A wallet-to-wallet swap is complete when the output asset reaches your destination wallet and is confirmed on its network. Monero blocks arrive about every two minutes on average, but the full swap can take longer because two blockchains must process it. A “sent” notice alone does not prove the other asset arrived.
- A swap has a send stage and a separate receive stage.
- Check the destination wallet on the correct network.
- Monero’s privacy means public explorers cannot show all payment details.
What does “complete” mean for a swap?
“Complete” means the asset you expected is visible at the receiving address, on the intended network, with enough confirmations for your needs. A confirmation means the network has included a transaction in a block. More blocks after it make a reversal less likely.
There are several stages: your wallet broadcasts the deposit, the sending network confirms it, the swap service processes it, and the destination network confirms the payout. A status such as “received” may refer only to the deposit. Look for the payout transaction and check it in the destination wallet.
For example, if you swap XMR for BTC, first your Monero wallet sends XMR to the swap service. After the deposit meets that service’s confirmation rules, it sends BTC to your Bitcoin address. The swap is not complete for you until the BTC arrives there.
Why are there two sets of confirmations?
Each blockchain keeps its own transaction history, so the deposit and payout confirm separately. The service must see the deposit on its network before it can safely release the other asset. Its required number of confirmations can vary by network and service.
Bitcoin blocks take about 10 minutes on average, though a transaction’s first confirmation may take longer if its fee is low or the network is busy. The Bitcoin Developer Guide describes six confirmations, roughly an hour on average, as a common safety threshold for high-value payments. It is a rule of thumb, not a guarantee or a fixed wait.
Monero’s official payment guide says a transaction is confirmed when a miner includes it in a block, which takes about two minutes on average. It also says received funds need at least 10 confirmations before they can be spent. An XMR bridge may set its own deposit threshold, so your wallet showing one confirmation does not mean processing has begun.
How can you check the payout yourself?
Use the transaction ID, or txid: the transaction’s unique reference. Check it in a wallet or a block explorer, a website that reads a public blockchain. Confirm that the destination address and network match your wallet. Then check that the balance appears there.
- Open the wallet that should receive the asset, and select the right network.
- Find the payout txid in the swap record, if one is shown.
- Look up that txid in your wallet or the destination network’s explorer.
- Check for the expected asset and amount, allowing for any network fee taken from the payout.
- Wait for further confirmations if the transfer is valuable or still shows as pending.
For an Ethereum token, check that the wallet is viewing Ethereum and the correct token. Ethereum.org explains that a transaction is finalized when its block reaches the network’s finality checkpoints. A wallet may show an incoming transaction before it reaches that stronger state.
What if the wallet does not show the expected asset?
First check the network and address you gave the service. A token sent on one network may not appear in a wallet view set to another. If the payout txid shows a confirmed transaction to the right address, refresh or rescan the wallet. If no payout txid appears, the deposit may still be confirming or processing.
Monero needs extra care: its public blockchain hides amounts and recipient addresses. The Monero project’s payment guide explains that a public explorer cannot verify those details as it can for Bitcoin. Keep your wallet’s transaction record and compare the txid with the service’s record; do not assume an explorer can prove which address received XMR.
Before sending, copy the destination address from your own wallet and check the selected network once more. If you are still deciding how to move Monero into BTC, ETH or USDT, read how an XMR bridge moves Monero for the full explanation. A useful habit is to save both transaction IDs until the output appears.
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