Set a Minimum for a Cross-Chain Swap

Set a minimum output to define the least amount of the destination asset you will accept for a cross-chain swap. First, the quote estimates what your input should receive. You then set a floor, usually by choosing a slippage tolerance: if the trade would return less than that floor when executed, the swap pauses or fails according to the protocol’s rules.

What does a minimum output do?

The minimum output turns a quote into a condition for execution. The swap route uses your source asset, finds liquidity for the exchange, and calculates the destination amount after the applicable trading costs. The protocol compares that result with your floor. If the result meets or exceeds it, the swap can proceed; if not, the swap does not meet your instruction.

For example, a quote might estimate 100 units out, and your chosen tolerance might set the floor at 98. A result of 98 or more passes that check; 97.9 does not. The figures are illustrative. A minimum output is like a limit on a shop order: it tells the system the least acceptable result, while leaving it to find a trade at that level or better.

On Chainflip, a minimum accepted price can stop a swap from executing below the set price. Its account of Chainflip’s native cross-chain swap mechanics explains the broader route; here, the key point is that a price condition is checked against available liquidity.

How do you choose the minimum?

Choose the floor from the quoted output and the largest decline you are willing to accept. A tighter floor protects the quoted value more closely, but can leave the swap waiting or cause it to fail if the market moves or liquidity cannot fill the trade. A looser floor makes execution more likely while allowing a worse result.

Before confirming, check:

• The quoted output and the minimum output use the same destination asset and units.
• The floor reflects your tolerance for price movement, not a guess about what the market will do.
• Fees and network costs are shown separately or included in the estimate, so you know what the displayed output represents.
• The refund address and deadline or retry period are correct if the swap can be returned after failing its price check.

Do not confuse this floor with a minimum deposit. A protocol may also set a minimum input amount for each source asset. Deposits below that threshold can be rejected or, under some protocols’ rules, may not be recoverable. Check the asset-specific limit before sending funds.

What happens if the swap misses the floor?

The outcome depends on the protocol and swap settings. Some systems retry while waiting for a price that meets the condition, then refund the input if the deadline passes. A swap split into smaller trades may apply the minimum to each part; one part can succeed while a later part fails. Read the execution and refund terms before setting the floor, especially when the swap uses multiple chunks.

For most readers, the useful choice is a minimum tied to the quote and a tolerance they can explain. It does not guarantee a particular output or protect against every fee. It gives the swap a clear boundary: execute at or above this amount, or follow the protocol’s stated failure path.