A swap that takes long is usually still running. Open Activity, open the swap and check which step is pending. If a swap is refunded, the coin you sent comes back to the address you sent it from, minus network fees.
On this page
Most swaps finish within minutes, but some routes need longer and a few are refunded. This page shows how to find out what is happening and what you can do.
Check the status first
- Open Activity with the icon at the top of the main screen.
- Tap the swap.
- Look at the steps. A cross-chain swap usually shows 1. Inbound, 2. Swap and 3. Outbound. The step that is still loading is where your swap is right now.
- Tap Follow next to a step to open that transaction in a block explorer.
The app notes on this screen: all steps must complete before the asset shows in your wallet. For the meaning of each status, see How to track a swap.
In the web app: open Activity, select the swap and use View in explorer.
Why a swap takes long
| Cause | What happens |
|---|---|
| The sending chain is slow | A swap from Bitcoin waits for Bitcoin confirmations before the route starts. Swaps from Solana or an EVM chain usually start faster. |
| You picked a streaming route | Routes named Thorchain Streaming or Maya Streaming split the swap into parts over time. This can take from minutes to several hours. See Streaming swaps. |
| The route adds an outbound delay | THORChain and Maya can hold the payout for a set time before they send it. The app includes this in the estimated time. |
| A chain or route is paused | If a chain is halted or trading is paused, the swap waits or is refunded. |
| The network is busy | Congestion on either chain delays confirmations. |
A pending swap cannot be cancelled or sped up. Do not send the same swap again while the first one is pending.
If the swap is refunded
A route refunds a swap when it cannot complete it on the terms you signed. Common reasons:
- The price moved past your slippage tolerance, so the route could not deliver the minimum amount.
- The chain or the trading pair was paused.
- The amount was too small to cover the fees of the route.
What you get back:
- The coin you sent, not the coin you wanted to receive.
- On the original chain, at the address you sent it from. This is the same on THORChain, Maya, Chainflip and NEAR Intents, and it also applies when you set a different recipient address.
- Minus network fees. On THORChain and Maya the outbound fee of the refund is deducted.
In Activity the swap shows Refund. Open it and tap Follow on the last step to see the refund transaction.
A failed or refunded swap does not mean your coins are lost. Check the refund transaction in the explorer before you start a new swap.
If the status is unknown
Status unknown appears when the app could not find your transaction 30 minutes after it was sent. The transaction may still have gone through. Tap Check explorer. If the explorer shows the transaction as confirmed, the swap continues or has completed. If the explorer does not know the transaction, it was most likely never included. Check your balance before you try again.
Contact support
Contact support in the chat inside the app if:
- a step is still pending long after the estimated time of the route,
- the explorer shows a problem you cannot interpret,
- Activity shows Refund but the refund transaction has not arrived.
Send these details so support can find the swap at once:
- the transaction ID (hash) from the swap details in Activity,
- the coin and chain you sent, and the coin and chain you wanted to receive,
- the route (shown as Provider in the details),
- your sending and receiving addresses,
- a screenshot of the swap details.
Support will never ask for your recovery phrase.
Related
Common questions
How long can a swap take?
From under a minute to several hours. It depends on the route and on how fast the sending chain confirms. Streaming routes split the swap into parts and can run for hours. The route list shows the estimate before you confirm.
Where does a refund go?
A refund returns the coin you sent, on its original chain, to the address you sent it from. It does not arrive as the coin you wanted to receive, and network fees are deducted.
Can I cancel a swap that is pending?
No. Once the transaction is sent it cannot be cancelled, changed or sped up, by you or by THORWallet. It either completes or is refunded by the route.
Can THORWallet refund my swap?
No. THORWallet is a self-custody wallet and never holds your coins. The route that runs the swap completes it or refunds it on-chain.
My swap shows Success but I do not see the coin. What now?
Check the coin on the chain you selected as destination, for example USDT on TRON and not USDT on Ethereum. If you set a different recipient address, the coin went to that address.
What does Status unknown mean?
The app could not find the transaction 30 minutes after it was sent. It may still have gone through. Tap Check explorer to see the real state on the blockchain.
Thank you.
Sorry about that. Chat with support inside the app, or write to info@thorwallet.org. Support will never ask for your recovery phrase.