Floating or fixed: picking the right rate for your swap
A floating rate tracks the market until your deposit confirms, while a fixed rate locks your amount. Here is when each one comes out ahead.
Every swap starts with a choice between two rate types. On screen they look nearly identical. Under the hood, they treat risk in completely different ways.
How floating works
Think of a floating rate as an estimate. What you receive is worked out at the moment your deposit confirms on the blockchain, based on the market right then. A price move in your favour during the wait means more coins for you. A move against you means fewer.
Because it does not need to cover the risk of market swings, floating tends to show the more attractive number.
How fixed works
With a fixed rate, the amount you see is the amount you get, provided your deposit shows up inside a time window, which is often 10 to 20 minutes. We carry the market risk during that time, so a small premium is built into the rate.
Which one fits your swap
- Floating makes sense in calm markets and when the coin you send confirms quickly, like Tron, Solana or Litecoin.
- Fixed makes sense when prices are swinging hard, when you need a precise amount to arrive, or when certainty matters more to you than the last fraction of a percent.
- Think twice about fixed on slow chains. When fees spike, Bitcoin blocks can be slow to arrive. If your deposit is not detected within the window, the fixed rate may lapse.
Comparing them on Swap1337
At the top of the swap box you can flip between Floating and Fixed. For each mode, the swap box shows exactly what reaches your wallet after all fees, plus how far that is from the open market price. Comparing the two takes a few seconds, so check both before you commit. Swapping $100,000 or more? Talk to our private desk and agree on a price before you send.
Quick answers
Does a fixed rate always cost more?
Usually a little, since we take on the price risk for you while the window is open. In a market that is dropping fast, it can still beat floating.
What if my deposit is late on a fixed rate swap?
A deposit that lands after the window gets either recalculated at the current rate or refunded. The safest move is to send as soon as the swap is created.
Ready to swap? See the live rate. No account needed.
