Guide · 4 min read
How long does a crypto swap take?
By the AltoSwap team · Reviewed and updated · Editorial policy
Short answerMost swaps finish in 5 to 30 minutes. Almost all of that time is the network confirming the coin you send: a few seconds for Solana or XRP, about 2 to 5 minutes for Ethereum, about 10 to 30 minutes for Bitcoin and about 20 minutes for Monero. The conversion and the payout usually add only a few minutes.
Typical time for the deposit to confirm
| Network you send on | Typical confirmation time |
|---|---|
| Bitcoin | about 10-30 minutes (1-2 confirmations) |
| Monero | about 20 minutes (10 confirmations) |
| Litecoin | about 5-15 minutes |
| Ethereum | about 2-5 minutes |
| Tron, BNB Smart Chain, Polygon | about 1-3 minutes |
| Arbitrum, Base, Optimism | about a minute |
| Solana, TON | usually under a minute |
| XRP Ledger | a few seconds |
The four stages
- Waiting for deposit: the swap exists and its deposit address is waiting for your payment.
- Confirming: your payment was seen on the network and is collecting confirmations.
- Sending: the deposit is confirmed and the payout is being sent to your address.
- Completed: the payout has been sent. Its transaction is listed on the swap page.
What makes a swap slower
- A low network fee on your deposit. A Bitcoin payment sent with a low fee can wait hours for its first confirmation.
- A busy network. Confirmation times stretch when many people are sending at once.
- An automated check. A small share of deposits are paused for review before they are converted.
- A slow payout network. Receiving Bitcoin or Monero takes longer to show in your wallet than receiving Solana.
When to start worrying
Not before the deposit has its confirmations. Check your deposit on a block explorer first. If it is confirmed and the swap has not moved for more than an hour, contact support with your swap ID.
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