) get_quote Live routes for a pair and amount, best first. Each route names the protocol and gives expectedReceive , minimumReceived , estimated time and a quoteToken . No (read-only) validate_address Checks an address, including its checksum, against the network of a given asset and returns the canonical form. No (read-only) create_swap Turns a quoteToken plus destination and refund addresses into a one-time depositAddress , the exact amount to send, expiresAt and a swapId . Repeating the call with the same inputs returns the same address. Creates a swap order; no funds move until you pay get_swap_status Follows a swap from awaiting_deposit through confirming , exchanging and sending to completed , or to refunded or expired . No (read-only) The server also ships instructions that tell the model the intended order: list assets, quote, show the route, ask the user for both addresses, create the swap only after confirmation, and never ask for a seed phrase. Setup: Claude on the web and Claude Desktop In Claude, remote MCP servers are added as custom connectors. According to Anthropic's help center, custom connectors are available on Free, Pro, Max, Team and Enterprise plans, with Free accounts limited to one. On a personal plan: Open Customize > Connectors . Click + Add , then Add custom connector . Name it TorrentSwap and paste https://torrentswap.com/mcp as the server URL, then continue. Under Authentication choose No sign in (the server needs no OAuth), then click Add . In a chat, open the + menu, choose Connectors and switch TorrentSwap on for that conversation. On Team and Enterprise plans an owner adds the connector once under Organization settings > Connectors , and members then connect it from their own connector list. Note that Claude Desktop uses this same connector flow for remote servers; Anthropic says it will not connect to remote servers written directly into claude_desktop_config.json . Setup: Claude Code Claude Code adds remote servers from the terminal. One command is enough: claude mcp add --transport http torrentswap https://torrentswap.com/mcp The default scope is local to the current project. Add --scope user to make the server available in every project, or --scope project to write it to a shared .mcp.json that teammates approve on first use. Run claude mcp list in your shell, or /mcp inside a session, to confirm it shows as connected. Setup: ChatGPT (MCP app or custom GPT action) ChatGPT offers two routes. Option 1: a developer-mode MCP app Go to Settings > Apps & Connectors > Advanced settings and enable Developer mode . In workspaces, an admin may need to enable it first. Click Create , give the app a name, enter https://torrentswap.com/mcp as the MCP server URL and choose no authentication. Confirm the warning about unverified connectors and enable the app in a chat. Which plans can use developer mode, and whether write actions are allowed, has changed several times and differs between personal and business plans, so check OpenAI's current help article for your account. OpenAI's developer docs state that ChatGPT requires manual confirmation before write actions run, which is exactly what you want for create_swap . Option 2: a custom GPT with Actions If you build GPTs, open the GPT editor, go to Configure > Actions , choose Import from URL and enter https://torrentswap.com/openapi.json . Set authentication to none. The OpenAPI 3.1 spec exposes four operations: listAssets , getQuote , createSwap and getSwapStatus . The create operation is flagged with x-openai-isConsequential: true , which per OpenAI's actions documentation means ChatGPT must ask for confirmation every time and hides the "always allow" option. Setup: Cursor and other MCP clients Cursor reads MCP servers from .cursor/mcp.json in a project or ~/.cursor/mcp.json for all projects. Remote servers use a url field: { "mcpServers": { "torrentswap": { "url": "https://torrentswap.com/mc Sources: - Introducing the Model Context Protocol (Anthropic): https://www.anthropic.com/news/model-context-protocol - What is the Model Context Protocol? (modelcontextprotocol.io): https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/getting-started/intro - Getting started with custom connectors using remote MCP (Claude Help Center): https://support.claude.com/en/articles/11175166-getting-started-with-custom-connectors-using-remote-mcp - Connect Claude Code to tools via MCP (Claude Code docs): https://code.claude.com/docs/en/mcp - Developer mode and MCP apps in ChatGPT (OpenAI Help Center): https://help.openai.com/en/articles/12584461-developer-mode-and-mcp-apps-in-chatgpt - Building MCP servers for ChatGPT and API integrations (OpenAI): https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/mcp - Configuring actions in GPTs (OpenAI Help Center): https://help.openai.com/en/articles/9442513-configuring-actions-in-gpts - GPT Actions in production: consequential flag (OpenAI): https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/actions/production - Model Context Protocol in Cursor (Cursor docs): https://cursor.com/docs/context/mcp - TorrentSwap API and MCP server: https://torrentswap.com/developers - TorrentSwap OpenAPI specification: https://torrentswap.com/openapi.json ## No-KYC Crypto Wallets: Self-Custody Picks by Chain Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/blog/no-kyc-crypto-wallets Published: 2026-10-22 Reviewed: 2026-10-22 Author: TorrentSwap Editorial Team A neutral guide to self-custody wallets for Bitcoin, EVM chains, Solana, Tron and Zcash, how built-in swaps compare with external swaps, address and refund-address hygiene, and why private is not anonymous. A no-KYC crypto wallet is simply a self-custody wallet. You generate the keys on your own device, and nobody asks for ID to create one. There are solid options for every major chain, from Sparrow and Electrum for bitcoin to Zodl for Zcash. Self-custody skips identity checks, but on-chain activity is still traceable. This guide lists widely used self-custody wallets chain by chain, explains how built-in wallet swaps differ from external swap services, covers the address habits that prevent most costly mistakes, and explains why "private" and "anonymous" are not the same thing. It is not a list of exchanges, and inclusion here is not an endorsement. What "no-KYC wallet" actually means Know-your-customer (KYC) checks are imposed on service providers, not on software. Under the Financial Action Task Force's guidance, virtual asset service providers such as exchanges and custodians must run customer due diligence and pass sender and recipient information between each other (the "travel rule"). Peer-to-peer transfers between self-hosted wallets aren't explicitly covered by those controls. So a wallet that stores keys on your device has no one to verify. The identity checks happen at the edges, when you buy crypto with fiat or deposit to an exchange. FATF guidance also asks regulated providers to collect information from their own customers about the self-hosted wallets they send to, and to use blockchain analytics to judge those wallets' risk. Self-custody wallets by chain The table below covers wallets that are widely used on each network. Download only from the official site or app store listing, and check the publisher's name. Chain Wallet Form Worth knowing Bitcoin Sparrow Multi-platform app Detailed coin control, hardware-wallet support (USB and air-gapped), built-in Tor, can connect to your own node Bitcoin Electrum Desktop and Android Around since November 2011, MIT-licensed, multisig, hardware wallets through plugins, can use your own server Ethereum and EVM chains MetaMask Browser extension and mobile Built-in swaps carry a 0.875% MetaMask fee Ethereum and EVM chains Rabby Browser extension Open-source, multi-chain wallet built for DeFi Solana Phantom Extension and mobile 0.85% fee on most in-app swaps, plus network fees Solana Solflare Extension, mobile, desktop, web Solana-focused, with staking and its own hardware signer Tron TronLink Extension and mobile Keys stored locally. Supports TRX and TRC-10/20/721 tokens, and the extension also covers Ethereum, BSC and BTTC. Zcash Zodl (formerly Zashi) Mobile Shielded-first, with swaps into ZEC through NEAR Intents Whatever wallet you consider, a few questions sort the good options from the risky ones: Who generates and stores the keys? In self-custody, the seed phrase is created on your device and never leaves it. If a provider can reset your access, it holds your keys. Is the code public? Open-source wallets can be inspected by independent reviewers. Closed-source ones ask you to trust the publisher. Can you leave? A standard seed phrase that restores in other wallets means you aren't locked in. Does it support a hardware signer? For anything you can't afford to lose, keeping the keys on a separate device limits the damage from malware on your computer or phone. Bitcoin Bitcoin wallets differ most in coin control, meaning the ability to choose which coins (UTXOs) a transaction spends and to label them. Sparrow's site highlights full coin and fee control, labeling, Tor, and connection options that include your own Bitcoin Core node or a private Electrum server. Electrum is the older, lighter option: open source, multisig-capable, and able to connect to a self-hosted ElectrumX server. Either one pairs well with a hardware wallet for larger amounts. EVM chains One EVM wallet covers Ethereum, its layer 2s and other compatible chains, because they share the same address format. The difference between MetaMask and Rabby is mostly in interface and defaults. Rabby describes itself as an open-source browser plugin for the DeFi ecosystem. Solana Phantom and Solflare both started on Solana. Phantom's help center lists a 0.85% Phantom fee on most swaps, with free stablecoin swaps into its Cash account. Solflare offers an extension, mobile app, desktop app and web wallet, plus its own tap-to-sign hardware device. Tron TronLink provides self-custody with locally stored keys, on both browser extension and mobile. It handles TRX, TRC-10, TRC-20 and TRC-721 tokens, along with Tron's resource staking and voting. Zcash Zcash is the chain on this list where wallet choice matters most for privacy. Zcash has transparent addresses, which work like Bitcoin's, and shielded addresses, which hide transaction details. The Zashi wallet was renamed Zodl after its developers left the Electric Coin Company in January 2026 and formed the Zcash Open Development Lab. The team said existing users need no new app, seed phrase or transfer. Zodl's swap feature takes deposits on other chains through NEAR Intents and delivers ZEC to a fresh shielded address in the wallet. Our guide on how to buy Zcash walks through the options. Built-in swaps vs external swaps Most modern wallets include a swap button. It's convenient, but it isn't the only way to trade, and usually not the cheapest. Built-in wallet swap External cross-chain swap Typical fee 0.875% (MetaMask), 0.85% on most Phantom swaps Varies by provider. TorrentSwap includes every fee in the quote. Coverage Chains the wallet supports Can move between unrelated chains, such as BTC to SOL or USDT on Tron to ZEC Flow Sign inside the wallet Send to a deposit address and receive at any address you choose Best for Small same-chain trades where convenience matters Native cross-chain moves and comparing prices Whichever you use, compare the amount you'll actually receive, after all fees and price impact, rather than the advertised fee. Address and refund-address hygiene Self-custody means nobody can reverse your mistakes. These habi Sources: - FATF: Updated Guidance for a Risk-Based Approach to Virtual Assets and VASPs (2021): https://www.fatf-gafi.org/en/publications/Fatfrecommendations/Guidance-rba-virtual-assets-2021.html - FATF: June 2024 Targeted Update on Virtual Assets and VASPs: https://www.fatf-gafi.org/content/dam/fatf-gafi/recommendations/2024-Targeted-Update-VA-VASP.pdf.coredownload.inline.pdf - Sparrow Wallet: https://sparrowwallet.com/ - Electrum Bitcoin Wallet: https://electrum.org/ - MetaMask Support: User Guide, Swaps: https://support.metamask.io/trade/swap/user-guide-swaps/ - Rabby Wallet on GitHub: https://github.com/RabbyHub/Rabby - Phantom Help Center: Swap crypto in Phantom: https://help.phantom.com/hc/en-us/articles/5985106844435-Swap-crypto-in-Phantom - Solflare: https://www.solflare.com/ - TronLink: https://www.tronlink.org/ - ForkLog: Zcash developers establish new entity and rebrand wallet: https://forklog.com/en/zcash-developers-establish-new-entity-and-rebrand-wallet/ - Zodl Support: Swapping into ZEC: https://support.zodl.com/article/26-swapping-into-zec - Zcash: Shielded vs transparent Zcash: https://z.cash/learn/what-is-the-difference-between-shielded-and-transparent-zcash/ - Unchained: Zcash builder proposes per-swap viewing keys: https://unchainedcrypto.com/zcash-builder-zakura-proposes-per-swap-viewing-keys-to-close-a-quantum-privacy-gap - BleepingComputer: MetaMask warns of new address poisoning scam: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/metamask-warns-of-new-address-poisoning-cryptocurrency-scam/ - Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System (Section 10, Privacy): https://bitcoin.org/bitcoin.pdf - MetaMask: Download: https://metamask.io/download - Phantom: Download: https://phantom.com/download ## cbBTC vs WBTC vs tBTC: Which Wrapped Bitcoin? Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/blog/cbbtc-vs-wbtc-vs-tbtc Published: 2026-10-22 Reviewed: 2026-10-22 Author: TorrentSwap Editorial Team How cbBTC, WBTC and tBTC differ on custody, minting and redemption, chains, reserve transparency and DeFi support, including the 2024 WBTC custody change, and when to hold native BTC instead. cbBTC, WBTC and tBTC are all tokens backed 1:1 by bitcoin. What separates them is who holds the BTC. Coinbase holds cbBTC's reserves. WBTC sits with BitGo under a joint venture with BiT Global. tBTC is controlled by 100 node operators, any 51 of whom must sign. If you don't need DeFi, native BTC avoids all three risks. Wrapped bitcoin exists because Bitcoin can't run Ethereum-style smart contracts. To use BTC as collateral, liquidity or a trading pair on Ethereum, Base or Solana, someone has to lock real bitcoin and issue a token that represents it. The way that "someone" is set up decides what you're trusting. Here's how the three main options compare as of October 2026. cbBTC vs WBTC vs tBTC at a glance WBTC cbBTC tBTC Launched January 2019 September 2024 Current version January 2023 Who holds the BTC BitGo, via a joint venture with BiT Global (since 2024) Coinbase A rotating group of 100 node operators using threshold signatures Signing model Custodian multisig in cold storage Custodian 51 of 100 signers must agree Who can mint and redeem directly KYC-verified merchants approved through DAO governance Coinbase customers in supported regions Anyone, through the Threshold app Published direct fee None listed on wbtc.network 1:1 conversion through a Coinbase account 0.2% to mint, 0.2% to redeem Main chains Ethereum, Solana, Tron, BNB Chain, Base and others Ethereum, Base, Solana Ethereum, plus bridged versions on Arbitrum, Base, Optimism, Polygon, Solana, Starknet and Sui Reserve transparency On-chain proof of reserves, with Chainlink Proof of Reserve Chainlink Proof of Reserve (on Base, per Chainlink) BTC held in Bitcoin wallets controlled by the signer group WBTC: the incumbent, and the 2024 custody change Wrapped Bitcoin went live on Ethereum on January 31, 2019, as a joint project of BitGo, Kyber Network and Republic Protocol (later Ren), with BitGo as custodian. The design is simple. Approved merchants send BTC to the custodian and receive WBTC, or burn WBTC to get BTC back. WBTC's site says only identity-verified institutions approved through DAO governance can mint and burn, and it lists merchants including Galaxy, Amber Group, BitGo, Wintermute, CoinList and Cobo. Everyone else gets WBTC on the market. On August 9, 2024, BitGo announced it would move its WBTC business into a joint venture with BiT Global, a Hong Kong-registered trust company. The custody of the backing BTC would spread across several jurisdictions, including Hong Kong and Singapore, after a 60-day transition. BitGo said it would hold a minority stake and that the same multisig and cold-storage technology would remain in place. BiT Global's ties to Justin Sun drew criticism. Aave's risk contributors debated the change in governance: Chaos Labs called an immediate risk-off move premature, and LlamaRisk sought legal clarification on the new structure. On November 19, 2024, Coinbase announced it would suspend WBTC trading on December 19, saying the token no longer met its listing standards. It didn't say which standards. BiT Global later sued Coinbase over the delisting. WBTC's site still describes each token as backed 1:1 and verifiable through on-chain proof of reserves. The episode showed that a custodial wrapper's risk includes who runs the custodian. cbBTC: Coinbase's wrapper Coinbase launched Coinbase Wrapped BTC (cbBTC) on September 12, 2024, as an ERC-20 on Ethereum and Base, backed 1:1 by bitcoin Coinbase holds. It doesn't have a separate trading pair on the exchange. Instead, Coinbase customers in supported regions send BTC from their account to a Base or Ethereum address and receive cbBTC 1:1. Sending cbBTC back to a Coinbase account converts it to BTC. On-chain, anyone can hold and transfer it. cbBTC launched on Solana as an SPL token on November 7, 2024. At launch, DeFi integrations included Aave, Compound and Morpho for lending and Aerodrome and Curve for trading. Transparency was the early criticism. DefiLlama's developer said cbBTC fell below the standard set by other wrappers, and Coinbase said proof of reserves was on its roadmap. In April 2025, Chainlink listed cbBTC on Base among assets that use Chainlink Proof of Reserve. The trade-off is plain: cbBTC's risk is concentrated in one large, regulated company, and direct redemption goes through a Coinbase account. tBTC: the threshold-signer approach tBTC, from the Threshold Network, replaces the custodian with cryptography and a set of operators. Threshold says deposited bitcoin is controlled by 100 node operators and that any 51 of them can jointly authorize a transaction. No single operator or small group holds a full private key, and the signer set is chosen by stake and rotated over time. The current version launched on January 31, 2023, initially using "optimistic minting." A permissioned group of Minters watched for BTC deposits, and Guardians could cancel suspicious mints. Threshold now describes minting and redemption as permissionless through its app. Its docs list a 0.2% fee for each. The mint fee was waived for a while and reinstated on April 15, 2026, by governance, and staking T can partly or fully offset these fees. tBTC is native to Ethereum and reaches other chains through bridges such as Portal and StarkGate, so its versions on Solana or Starknet add that bridge's risk on top. Its security rests on an honest majority of signers rather than one company. Redemption: getting back to real BTC A wrapper is only as good as the exit. Here's what redeeming each one involves: Direct redemption Everyone else WBTC Approved merchants burn WBTC and receive BTC from the custodian Sell WBTC on a DEX, or swap it cross-chain for native BTC cbBTC Send cbBTC to your Coinbase account, where it converts to BTC Sell on a DEX, or swap cross-chain tBTC Redeem through the Threshold app to a Bitcoin address (0.2% fee) Same permissionless path, or sell on a DEX If you can't redeem directly, the price you get depends on DEX liquidity and on whether the market t Sources: - BitGo: WBTC brings Bitcoin to Ethereum: https://www.bitgo.com/newsroom/press-releases/wbtc-brings-bitcoin-to-ethereum - WBTC press release, January 2019 (launch): https://www.btc-echo.de/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/WBTC_Press_Release_Jan_2019.pdf - WBTC Network: https://wbtc.network/ - BitGo: BitGo to move WBTC to multi-jurisdictional custody: https://bitgo.com/resources/blog/bitgo-to-move-wbtc-to-multi-jurisdictional-custody-to-accelerate-global/ - Aave Governance: Chaos Labs, wBTC BitGo custody update: https://governance.aave.com/t/chaos-labs-wbtc-bitgo-custody-update/18607 - ForkLog: BitGo partners with Justin Sun and TRON to expand WBTC custody: https://forklog.com/en/bitgo-partners-with-justin-sun-and-tron-to-expand-wbtc-custody/ - Cointelegraph: Coinbase to delist WBTC: https://cointelegraph.com/news/coinbase-delist-wbtc - Decrypt: BiT Global sues Coinbase over wrapped bitcoin delisting: https://decrypt.co/296540/bit-global-sues-coinbase-delisting-wrapped-bitcoin - The Block: Coinbase rolls out cbBTC on Ethereum and Base: https://www.theblock.co/post/316104/coinbase-wrapped-bitcoin-cbbtc-ethereum-base - Cointelegraph: Coinbase wrapped bitcoin launches on Solana: https://cointelegraph.com/news/coinbase-wrapped-bitcoin-launches-on-solana - Cointelegraph: Coinbase plans proof of reserves for cbBTC: https://cointelegraph.com/news/coinbase-proof-of-reserves-bitcoin-wrapper-cb-btc - Chainlink: How Chainlink is the largest provider of onchain Proof of Reserves (Apr 2025): https://chain.link/blog/largest-proof-of-reserve-provider - Threshold Network: What is a wrapped bitcoin? How Threshold brings bitcoin onchain: https://threshold.network/blog/what-is-a-wrapped-bitcoin-how-threshold-network-brings-bitcoin-onchain - Threshold Docs: tBTC v2: https://docs.threshold.network/applications/tbtc-v2 - Threshold: tBTC launches minting (Jan 31, 2023): https://blog.threshold.network/thresholds-tbtc-launches-minting-for-only-decentralized-permissionless-scalable-btc-bridge-to-defi ## Chain Abstraction Explained: Intents and Solvers Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/blog/chain-abstraction-explained Published: 2026-10-22 Reviewed: 2026-10-22 Author: TorrentSwap Editorial Team What chain abstraction actually means, how intents and solvers differ from lock-and-mint bridges, what you trust when a solver fills your order, and where the approach still falls short in 2026. Chain abstraction is the idea that you shouldn't need to know, or care, which blockchain your assets are on. You don't bridge, switch networks and buy gas tokens by hand. You state the outcome you want, and infrastructure handles the routing. Today it mostly runs on intents and solvers, plus smart accounts that unify balances. The term gets stretched to cover almost anything multichain, so this guide sticks to the mechanics: what the main building blocks are, how intents differ from traditional bridges, what you're trusting when a solver fills your order, and where the approach still falls short. What chain abstraction means NEAR's developer documentation defines chain abstraction as a set of technologies that let applications work across many blockchains while hiding each chain's complexity from both developers and end users. In practice, that complexity shows up as friction most crypto users know well: Separate balances on each network, even for the same asset. A different gas token on every chain, so you can't move USDC on a new network until you've bought some of its native coin. Multi-step bridging, with approvals, waiting periods and wrapped tokens that may not be the version a given app accepts. Different address formats and wallets for Bitcoin, EVM chains, Solana and others. Chain abstraction tries to collapse those steps into one action. It isn't a single protocol. Several independent components each hide one part of the problem. The building blocks Component What it hides Examples Intents and solvers Route selection, liquidity sourcing, execution steps NEAR Intents, Across, UniswapX Unified smart accounts Per-chain balances and gas tokens Particle Network Universal Accounts Multichain signing Separate keys and wallets per chain NEAR Chain Signatures Shared standards Custom integrations for every solver and protocol ERC-7683 (draft) Intents are signed statements of what you want, not how to get it, for example "I have 1 ETH on Ethereum and want USDC on Arbitrum at this address." Solvers , also called market makers, fillers or relayers depending on the protocol, compete to deliver that result. Unified accounts attack the balance problem. Particle Network describes its Universal Accounts as smart-contract accounts built on ERC-4337 that present one account and one balance across chains. Transactions draw on your combined balance, and assets are bridged automatically when needed. Its docs also describe paying gas with whichever supported token you hold, and an EIP-7702 mode that lets an existing externally owned account use the system without moving funds. Multichain signing lets one account control addresses elsewhere. NEAR's Chain Signatures allow NEAR accounts and smart contracts to sign transactions for other chains, including Bitcoin, Ethereum and Solana. Intents vs bridges A classic lock-and-mint bridge locks your asset in a contract or multisig on the source chain, and a representation is minted on the destination. That pool of locked collateral is the weak point. In August 2022, Chainalysis estimated that about $2 billion had been stolen across 13 cross-chain bridge hacks that year, 69% of all funds stolen in 2022 up to then. The Ronin bridge alone lost roughly $625 million in March 2022 after an attacker gained control of five of its nine validators. Intent-based systems change who carries the risk. Instead of minting a claim, a solver delivers the real asset on the destination chain from its own inventory, then gets repaid from your deposit on the source chain later. Across is a clear example. Its docs describe relayers who fill your deposit on the destination chain with their own tokens. Off-chain dataworkers bundle those fills and propose them at least every 1.5 hours or so. Each bundle goes through UMA's optimistic oracle: the proposer posts a bond, anyone can dispute during a challenge window, and disputes go to a vote of UMA token holders. Across says the system needs only a single honest party willing to dispute an invalid proposal. NEAR Intents settles differently. Your intent goes out as a quote request, market makers bid, and an approved quote is executed atomically by the Verifier contract on NEAR ( intents.near ). Either the swap completes or you're refunded. Balances inside the contract are tracked in an on-chain ledger, and withdrawals to external chains go through token bridges. Lock-and-mint bridge Intent-based swap What you receive A wrapped or minted representation Usually the destination chain's real asset Who fronts liquidity The bridge's locked collateral A solver's own inventory Main risk Compromise of the locked pool or its signers Settlement contract, oracle or bridge bugs; solver no-shows Speed driver Source-chain finality plus message relay How quickly a solver is willing to fill Pricing Protocol fee plus gas Competitive quotes from solvers Solvers: what you're actually trusting Solvers are professional market makers. They hold inventory across chains, quote prices, and absorb finality risk. If the source chain reorganizes after they've paid you, that's their problem, which is why they price it into the quote. For the user, the trust picture usually looks like this: The settlement layer has to be correct. Whether it's NEAR's Verifier contract or Across's spoke pools and hub pool, a bug there affects everyone using it. Dispute or oracle systems have to work. Optimistic designs assume someone is watching and willing to challenge a bad proposal. Bridges haven't disappeared. In NEAR Intents, withdrawals to external chains still rely on token bridges. In Particle's model, assets are bridged automatically behind the scenes. Someone has to show up. If no solver takes your order, you wait for a refund or a slower fallback. Across, for example, can use liquidity provider capital for "slow fills" when no relayer acts. Solver infrastructure can also fail on its own. In October 2025, the Bitcoin swap protocol Garden Finance lost about $11 million after one of Sources: - NEAR Docs: What is Chain Abstraction?: https://docs.near.org/chain-abstraction/what-is - NEAR Intents Docs: What are intents?: https://docs.near-intents.org/getting-started/what-are-intents - NEAR Intents Docs: Verifier Contract: https://docs.near-intents.org/integration/verifier-contract/introduction - Across Docs: Actors in the System: https://docs.across.to/introduction/actors - Particle Network Docs: Universal Accounts: https://developers.particle.network/intro/universal-accounts - EIP-7683: Cross Chain Intents: https://eips.ethereum.org/EIPS/eip-7683 - The Block: Uniswap Labs and Across Protocol introduce ERC-7683: https://www.theblock.co/post/295453/uniswaps-labs-across-protocol-erc-7683-cross-chain-intents - Chainalysis: Cross-chain bridge hacks emerge as top security risk (Aug 2022): https://www.chainalysis.com/blog/cross-chain-bridge-hacks-2022/ - ForkLog: Ronin sidechain hacked, attacker siphons $625 million: https://forklog.com/en/ronin-the-ethereum-sidechain-hacked-attacker-siphons-625-million/ - The Register: Attackers dig up $11M in Garden Finance solver exploit: https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/31/attackers_dig_up_11m_in - Cointelegraph: Garden Finance takes app offline after $450K HTLC exploit: https://cointelegraph.com/news/garden-finance-app-offline-450k-htlc-exploit - Zodl Support: Swapping into ZEC: https://support.zodl.com/article/26-swapping-into-zec ## Atomic Swaps Explained: HTLCs vs Cross-Chain Swaps Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/blog/atomic-swaps-explained Published: 2026-10-22 Reviewed: 2026-10-22 Author: TorrentSwap Editorial Team How atomic swaps use hashed time-locked contracts, a short history from 2013 to Garden Finance, why they never went mainstream, and how they compare with liquidity networks, intents and bridges. An atomic swap is a peer-to-peer trade of coins on two blockchains in which either both transfers happen or neither does. It relies on hashed time-locked contracts (HTLCs): funds unlock only for someone who reveals a secret before a deadline, and otherwise they go back to the sender. There's no custodian and no wrapped token. Atomic swaps were one of the first answers to the question of how to trade across chains without trusting anyone. They're elegant and they work, but they never became the default. Here's how they work, where they came from, why they stayed niche, and how they compare with the liquidity-network swaps and bridges most people use today. How an HTLC works An HTLC combines two conditions in one script: A hashlock. The funds can be spent by whoever provides data (the "preimage") that hashes to a specific value. A timelock. If nobody claims the funds that way before a set time or block height, the original owner can take them back. Bitcoin's BIP 199, written by Sean Bowe and Daira Hopwood, documents the standard pattern. Simplified, it looks like this: OP_IF OP_SHA256 OP_EQUALVERIFY (+ check seller's key) OP_ELSE OP_CHECKLOCKTIMEVERIFY OP_DROP (+ check buyer's key) OP_ENDIF OP_CHECKSIG The first branch lets the seller spend by revealing the preimage. The second lets the buyer recover the funds after the timeout. BIP 199 notes that the Lightning Network uses the same construction to route payments across channels. An atomic swap, step by step Say Alice has BTC and Bob has LTC, and they've agreed on a price. Alice picks a random secret and computes its hash. Only she knows the secret. Alice locks her BTC in an HTLC. Bob can claim it with the secret, and Alice can reclaim it after a long timeout. Bob checks Alice's contract on the Bitcoin chain. He then locks his LTC in an HTLC with the same hash. Alice can claim it with the secret, and Bob can reclaim it after a shorter timeout. Alice claims the LTC. To do that she has to publish the secret on the Litecoin chain. Bob reads the secret from Alice's Litecoin transaction and uses it to claim the BTC. The timeouts are staggered on purpose. If Bob's lock lasted as long as Alice's, Alice could wait until the last moment to claim the LTC and then reclaim her BTC before Bob had time to use the secret. Giving the initiator the longer lock guarantees the other party a window. Garden Finance, discussed below, uses this pattern: 48 hours before a user can reclaim, and 24 hours for the solver. If anyone walks away at any point, the timelocks send everything home. The worst outcome is waiting, not losing funds. A short history Year Milestone 2012 Daniel Larimer's P2PTradeX protocol, often cited as a precursor to cross-chain trades without a middleman 2013 Tier Nolan's Bitcoin Forum post "Alt chains and atomic transfers," usually credited as the first description of atomic swaps 2014 Tier Nolan posts a BIP draft for an atomic cross-chain transfer protocol to the bitcoin-development mailing list 2017 (March) BIP 199, the HTLC specification, is assigned 2017 (September) Decred and Litecoin complete an on-chain atomic swap on September 19. Decred releases open-source tools for DCR, BTC and LTC. 2017 (November) Lightning Labs tests a cross-chain atomic swap over Lightning between the Bitcoin and Litecoin testnets 2023 onward Garden Finance, founded in 2023, builds a production Bitcoin swap service on HTLCs with professional solvers The 2017 Decred release was the turning point from theory to practice. Its blog post listed the prerequisites: both chains need branching transaction scripts, the same hash algorithm, signature checks, and lock-time support (CLTV or CSV). Bitcoin forks such as Litecoin and Decred met all four, which is why the first swaps happened between them. Why atomic swaps didn't go mainstream Decred's own launch post was candid about the limits, and most of them still apply to raw peer-to-peer swaps: Finding a counterparty. The 2017 tools had no order book. Participants swapped contract details over email or chat. Speed. Every step waits for block confirmations. With Bitcoin involved, Decred estimated a worst case of about an hour. Fees on both sides. Each party pays to lock funds and again to redeem them, on two chains. Chain compatibility. Both chains must support the same hash function and time-locked scripts. Chains without them need different, more complex techniques. Linkability. The same hash appears on both chains, so an observer can link the two legs, even though no identity data is exposed. There's also an economic catch built into the mechanism. Once both contracts are funded, the initiator decides whether to reveal the secret and finish the trade. If the price moves against them before the timeout, they can let the swap expire and take their coins back. In effect they hold a free option, and the counterparty's capital is tied up for the whole timelock. Market makers price that in, or avoid it. Lightning-based swaps fixed the speed and fee problems by moving off-chain. Lightning Labs' 2017 test settled without recording a transaction on either blockchain. But they need channels and liquidity on both networks. Atomic swaps vs liquidity-network swaps vs bridges Today, most "swap BTC to ETH" products aren't atomic swaps in the strict sense. Our explainer on how cross-chain swaps work goes deeper. In brief: HTLC atomic swap Liquidity network Intent network Lock-and-mint bridge Counterparty One peer or solver A shared pool or market makers Competing solvers The bridge contract What you receive The native asset The native asset Usually the native asset A wrapped token Who holds funds mid-swap A script you can always refund from Validator-controlled vaults (threshold signatures) A settlement contract, then the solver Bridge custodians or contracts Typical failure mode Timeout refund after hours Network halt or vault compromise No fill, or a settlement or bridge bug Theft of locked collateral Examples Decr Sources: - BIP 199: Hashed Time-Locked Contract transactions: https://github.com/bitcoin/bips/blob/master/bip-0199.mediawiki - Decred Blog: On-Chain Atomic Swaps (Sept 20, 2017): https://blog.decred.org/2017/09/20/On-Chain-Atomic-Swaps/ - Decred: Decred adds support for on-chain atomic swaps: https://decred.org/news/2017-09-20_decred_adds_support/ - Lightning Labs: Connecting Blockchains, Instant Cross-Chain Transactions on Lightning: https://lightning.engineering/posts/2017-11-16-ln-swap/ - Bitcoin Magazine: Lightning Network now supports transactions across blockchains: https://bitcoinmagazine.com/technical/lightning-network-now-supports-transactions-across-blockchains - bitcoin-dev mailing list: BIP Draft, Atomic Cross Chain Transfer Protocol (Tier Nolan, 2014): https://lists.linuxfoundation.org/pipermail/bitcoin-dev/2014-April/005648.html - BTC-ECHO: Atomic Swap (history incl. Tier Nolan and P2PTradeX): https://www.btc-echo.de/thema/atomic-swap/ - Komodo: Komodo and the Early Pioneers of Atomic Swaps: https://komodoplatform.com/komodo-and-the-early-pioneers-of-atomic-swaps/ - Garden Finance Docs: Atomic Swaps: https://garden.finance/docs/home/fundamentals/core-concepts/atomic-swaps - The Register: Attackers dig up $11M in Garden Finance solver exploit: https://www.theregister.com/2025/10/31/attackers_dig_up_11m_in - Cointelegraph: Garden Finance takes app offline after $450K HTLC exploit: https://cointelegraph.com/news/garden-finance-app-offline-450k-htlc-exploit - Chainalysis: Cross-chain bridge hacks emerge as top security risk (Aug 2022): https://www.chainalysis.com/blog/cross-chain-bridge-hacks-2022/ ## The Crypto Travel Rule and Self-Custody Swaps Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/blog/crypto-travel-rule-self-custody Published: 2026-10-22 Reviewed: 2026-10-22 Author: TorrentSwap Editorial Team What the crypto travel rule requires under FATF Recommendation 16, how the EU, US and UK apply it as of October 2026, and what it means for self-hosted wallets and non-custodial swaps. The crypto travel rule requires regulated crypto providers to send identifying information about the sender and recipient along with a transfer. It comes from FATF Recommendation 16 and binds exchanges and other service providers, not self-hosted wallets. A swap between two of your own wallets carries no travel-rule data, but providers still check transfers to and from self-hosted addresses. This guide explains where the rule comes from, how the EU, US and UK apply it as of October 2026, what it means when you use a non-custodial, no-account swap, and what screening still happens regardless. It is general information, not legal advice; rules differ by country and change often. What the crypto travel rule is The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is the intergovernmental body that sets global anti-money-laundering standards. Its Recommendation 16 has long required banks to pass payer and payee details along with wire transfers, so the information "travels" with the money. Through the interpretive note to Recommendation 15, FATF extended that requirement to virtual asset service providers (VASPs), such as exchanges and custodial wallets. In practice, when one VASP sends crypto to another on a customer's behalf, it should obtain, hold and transmit the originator's and beneficiary's details. FATF's standard sets a threshold of USD/EUR 1,000, above which accurate originator and beneficiary information must accompany the transfer. Countries may set a lower threshold, and FATF says that below it, names and wallet addresses should still be collected. FATF revised Recommendation 16 in June 2025 to update payment transparency rules, and said the changes reach virtual asset providers mainly through its cross-reference in the VASP standard. Adoption has been gradual. FATF's targeted update published on July 16, 2026 reported that 91 of 109 surveyed jurisdictions (83%) had passed travel rule legislation, up from 73% a year earlier, but only about 40% of those had taken any supervisory or enforcement action on it. VASPs vs self-hosted wallets The rule is written for intermediaries. That makes the type of wallet on each end of a transfer the key question. Transfer Travel rule applies? What typically happens Exchange to exchange Yes Sender and recipient details are exchanged between the two providers, often through a messaging protocol. Exchange to your self-hosted wallet Partly The exchange records information about its own customer and the destination, and may ask you to show the address is yours. Your self-hosted wallet to an exchange Partly The receiving exchange may ask where the funds came from and whether you control the sending address. Self-hosted wallet to self-hosted wallet No No provider is involved, so there is no one to transmit data. The transaction is still public on-chain. A self-hosted (or unhosted) wallet is one where you control the keys, such as a hardware wallet, MetaMask, Phantom or a Bitcoin wallet app. The travel rule cannot attach data to a transfer you make yourself, so regulators instead place obligations on the provider at the regulated end of the transfer. How the EU, US and UK apply it Jurisdiction Legal basis In force Threshold Self-hosted wallets European Union Transfer of Funds Regulation (EU) 2023/1113 30 December 2024 None for transfers between crypto-asset service providers Above EUR 1,000, the provider must assess whether the address is owned or controlled by its customer United States Bank Secrecy Act funds travel rule, 31 CFR 1010.410(f), applied to crypto by FinCEN guidance in 2019 Rule dates from the 1990s; crypto guidance May 2019 $3,000 Obligations sit with the money transmitter United Kingdom Part 7A of the Money Laundering Regulations 2017, as amended in 2022 1 September 2023 See the regulations and JMLSG guidance Firms collect and verify information under the MLRs European Union: TFR and MiCA The recast Transfer of Funds Regulation applies from 30 December 2024, the same date the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA) began to apply to crypto-asset service providers (CASPs). Unlike the FATF baseline, the EU rule covers every crypto transfer between CASPs regardless of value. For transfers above EUR 1,000 to or from a self-hosted address, the provider must take adequate measures to assess whether its own customer owns or controls that address. The European Banking Authority's travel rule guidelines, also applicable from 30 December 2024, describe accepted ways to verify that. The regulation expressly excludes person-to-person transfers carried out without a CASP. MiCA's transitional period for existing providers ended on 1 July 2026, and ESMA now advises users to check its register to confirm a provider is authorised. United States: the $3,000 rule FinCEN's funds travel rule applies to transmittals of $3,000 or more, and FinCEN's May 2019 guidance confirmed that transfers of convertible virtual currency qualify. The obligation falls on financial institutions such as money transmitters at each point in the chain. In October 2020, FinCEN and the Federal Reserve proposed lowering the threshold to $250 for transfers that begin or end outside the US; check FinCEN's current rules before relying on either figure. United Kingdom UK cryptoasset businesses have had to collect, verify and share information about transfers since 1 September 2023, under amendments HM Treasury made to the Money Laundering Regulations. The FCA has said that if a counterparty sits in a country without the rule, UK firms must still collect and verify the data and decide, on a risk basis, whether to make incoming assets available. The FCA points firms to the JMLSG guidance for operational detail. For a directory of the regulators involved in each region, see our page on competent authorities for crypto . What this means for self-custody swaps A non-custodial, deposit-address swap works differently from an exchange trade. You request a quote, send funds from your own wallet to a one-time d Sources: - FATF updates Standards on Recommendation 16 on Payment Transparency (June 2025): https://www.fatf-gafi.org/en/publications/Fatfrecommendations/update-Recommendation-16-payment-transparency-june-2025.html - FATF June 2023 Targeted Update on Virtual Assets and VASPs: https://www.fatf-gafi.org/content/dam/fatf-gafi/guidance/June2023-Targeted-Update-VA-VASP.pdf.coredownload.inline.pdf - FATF Seventh Targeted Update on Virtual Assets and VASPs (July 2026): https://www.fatf-gafi.org/content/dam/fatf-gafi/reports/7th-targeted-update-on-implementation-fatf-standards-vas-vasps-2026.pdf.coredownload.pdf - FATF publishes Seventh Targeted Update on Virtual Assets and VASPs (Comsure): https://comsuregroup.com/news/fatf-publishes-seventh-targeted-update-on-virtual-assets-and-vasps - Regulation (EU) 2023/1113 on information accompanying transfers of funds and certain crypto-assets (EUR-Lex): https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1113/oj/eng - Summary: information accompanying transfers of funds and certain crypto-assets (EUR-Lex): https://eur-lex.europa.eu/EN/legal-content/summary/information-accompanying-transfers-of-funds-and-certain-crypto-assets.html - EBA Travel Rule Guidelines under Regulation (EU) 2023/1113: https://www.eba.europa.eu/activities/single-rulebook/regulatory-activities/anti-money-laundering-and-countering-financing-terrorism/guidelines-information-requirements-relation-transfers-funds-and-certain-crypto-assets-transfers - What is the impact of the recast EU Transfer of Funds Regulation on crypto-asset transfers? (Osborne Clarke): https://www.osborneclarke.com/insights/what-impact-recast-eu-transfer-funds-regulation-crypto-assets-transfers - ESMA statement on the end of transitional periods under MiCA: https://www.esma.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2026-04/ESMA75-113276571-1679_Statement_on_the_end_of_transitional_periods_under_MiCA.pdf - FinCEN Guidance FIN-2019-G001 on convertible virtual currencies: https://www.fincen.gov/system/files/2019-05/FinCEN%20CVC%20Guidance%20FINAL.pdf - Funds Travel Regulations: Questions and Answers (FinCEN): https://www.fincen.gov/resources/statutes-regulations/guidance/funds-travel-regulations-questions-answers - Federal Reserve and FinCEN propose lowering travel rule threshold (October 2020): https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/bcreg20201023a.htm - FCA sets out expectations for UK cryptoasset businesses complying with the Travel Rule: https://www.fca.org.uk/news/statements/fca-sets-out-expectations-uk-cryptoasset-businesses-complying-travel-rule - Chainflip blocks Bybit hacker funds with security upgrade (Cointelegraph): https://cointelegraph.com/news/chainflip-blocks-bybit-hacker-funds-security-upgrade - Chainflip plans upgrade to prevent Bybit hackers from using its cross-chain DEX (The Block): https://www.theblock.co/post/343183/chainflip-plans-upgrade-to-prevent-bybit-hackers-from-using-its-cross-chain-dex ## MetaMask Swap and Bridge Fees in 2026, Explained Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/blog/metamask-swap-bridge-fees Published: 2026-10-22 Reviewed: 2026-10-22 Author: TorrentSwap Editorial Team What MetaMask charges for swaps and bridging as of October 2026, how the 0.875% fee differs from gas, protocol fees and price impact, and how to compare the amount you actually receive. MetaMask builds a 0.875% MetaMask fee into quotes from its Swaps and Bridge features, according to its support pages as of October 2026. On top of that you pay network gas, the underlying protocol's or liquidity providers' fees, and price impact. The fairest comparison with any alternative is the amount you actually receive. MetaMask's built-in swap and bridge tools are convenient when your funds already live in the wallet. This guide explains exactly what MetaMask swap fees and MetaMask bridge fees consist of, how they differ from gas and spread, and how to compare a MetaMask quote against other routes, including for native Bitcoin and Solana. MetaMask's published fees MetaMask's swap guide splits every swap quote into three parts: the quote rate, the network fee and the MetaMask fee of 0.875%. Its FAQ adds that the fee is factored into each quote automatically, so you do not see a separate charge; it is reflected in the rate you get. The bridge help page lists the same 0.875% MetaMask fee among the items subtracted from the amount you receive on the destination network. Feature MetaMask fee How it is charged Other costs Swaps (same network) 0.875% Built into the quote Network gas; price impact Bridge (cross-network) 0.875% Subtracted from the amount received Source-network gas when you sign; bridge provider and liquidity fees; price impact Batch sell 0.875% per token No extra charge for batching Network gas Two points are worth knowing. First, MetaMask's bridge support page says destination-network gas is generally covered by the bridge provider, but you pay gas on the source network when you sign. Second, on supported networks MetaMask offers gasless swaps: if you do not hold enough of the native token for gas, the gas cost is included in the quote and taken from the token you are swapping. That is a convenience, not a discount; the gas still has to be paid. MetaMask's network list for swaps has grown well beyond Ethereum. Its swap guide currently lists networks including Ethereum, Bitcoin, Solana, Tron, Base, Arbitrum, BNB Chain, Polygon, Linea, OP and Avalanche, and bridging between networks is now available directly inside the Swaps flow on both the extension and mobile apps. Gas, fee, spread and price impact: four different things Swap costs get confusing because several separate costs are blended into one number. It helps to name them. Cost Who receives it Where you see it Network gas Validators or miners of the chain Shown as the network fee when you sign App fee (for example MetaMask's 0.875%) The wallet or app Built into the quote Protocol or liquidity fee The DEX, bridge or liquidity providers Built into the quote Price impact and spread Nobody directly; it is the difference between the market price and your execution price Built into the rate, visible only by comparison Slippage is related but different: it is the tolerance you allow between the quoted and the executed amount. A tight setting can make a transaction fail in volatile markets; a loose one exposes you to a worse fill. Our explainer on what slippage is in crypto covers how to set it. What 0.875% means in money Percentage fees scale with size, while gas mostly does not. On a $1,000 swap, 0.875% is $8.75. On $10,000 it is $87.50. Those figures are only the app-fee component, though. Rate quality, protocol fees and gas can easily outweigh a difference of a few tenths of a percent, in either direction. That is why comparing app fees in isolation can mislead you. How to compare amount received The only number that captures every cost at once is the amount that lands in your wallet. To compare MetaMask against any other route fairly: Use the same pair and amount. Quote, for example, 1 ETH on Ethereum to SOL on Solana in each place. Quote at the same moment. Prices move every few seconds; a quote from ten minutes ago is not comparable. Compare the expected and the minimum received. The minimum tells you the worst case under your slippage setting. Add the gas you pay separately. If one route charges source-chain gas outside the quote and another includes it, adjust for that. Check what you receive. A native asset and a wrapped or bridged version of it are not the same thing. Make sure both quotes deliver the same token on the same network. Note the time. A cheaper route that takes much longer may not be worth it for your purpose. For popular routes, our bridge fees page tracks the all-in cost of cross-chain swaps across Chainflip, NEAR Intents and Flashnet, refreshed every 30 minutes, which gives you a baseline before you quote your own amount. Native Bitcoin and Solana: where the options differ MetaMask added native Bitcoin support on December 15, 2025, using native SegWit addresses, and its built-in swap can move funds from EVM networks or Solana into BTC. If your funds already sit in MetaMask, swapping inside the wallet keeps everything in one place, and that convenience has real value. A deposit-address swap is the other common path. Instead of connecting a wallet, you request a quote, enter a destination address, and send funds to a one-time deposit address from any wallet. Protocols such as Chainflip and NEAR Intents then deliver the native asset on the other chain. That approach tends to suit a few situations: Your funds are not in MetaMask. Bitcoin on a hardware wallet, or coins leaving an exchange, can be sent straight to a deposit address without importing anything. The chain is not in MetaMask's swap list. Assets such as Litecoin, Dogecoin, Bitcoin Cash, Dash and Zcash are not on the swap network list MetaMask currently publishes. You want a quote compared across protocols. An aggregator ranks routes from several protocols by amount received. TorrentSwap works this way: it routes through NEAR Intents, Chainflip and Flashnet, supports 39 assets on 17 networks, includes every fee in the quote and never holds your funds. Neither approach is always cheaper. Run the same comparison above and pick whichever delivers Sources: - User guide: Swaps (MetaMask Support): https://support.metamask.io/trade/swap/user-guide-swaps/ - How are bridge fees calculated? (MetaMask Support): https://support.metamask.io/manage-crypto/move-crypto/bridge/how-are-bridge-fees-calculated/ - How to use gasless swaps (MetaMask Support): https://support.metamask.io/trade/swap/gasless-swaps/ - How to sell multiple tokens in one transaction (MetaMask Support): https://support.metamask.io/trade/batch-sell/ - MetaMask FAQs: https://metamask.io/faqs - Introducing Bitcoin on MetaMask (MetaMask News): https://metamask.io/news/bitcoin-on-metamask-btc-wallet - MetaMask Bridges launches support for L2 networks (MetaMask News): https://metamask.io/news/metamask-bridges-launches-support-for-l-2-networks-arbitrum-and-optimism - TorrentSwap live bridge fees: https://torrentswap.com/bridge-fees ## TRX Energy and Bandwidth: Why USDT on Tron Costs That Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/blog/trx-energy-bandwidth-explained Published: 2026-10-22 Reviewed: 2026-10-22 Author: TorrentSwap Editorial Team How TRON's energy and bandwidth resources set the cost of a USDT TRC-20 transfer, what a transfer costs as of October 2026, and when to burn, stake or rent energy. Sending USDT on Tron uses two network resources: bandwidth, which pays for the transaction's size, and energy, which pays for running the USDT smart contract. If your account has no staked or rented energy, the network burns TRX instead. As of October 2026 that is roughly 6.4 TRX per typical transfer, and about double for a first-time recipient. That single fact explains most "why did my USDT TRC-20 fee cost that much?" questions. Below we break down TRX energy and bandwidth, show the current numbers with their sources, compare burning, staking and renting energy, and explain how to get TRX when all you hold is USDT. Bandwidth vs energy at a glance TRON does not charge a single gas fee the way Ethereum does. It meters two separate resources, and each has its own rules. Bandwidth Energy What it pays for The size of every transaction, in bytes Smart-contract execution (each virtual machine instruction has a fixed cost) Used by All transactions, including plain TRX sends Contract calls, such as a USDT (TRC-20) transfer Free allowance 600 per activated account, replenishing over 24 hours None Price if you burn TRX 1,000 sun (0.001 TRX) per unit 100 sun (0.0001 TRX) per unit How to get it without burning Stake TRX for bandwidth, or receive a delegation Stake TRX for energy, or receive a delegation (rent) Both burn prices are governance-controlled chain parameters, so TRON's developer docs recommend checking live values rather than hard-coding them. One sun is one millionth of a TRX. The all-or-nothing rule For bandwidth, TRON does not mix payment sources. The network first tries your staked or delegated bandwidth, then your free allowance, and each source must cover the whole transaction on its own. If neither can, the full bandwidth cost is paid by burning TRX. Energy is more flexible: whatever staked or delegated energy you have is used first, and TRX is burned for the remainder, up to the transaction's fee_limit . What a USDT TRC-20 transfer actually costs The USDT contract does more work when the recipient has never held USDT, because it has to create a new balance entry. An independent sample of fourteen consecutive USDT transfers, published by CryptoTicker on September 27, 2026, found two exact values: Scenario Energy used TRX burned for energy (at 100 sun) Bandwidth Recipient already holds USDT 64,285 about 6.43 TRX about 345 bytes Recipient has never held USDT 130,285 about 13.03 TRX about 345 bytes Bandwidth is the smaller line item. A 345-byte transfer fits inside the 600 free daily bandwidth, so your first transfer of the day usually costs nothing for bandwidth. Because of the all-or-nothing rule, though, a second transfer shortly afterwards finds only about 255 free units left and burns the full 0.345 TRX. CoinsDo's August 2026 guide gives the same picture in rounded figures: around 65,000 energy and roughly 6.5 TRX for a normal transfer, around 130,000 energy to a new address. Dollar costs depend on the TRX price on the day, which is why you see such different numbers quoted online. Count in TRX first, then convert. Why the fee dropped in 2025 Until August 2025 the energy price was 210 sun. TRON governance Proposal #104 cut it to 100 sun, effective August 29, 2025, which roughly halved the TRX burned per USDT transfer. TRON's docs also describe a dynamic energy model, under which very heavily used contracts can cost more energy per call, by a factor of up to 4.4x at current settings. The figures above are what USDT transfers actually consumed in late September 2026, so they already reflect any such adjustment at that time. Other costs to know about New accounts. TRON's docs say a transaction that creates a brand-new account carries a 1 TRX account creation fee on mainnet. Fee limit. Every contract call includes a fee_limit . If the transfer needs more energy than that cap allows, it reverts with OUT_OF_ENERGY . Wallets set this automatically, but it is one reason to keep a TRX buffer; CryptoTicker suggests 10 to 20 TRX. Three ways to pay for energy You can burn TRX each time, stake TRX for a recurring allowance, or rent energy that someone else has staked. Burning TRX This is the default. If you have no energy, your wallet burns TRX to cover it. It requires no setup and suits people who send USDT occasionally. The cost per transfer is simply the energy used multiplied by the current energy price. Staking TRX (Stake 2.0) When you stake TRX for energy, you receive a share of the network's total daily energy pool. TRON's docs give the formula: your TRX staked for energy, divided by all TRX staked for energy network-wide, multiplied by the pool size (currently 180 billion energy). Used energy then recovers over a rolling 24 hours. Staking also grants TRON Power for voting. The trade-offs are capital and liquidity. Because your share depends on how much everyone else has staked, the TRX needed to cover one USDT transfer per day changes over time; your wallet's staking screen will estimate it. Unstaking on mainnet has a 14-day waiting period before the TRX can be withdrawn, and stake that is currently delegated to someone else must be undelegated first. Renting energy Stake 2.0 lets any staker delegate energy to another address, optionally with a lock period. Energy rental marketplaces are built on that feature: you pay a provider, and it delegates energy to your address for a set time. Rental prices are set by the market and are generally quoted below the cost of burning, but they vary by provider and change often. Renting introduces a counterparty. Use a provider you trust, check on a block explorer that the delegated energy has actually arrived before you send, and remember that the delegation ends when the rental does. Method Upfront cost Per-transfer cost Best for Watch out for Burn TRX None Energy used x energy price Occasional senders Keeping enough TRX in the account Stake TRX Large TRX stake None while within your allowance Frequent, regular senders 14-day unstake wait; share Sources: - TRON Resource Model (TRON Developer Hub): https://developers.tron.network/docs/resource-model - TRON Bandwidth and Energy (TRON Developer Hub): https://developers.tron.network/docs/bandwidth-and-energy - Paying for resources: TRX burn, energy sharing, fee_limit (TRON Developer Hub): https://developers.tron.network/docs/paying-for-resources - Unstaking TRX on Stake 2.0 (TRON Developer Hub): https://developers.tron.network/docs/unstaking - Delegating resources on TRON (TRON Developer Hub): https://developers.tron.network/docs/delegation - Send USDT TRC20: fees measured on Tronscan, September 2026 (CryptoTicker): https://cryptoticker.io/en/send-usdt-trc20-fees-tronscan/ - TRC20 Fees Explained: Energy, Bandwidth and USDT Costs (CoinsDo): https://waas.coinsdo.com/en/blog/trc20-fees-explained-energy-bandwidth-usdt-costs - TRON network fee reduction, August 2025 (Gas Fees Now): https://gasfeesnow.com/tron-slashed-fees/ ## x402 Explained: How AI Agents Pay With Crypto Canonical URL: https://torrentswap.com/blog/x402-explained Published: 2026-10-22 Reviewed: 2026-10-22 Author: TorrentSwap Editorial Team What the x402 payment standard is, how an HTTP 402 payment flows between client, server and facilitator, which chains and stablecoins it uses, how it relates to MCP, and where it fits next to crypto swaps. x402 is an open payment standard that revives the HTTP 402 "Payment Required" status code so a website or API can charge per request. Coinbase introduced it in May 2025. A server answers 402 with its price, the client retries with a signed stablecoin payment, and a facilitator verifies and settles it onchain, with no account or API key. Because software can complete that loop on its own, x402 has become one of the main ways AI agents pay for things. This guide explains how an x402 payment flows, which chains and stablecoins it uses, how it relates to MCP tools, where it fits and where it does not (paying for an API call is not the same as paying for a cross-chain swap), and how far adoption has come as of October 2026. Where x402 came from HTTP has reserved status code 402 for "payment required" since the early web, but it was never given a standard meaning, so in practice sites fell back to accounts, subscriptions and API keys. Those work for people with credit cards; they are awkward for software that needs to buy one page, one data point or one tool call at a time. Date Milestone May 6, 2025 Coinbase announces x402 as an open standard for stablecoin payments over HTTP, with AWS, Anthropic, Circle and NEAR among the launch collaborators. September 23, 2025 Coinbase and Cloudflare announce plans for an x402 Foundation. Cloudflare proposes a "deferred" payment scheme and adds x402 support to its Agents SDK and MCP servers. April 2026 The x402 Foundation is announced under the Linux Foundation, and Coinbase contributes the protocol. July 14, 2026 The Linux Foundation announces the Foundation's operational launch with 40 member organizations. Premier members named in the July 2026 announcement include Adyen, AWS, American Express, Circle, Cloudflare, Coinbase, Google, Mastercard, Shopify, the Solana Foundation, Stripe and Visa. The aim is vendor-neutral governance, so that no single company controls the standard. How an x402 payment flows An x402 exchange involves three roles: the client (the buyer, often an agent), the resource server (the seller's API) and a facilitator, an optional service that verifies and settles payments so the seller does not have to run blockchain infrastructure. The client requests a resource, such as GET /report . The server replies with status 402 and a PAYMENT-REQUIRED header listing the price, the payee and the payment options it accepts. The client signs a payment that matches one of those options and retries the request with a PAYMENT-SIGNATURE header. The server asks the facilitator to verify the payment. If valid, the server does the work. The server asks the facilitator to settle the payment onchain. The server returns the resource with a PAYMENT-RESPONSE header confirming settlement. The whole loop happens inside ordinary HTTP requests. There is no checkout page, card form or sign-up. The protocol's stated principles also say payment schemes must not allow the facilitator or the resource server to move funds beyond what the client authorised. Stripped down, the exchange looks like this on the wire: GET /report HTTP/1.1 Host: api.example.com HTTP/1.1 402 Payment Required PAYMENT-REQUIRED: GET /report HTTP/1.1 Host: api.example.com PAYMENT-SIGNATURE: HTTP/1.1 200 OK PAYMENT-RESPONSE: For an agent, the important part is step three. The agent needs a wallet, or access to a signer, that can authorise a payment in the asset and on the network the server asked for. Everything else is standard HTTP, which is why sellers can put x402 in front of an existing route using the published seller SDKs. Payment schemes Scheme How it charges Typical use exact A fixed amount per request Pay-per-call APIs, paywalled pages upto The client authorises a maximum; the seller settles actual usage up to that cap Metered work such as model inference batch-settlement (EVM) Escrow plus off-chain vouchers, redeemed in batches Many tiny charges where per-payment settlement would be wasteful Cloudflare's proposed deferred scheme goes further, separating authorisation from settlement so charges can be batched daily or settled through traditional rails. Which chains and stablecoins x402 uses x402 is designed to be network-agnostic: the seller chooses the chain, asset and price. In practice USDC is the most common asset. Coinbase's facilitator documentation lists support on Base, Polygon, Arbitrum, Monad, World and Solana (plus test networks), accepting ERC-20 tokens on its EVM networks through EIP-3009 or Permit2, and SPL tokens on Solana. The open-source SDKs also include packages for several other ecosystems. Facilitators can charge for their work. As of October 2026, Coinbase's facilitator lists the first 1,000 onchain transactions each month as free and $0.001 per transaction after that, with verification always free. Other facilitators set their own terms. x402 vs MCP tools The two are often mentioned together, but they solve different problems. MCP x402 Question it answers How does an agent discover and call a tool? How does a request get paid for? Layer Agent-to-tool protocol Payment handshake on top of HTTP Introduced by Anthropic, November 2024 Coinbase, May 2025 Who moves money Nobody, unless a tool does The client's wallet signs a payment They combine naturally. Cloudflare's Agents SDK lets an MCP server mark individual tools as paid: when an agent calls one, the server returns 402, the agent's x402 client presents the payment, and either the human or the agent can approve it before it is sent. The x402 project also publishes an MCP package for the same pattern. Paying for APIs vs paying for swaps x402 is built for small, priced-up-front payments for a resource: a few cents for a search, a dataset or an inference call. A cross-chain crypto swap is a different kind of transaction, and it helps to see why. Paying for an API call with x402 Executing a cross-chain swap Amount Us Sources: - Welcome to x402 (Coinbase Developer Documentation): https://docs.cdp.coinbase.com/x402/welcome - How x402 works (Coinbase Developer Documentation): https://docs.cdp.coinbase.com/x402/core-concepts/how-it-works - CDP Facilitator: networks and pricing (Coinbase Developer Documentation): https://docs.cdp.coinbase.com/x402/seller/facilitator - x402 Foundation (Coinbase Developer Documentation): https://docs.cdp.coinbase.com/x402/support/x402-foundation - x402 repository and specification (GitHub): https://github.com/coinbase/x402 - Introducing x402: a new standard for internet-native payments (Coinbase): https://www.coinbase.com/developer-platform/discover/launches/x402 - Coinbase x402 payments protocol to make AI agents more autonomous (Cointelegraph): https://cointelegraph.com/news/coinbase-x402-payments-protocol-make-ai-agents-more-autonomous - Launching the x402 Foundation with Coinbase, and support for x402 transactions (Cloudflare Blog): https://blog.cloudflare.com/x402/ - Cloudflare and Coinbase Will Launch x402 Foundation (Cloudflare press release): https://www.cloudflare.com/press/press-releases/2025/cloudflare-and-coinbase-will-launch-x402-foundation/ - Linux Foundation announces operational launch of x402 Foundation (x402.org): https://x402.org/linux-foundation-announces-operational-launch-of-x402-foundation-to-standardize-internet-native-payments-for-ai-agents-and-applications/ - Introducing the Model Context Protocol (Anthropic): https://www.anthropic.com/news/model-context-protocol ## Editorial and corrections TorrentSwap separates currently published routes from educational guides, prefers primary sources for factual claims, labels limitations, and records meaningful review dates instead of changing dates only to appear fresh. 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