What a swap actually does with your coins

You want to turn one cryptocurrency into another. Maybe you hold bitcoin but need ether for a transaction. Or you mined monero and want to move into a different asset. The exchange form above is the tool. This page is the explanation of what happens when you use it - step by step, no fluff.

What you need before your first swap

You need two things. First, a wallet that controls your own private keys. That means you hold the seed phrase or private key, not an exchange account. Second, you need enough coins to cover the network fee for sending them. That fee is paid to the blockchain miners or validators, not to this site. If your wallet shows zero balance for the coin you want to send, you cannot make the fee disappear. You must have enough to move the funds.

The process has three stages: you send coins to a deposit address, the system waits for confirmations, then it forwards the swapped coins to your wallet.

What the deposit address is and why it changes

Where does the address I send my coins to come from and why does it look different each time

When you enter an amount and select the pair, the system generates a fresh address for the coin you are depositing. That address belongs to a pool that the site controls. It is not your address. You never hold keys to it. The address changes for every swap because reusing addresses creates a tracking risk - anyone on the blockchain can see that multiple swaps under the same address belong to the same counter party.

Where the receiving address comes from

The address you provide for the coin you want to get is the one you type or paste. That is your wallet address. The system has no control over it. If you type it wrong, the coins go where you typed. That cannot be reversed. Blockchain transactions are final. The system will confirm the address looks like a valid format for that coin, but it cannot know whether you own it.

Swapping step by step

You fill in the amount to swap and paste your receiving address. The system shows you an estimated amount you will receive. That estimate depends on the current exchange rate across the liquidity sources the site uses. The rate can move between the moment you see it and the moment your deposit confirms. The system locks the rate for a short window after you click start, but network congestion can push your transaction past that window.

Once you submit, you get a deposit address and, for some coins, a memo or destination tag.

What is a memo or destination tag and when do I have to include one

Some blockchains use a single address for many users. Stellar, Ripple, and certain exchanges on BNB Chain require a tag or memo to identify which incoming transaction belongs to whom. If you send coins to a deposit address that requires a tag and you omit it, the system cannot match your deposit to your swap. The coins arrive but are unassignable. You will need to contact support with proof of the transaction. Including the tag correctly is mandatory, not optional. The form will show a field for it when it is required. Do not skip it.

What happens after you send

You broadcast the transaction from your wallet. The blockchain records it. The system detects the pending transaction and waits for confirmations. The number of confirmations required depends on the coin and the amount. Bitcoin typically needs one to three confirmations. Ethereum needs about twelve. This wait is not the site being slow. It is the blockchain doing its job - preventing double-spends.

Once enough confirmations arrive, the system sends the swapped coins to the receiving address you provided. That outgoing transaction has its own network fee, deducted from the amount you receive. The site does not charge a separate fee. The cost is built into the exchange rate.

What should I do if I sent my coins but nothing shows up in the other wallet

Three things can delay or prevent receipt. First, insufficient confirmations. Wait longer. Check a block explorer for the receiving wallet address to see if any transaction has been broadcast. Second, you sent the wrong amount. Some swaps have a minimum. If you sent below it, the system will not process the swap. You will need to contact support and provide the deposit transaction ID. Third, you sent the wrong coin to the deposit address. If you send bitcoin to a deposit address that expects ether, the system cannot read it. Recovery is possible in many cases but requires manual intervention and may take days.

What is the smallest amount I should swap first to make sure everything works

Swap a small test amount first. The minimum for each pair is shown in the form. Use that number or slightly above it. If the test works, you know your wallet, the tag (if any), and the receiving address are all correct. Then do the full amount. This practice avoids losing a large sum to a typo.

How can I check a swap site is real before I send anything

Verify the domain name character by character. Phishing sites use look-alike domains. Bookmark the correct URL. Check that the site uses HTTPS with a valid certificate. Look for a history of public discussion about the service. Established swap sites have been mentioned on forums and in guides for years. If you find no trace of the site outside its own pages, be cautious. Search for the domain name plus words like "scam" or "fake review." If results are empty, that is not reassurance. It means nobody has written about the site yet. That could be fine for a new service, but it is a risk.

No swap site can guarantee that your transaction is private. The blockchains themselves are public. Anyone can see the amounts and addresses. The site does not log your IP, but the blockchain data is visible forever. Treat every swap as if a stranger is watching.

When you are ready, use the form above. Enter the amount, paste your receiving address, and follow the instructions. Start small. Check the tag. Wait for confirmations. That is the entire process.