Atomic Swap
A trustless exchange of assets across chains using time-locked contracts.
An atomic swap enables two parties to exchange assets across different blockchains without a centralized intermediary. Using Hash Time-Locked Contracts (HTLCs), both sides either complete or both refund—there's no partial completion, hence "atomic."
Atomic swaps require compatible scripting primitives and synchronized timeouts. Liquidity and UX challenges limit mainstream use compared to DEXs on a single chain.
Related terms
3 linkedExplore connected entries beyond the alphabetical index.
Decentralized Exchange
→A decentralized exchange (DEX) lets users trade digital assets from their wallets through smart contracts or peer-to-peer settlement.
Simplified Payment Verification (SPV)
→A lightweight verification method that checks block headers and Merkle proofs without downloading full blocks.
Opcode
→A fundamental element of Bitcoin's scripting language that enables complex transactions.
All terms and definitions may update as the Cryptionary improves.
