What is a cross-chain swap?
A cross-chain swap exchanges a coin on one blockchain for a coin on a different blockchain. You give up BTC on the Bitcoin network and receive real XMR on the Monero network, without needing an account on a traditional exchange.
Inside a single blockchain, swapping is easy: Ethereum tokens, for example, can be traded on Ethereum in one transaction. Between separate blockchains it's harder, because no single system sees both sides of the trade.
Why blockchains can't talk to each other
Bitcoin and Monero are independent networks with their own rules, address formats and transaction histories. A Bitcoin node has no idea what happens on the Monero chain. That's why sending BTC to a Monero address is impossible: the Bitcoin network can't even read the address.
A cross-chain swap solves this by coordinating two separate transactions, one on each chain, so that the trade completes on both.
Four ways to swap across chains
| Method | How it works | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Instant exchange | A service receives your deposit and pays out the other coin | Simple and always available; you trust the service during the swap |
| Atomic swap | Two parties lock coins with linked cryptography; both settle or both refund | No custodian; needs special software and an online counterparty |
| Bridge | Locks a coin on one chain and issues a wrapped token on another | You hold a token, not the native coin; bridges have been frequent hack targets |
| Liquidity network | Pools of native coins on several chains, managed by a network of nodes | Decentralized; support for privacy coins is limited |
For a detailed look at the first two, read atomic swaps vs instant exchanges.
Why Monero swaps need special handling
Monero hides amounts and addresses on its blockchain. That's great for users but rules out many cross-chain tools that rely on reading the other chain. Wrapped Monero tokens exist but lose the privacy that makes XMR useful. In practice, people swap Monero through instant exchanges, atomic swaps or peer-to-peer markets.
QuietSwap is an instant exchange focused on Monero. We verify your Monero and Bitcoin addresses before you send, wait for 10 Monero or 2 Bitcoin confirmations, and pay out native coins to your wallet.
How to choose a cross-chain swap service
Whichever method you use, check these before you send funds:
- Fee transparency: can you see the service fee and the network fee before confirming, or only the final amount?
- Address validation: does the service check that your receiving address is valid for that blockchain?
- Refund policy: where do your coins go if the swap can't complete?
- Time estimates: are they realistic for the confirmations each chain needs?
- Native coins: will you receive the real coin in your own wallet, or a wrapped token?
Cross-chain glossary
| Confirmation | A new block added on top of the block containing your transaction. More confirmations make a transaction harder to reverse. |
| Native coin | The original coin of a blockchain, such as BTC on Bitcoin or XMR on Monero. |
| Wrapped token | A token on one chain that represents a coin locked on another chain. |
| Network fee | The fee paid to miners to include a transaction in a block. It's separate from any service fee. |
| sat/vB | Satoshis per virtual byte, the unit for Bitcoin fee rates. Right now about 3 sat/vB. |
| Time-lock | A rule that keeps coins locked until a certain block or time, used for refunds in atomic swaps. |
Supported cross-chain pairs
Cross-chain swap FAQ
Can I send Bitcoin directly to a Monero address?
No. Each blockchain only understands its own coin and address format. To move value from Bitcoin to Monero you need a cross-chain swap.
Is a cross-chain swap the same as a bridge?
Not quite. A bridge usually locks a coin on one chain and issues a wrapped copy on another. A cross-chain swap gives you the real, native coin on the other chain, such as actual XMR in a Monero wallet.
Which cross-chain swaps does QuietSwap support?
XMR to BTC and BTC to XMR today. Zcash (ZEC) and Dash are in development.