How to swap crypto in Cake Wallet
Cake Wallet's Swap screen sends your coins to a third-party provider, such as ChangeNOW, Trocador or Chainflip, which returns a different coin to the wallet or address you choose. You do not need an exchange account. The cost is built into the quoted rate, floating rates can move before the trade completes, and every trade has a Swap ID you need if anything goes wrong.
Quick steps
- Open the swap screen. Make sure the wallet you will send from is fully synced, then tap Swap on the home screen.
- Choose the pair. Set the coin you send and the coin you receive. For multi-network tokens such as USDT, choose the network. The receiving wallet defaults to your matching wallet; you can pick another wallet or paste an external address.
- Pick a rate type and provider. Leave the floating rate on for most swaps, or turn on Fixed rate to lock the amount. Keep Best Rate or choose a specific or decentralized provider.
- Enter the amount and compare. Check the estimated amount you will receive and the minimum. Compare the quote with the market rate if the amount is large.
- Confirm and send. Review the amounts, network fee, destination and Swap ID on the confirmation sheet, copy the Swap ID, then swipe to send.
- Track the trade. Open History, tap the trade and check its status, or use Track to open the provider's status page. Contact Cake Wallet support with the Swap ID if it stalls.
Swapping is one of Cake Wallet's most used features: you can turn Bitcoin into Monero, Litecoin into USDT or many other pairs without leaving the app or opening an exchange account. Cake Wallet itself does not run an exchange. It asks several outside providers for quotes and passes your trade to the one you pick (Cake Wallet docs, 2026). This page explains who those providers are, what the rate options mean, how Tor-only mode changes things and how to follow a trade until the coins arrive.
Swap providers in Cake Wallet (October 2026)
The list changes between versions. In version 6.5.0 (October 2026) the app's code offers eight providers. LetsExchange and StealthEX were removed in 6.5.0 and Exolix stays switched off; past trades with removed providers still show their status in History (Cake Wallet release notes, October 2026).
| Provider | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ChangeNOW | Centralized instant exchange | The app's default provider when it is available for the pair |
| Trocador | Aggregator | Routes the trade to a partner exchange; Cake Wallet's docs say it rates partners on KYC risk. The only provider used in Tor-only mode |
| SwapTrade | Centralized instant exchange | Applies a markup set by Cake (see costs below) |
| XOSwap | Centralized service | Support handled through Cake Wallet |
| Swaps.xyz | Centralized service | Turned off in 6.0.3 and again in 6.4.4, listed again for 6.5.0, so it may not always appear; support handled through Cake Wallet |
| Chainflip | Decentralized | Native cross-chain swaps settled by a protocol, not a company |
| NEAR Intents | Decentralized | Cross-chain swaps settled by a protocol |
| Jupiter | Decentralized | Swaps on Solana |
Older guides and some docs pages still mention SideShift, THORChain, Exolix, LetsExchange, StealthEX or SimpleSwap. None of them is offered for new swaps in the 6.5.0 code. You can set a preference in the swap screen: Best Rate (the default) compares all enabled providers, Decentralized Only limits quotes to Chainflip, NEAR Intents and Jupiter, or you can pick a single provider.
Floating rate vs fixed rate
A floating rate is the default. The provider shows an estimate that follows the market until your deposit is processed, so the amount you finally receive can be a little higher or lower than the quote. A fixed rate locks the amount you will receive, at a slightly worse rate (Cake Wallet docs, 2026). In the app, turning on Fixed rate also lets you type the amount you want to receive instead of the amount you send.
- Choose floating for most everyday swaps where a small difference does not matter.
- Choose fixed when you must receive an exact amount, for example to pay an invoice.
- A fixed quote expires. If your deposit arrives after it expires, the provider may refund it instead of trading it.
What a swap costs
There is no separate "swap fee" line. Cake Wallet says providers build their spread or fee into the quoted rate (Cake Wallet docs, 2026). That quoted rate can also include an affiliate fee or markup for Cake: the open-source code passes partner commission or markup settings to Chainflip, SwapTrade, Trocador, NEAR Intents and Jupiter. Their values are set when the app is built and are not published. The only figure visible in the code is 1.75% for THORChain routes, which are not offered in 6.5.0. On top of the rate you pay the normal network fee for your deposit, shown on the confirmation screen, and the provider covers the fee to send you the new coin out of its quote.
The practical way to judge the cost is to compare the quote with the market rate. Our swap cost calculator turns the two rates into a percentage. All fees are explained together on Cake Wallet fees.
Tor-only swaps
Under Settings, App settings, Connections, the Swap option has three modes: Enabled, Tor only and Disabled. In Tor only mode, Cake Wallet uses only providers that offer an onion address, which in practice means Trocador, so fewer pairs are available. Since 6.5.0 the app reaches Trocador through Trocador's own onion service (Cake Wallet release notes, October 2026). Built-in Tor is still marked experimental. Setup is covered in Cake Wallet privacy and Tor.
Tor hides your IP address from the provider. It does not hide the trade itself: the provider still sees the coins and addresses involved, and the blockchain records the deposit.
Before you swap
- Sync first. The app asks you to wait until the wallet is synchronized, and the receiving wallet must also be synced to show the incoming coins.
- Check the minimum. The app warns that if you send less than the minimum shown, the amount "may not get converted and it may not be refunded".
- Pick the right network. USDT, USDC and similar tokens exist on several chains. Choose the network you actually want to receive on.
- Memo or Extra ID. Some coins need one. If the app shows it, include it when sending from another wallet.
- KYC. Centralized providers have their own terms and can hold a trade for checks. Trocador's KYC ratings help you choose. Rules on privacy coins and which exchanges list them differ by country.
How to track a swap
Every swap appears in History. Tap it to open Trade Details, which shows the status, the ID (called Swap ID when you confirm), the pair, the provider and a Track link to the provider's own status page (Cake Wallet docs, 2026). The normal status flow is Waiting, then Sending, then Success. Some providers use their own words, such as Confirming, Exchanging, Refunded or Expired.
Most swaps finish within minutes, but cross-chain pairs and slow networks take longer. Monero deposits need confirmations before the provider acts, and your received Monero is spendable after about 10 more blocks. If a trade sits on one status for much longer than expected, follow swap stuck or not received.
When something goes wrong
Cake Wallet asks users to contact its support first, not the provider, with the Swap ID and the provider name (Cake Wallet docs, 2026). Use the in-app Support chat or [email protected]. Providers refund failed swaps, typically when a deposit is outside their range, a fixed quote has expired or confirmations are too few, so you may be asked for a refund address for the coin you sent.
Support needs only the Swap ID, the provider and the addresses involved. Nobody from Cake Wallet will ask for your seed, and Cake Wallet says it never messages users first. Anyone who contacts you about a "stuck swap" and asks for your seed is a scammer.
Pros and cons of swapping in the app
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| No exchange account, and coins go straight to your own wallet | The full cost is hidden in the rate, including any markup for Cake |
| Several providers compete on each quote | Centralized providers can delay a trade for checks |
| Decentralized and Tor-only options | Tor-only mode leaves only Trocador |
| Status and tracking in History | Refunds depend on the provider |
Frequently asked questions
Which swap providers does Cake Wallet use?
In version 6.5.0 (October 2026) the app offers ChangeNOW, Trocador, SwapTrade, XOSwap, Swaps.xyz, Chainflip, NEAR Intents and Jupiter. LetsExchange and StealthEX were removed in 6.5.0 and Exolix is off.
Does Cake Wallet take a fee on swaps?
Cake Wallet has no separate swap fee, but the quoted rate includes the provider's spread and can include an affiliate fee or markup for Cake. The size of these markups is not published.
Should I use a fixed or floating rate?
Floating is the default and usually slightly better value. Fixed locks the amount you receive at a slightly worse rate and suits exact payments.
Can I swap over Tor?
Yes. Set Swap to Tor only under Settings, Connections. Only Trocador is used in that mode, through its onion service, so fewer pairs are available.
Where do I find my Swap ID?
On the confirmation sheet, and later in History: tap the trade to open Trade Details, where it is shown as ID.
Do I need KYC to swap?
Cake Wallet itself requires no account. Providers have their own terms and can hold a trade for checks; Trocador shows KYC ratings for its partners.