What Is an Atomic Swap? An atomic swap is a smart contract-based technology that allows two parties to exchange cryptocurrencies from different blockchains directly, without relying on a centralized exchange or third-party intermediary. The term “atomic” refers to the indivisible nature of the transaction—it either completes in full or doesn’t happen at all.
This innovation is particularly useful in a decentralized environment where trust is minimized, and users retain full control over their private keys and funds.