Atomic swap

An atomic swap is a crypto exchange between two parties that is designed to either complete fully or fail completely. It lets users trade assets across compatible networks without one side sending funds while the other side does not. Atomic swaps usually rely on cryptographic conditions or smart-contract-style rules that both sides must satisfy. They are more technical than a normal platform trade and are not common for beginners. Essentially, an atomic swap is a trust-minimized trade where both sides either complete an agreed upon transaction or neither side does.

For example two users can use an atomic swap to exchange Bitcoin for another crypto asset without trusting one side to send funds first.