What’s an Atomic Swap?
An atomic swap is the cross-chain alternate of cryptocurrencies completed in a peer-to-peer (P2P) method utilizing a hash timelock sensible contract.
Atomic swaps are thought of among the many most decentralized and trustless methods to commerce cryptocurrencies throughout totally different blockchains as a result of they don’t rely on a third-party crypto alternate or a liquidity pool.
How Do Atomic Swaps Work?
Atomic swaps use particular sensible contracts referred to as hash timelock contracts to facilitate trustless peer-to-peer cross-chain buying and selling. These contracts act as vaults or escrow accounts the place the commerce contributors deposit their tokens. The commerce is simply executed when predetermined situations are met, like depositing a certain quantity of crypto.
As soon as the cryptocurrencies are deposited within the hash timelock contract, every get together should submit cryptographic proofs as a way to execute the contract. If the proofs should not offered throughout the specified time restrict, the sensible contract will mechanically return the deposited crypto tokens to their respective homeowners.
Hash Timelock Contract
To get a greater understanding of the definition of atomic swaps, let’s learn slightly extra about hash timelock contracts.
A hash timelock contract is a time-bound sensible contract that’s managed by a non-public key and cryptographic hash. As a way to execute the contract, the buying and selling events should meet all of the predetermined situations inside a specified timeframe in any other case, the deposited tokens shall be despatched again to their homeowners.
Atomic Swaps Defined With Examples
Right here is an atomic swap instance of how cross-chain buying and selling of crypto might be executed in a peer-to-peer method:
- Beth needs B tokens however has solely A tokens. She reaches out to Charlie, who owns B tokens. They agree on the alternate charge of two:1 and finalize that Beth will give 10 A tokens for Charlie’s 5 tokens.
- Beth creates a hash timelock contract that can expire on 21 September, 1 PM BST, and deposits 10 A tokens. In doing so, Beth receives a personal key to the contract. She creates a cryptographic hash of the non-public key and sends it to Charlie.
- Charlie makes use of the cryptographic hash to confirm whether or not Beth has deposited the agreed quantity of tokens into the contract. Since Charlie doesn’t have the non-public key to the contract, he can not entry the tokens deposited by Beth.
- Charlie makes use of the cryptographic hash obtained from Beth to create a brand new contract tackle the place he deposits 5 B tokens. For the reason that new tackle was created utilizing the hash of Beth’s non-public key, she will be able to declare the 5 B tokens deposited by Charlie. When Beth claims the funds, the non-public keys to the contract are revealed to Charlie.
- Charlie can now declare the ten A tokens deposited by Beth and full the swap. If Charlie doesn’t full the transaction throughout the time restrict, the tokens claimed by Beth will return to Charlie.
If the atomic swap is accomplished inside the timeframe, the contract can’t be reverted, and the transaction shall be closing.
Benefits and Disadvantages of Atomic Swaps
Execs
- Elimination of third-party threat: Atomic swaps don’t contain third-party crypto exchanges or centralized entities for buying and selling. Merchants have full management over the transaction.
- Liquidity for unique pairs: Merchants on crypto exchanges will typically discover it tough to commerce unique token pairs as a consequence of low liquidity on the alternate. Atomic swaps don’t rely on liquidity swimming pools to facilitate buying and selling.
- Decrease prices: Customers incur hidden prices when utilizing third-party exchanges. Due to this fact, it’s cheaper to commerce utilizing atomic swaps than on third-party exchanges.
- Direct swaps: When utilizing decentralized crypto exchanges (DEX), merchants typically must convert their tokens to stablecoins or bridge their cryptos as a way to full a desired commerce. Atomic swaps eradicate these further steps.
- Assure and safety: Atomic swaps are coded to execute solely when all of the required situations are met. If the swap isn’t full throughout the specified timeframe, the tokens are returned to their homeowners. Nevertheless, as soon as finalized, atomic swaps can’t be reverted.
Cons
- Complexity: The largest downside of atomic swaps is they’re tough and complicated to make use of. Customers must know tips on how to create hash timelock contracts. Situations akin to alternate charges and deadlines have to be agreed upon beforehand. The vast majority of crypto customers choose utilizing centralized and decentralized crypto exchanges as it’s easy and simple to make use of.
- Assaults: The crypto world is filled with malicious actors seeking to make a fast buck. It is a large concern for atomic swaps, since these swaps might take a number of blocks to be accomplished, an attacker might monitor the contract addresses and goal the commerce.
- Cross-chain compatibility: Cross-chain atomic swaps can solely be facilitated between two appropriate blockchains that use the identical hashing algorithm.
Are Atomic Swaps Higher Than Bridges?
Atomic swaps are sometimes in contrast with cross-chain bridges. The 2 applied sciences facilitate the motion of cryptocurrencies between totally different blockchains. They remedy the ever-present drawback of isolation that blockchain networks endure from.
Nevertheless, the way in which atomic swaps and bridges facilitate cross-chain token switch is totally totally different from each other.
Bridges are simple to make use of. All you could do is join your crypto pockets to a cross-chain bridge and pay transaction charges, and you’ll switch your cryptocurrencies from one blockchain to a different.
The method is very easy that crypto wallets like MetaMask combination obtainable cross-chain bridges for customers permitting cross-chain swaps instantly on the pockets’s interface.
Nevertheless, bridges endure from centralization dangers and are regularly focused by hackers. Bridges are sometimes secured by exterior validators making them dangerous. As of September 2023, over $2.66 billion price of cryptocurrencies have been stolen from cross-chain.
Quite the opposite, the peer-to-peer nature of cross-chain swaps facilitated by atomic swaps makes them the go-to choice if safety is a consumer’s greatest concern.
Extra importantly, atomic swaps enable the switch of native tokens, whereas bridges facilitate cross-chain transactions by creating wrapped tokens and lock-and-mint mechanisms.
The Backside Line
Atomic swap is an underused expertise within the crypto trade. As extra folks turn into conscious of the expertise and the crypto group turns into extra involved about safety, we might see development in atomic swap use.
We’re already seeing the event of decentralized exchanges that use atomic swap expertise, the place the alternate makes use of a decentralized order ebook and never a liquidity pool to facilitate trades.
