BasicSwap Github

DEX Comparison

How BasicSwap compares with centralized exchanges, instant swap services, Haveno, Bisq, THORChain and other DEXs on custody, ID checks, fees and Monero support.

There are many ways to swap one coin for another, and they differ most in who holds your coins during the trade, what they ask you to prove about yourself, and which coins they can handle. The table compares BasicSwap with centralized exchanges, instant swap services and the other decentralized exchanges people use for Bitcoin and Monero, on those points and a few more, with every cell linking to the source it comes from.

  • in your favour
  • with conditions
  • against you

sources checked 15 October 2026 · numbers link to them

Centralized servicesDecentralized exchangesThis DEX
Centralized exchanges(Kraken, Binance)Instant swap services(ChangeNOW)HavenoBisqeigenwallet(formerly UnstoppableSwap)THORChainSerai DEX(not live yet)BasicSwap
Trust
Who holds your coinsThe exchange holds them1Keeps no balances, but you send coins to its address for each swap8,9You, in a 2-of-3 multisig with the other trader and an arbitrator13,12You, in a 2-of-2 multisig escrow with the other trader17You, in an atomic swap between two peers with no third party21,20Network vaults hold coins during a swap24Planned, with validator-run threshold multisig31You, with the coins locked on-chain between the two traders32,34
Account or ID checksAccount and ID verification to deposit and trade2No account, but KYC in some countries or when a swap is flagged8None, only the desktop app16No registration or KYC17No accounts and no KYC20Permissionless protocol24Not stated30No accounts32
Trading
How trades are matchedOrder book3Instant quote from pooled exchange liquidity9Offers between makers and takers13Offers between traders17Makers listed in a public registry or found through rendezvous points23Liquidity pools, no order book25Planned, with liquidity pools paired with SRI30Decentralized order book32
What you can trade600+ crypto pairs, fiat and stablecoins (Kraken)41,000+ crypto assets10Monero against fiat and other crypto12,16Bitcoin against fiat and altcoins such as XMR, ETH and LTC17,19One way only, BTC for XMR and never XMR back to BTC, where BasicSwap swaps both ways22,35Native coins on about 15 chains, including BTC, ETH and SOL27Planned for BTC, ETH, DAI and XMR3112 coins, including BTC, XMR, LTC and DOGE32
Monero (XMR)Delisted by Binance (2024) and by Kraken in the EEA (2024)6,7Yes11Every trade is against XMR16Yes, against BTC18Partial integration, one side only. You can buy XMR with BTC, but not sell XMR back21,22Rolling out, in node software since Aug 2026 with swaps still in testing28,29Planned31Full integration, both sides. You can buy and sell native XMR against BTC and other coins32,35
Fees−0.02% to 0.80% per trade (Kraken)3Built into the quoted rate90.15% maker, and 0.5% for crypto or 0.75% for fiat as taker150.1% maker, 0.7% taker when paid in BTC17Built into each maker's own rate21Liquidity fee by trade size, plus an outbound fee26Planned, with swap fees paid to liquidity providers30None, only blockchain network fees32
Access
Fiat moneyBank transfer and cards, by country5Card purchases through partners9Paid directly between traders (SEPA, Zelle, Revolut…)14,16Paid directly between traders17Buy XMR with EUR by SEPA, in the EU only20No, crypto pools only25No, crypto only31No, crypto only32
Runs onWeb, mobile apps and API4Web, iOS and Android10Desktop (Linux, macOS, Windows) through third-party networks12Desktop17Desktop (Linux, macOS, Windows), with mobile announced20Third-party wallets and interfaces24Not live yet, with Cake Wallet named as a partner30Desktop (Linux, macOS, Windows), with mobile coming to Nexus Wallet33,36
  • BasicSwap
    Who holds your coins
    You, with the coins locked on-chain between the two traders32,34
    Account or ID checks
    No accounts32
    How trades are matched
    Decentralized order book32
    What you can trade
    12 coins, including BTC, XMR, LTC and DOGE32
    Monero (XMR)
    Full integration, both sides. You can buy and sell native XMR against BTC and other coins32,35
    Fees
    None, only blockchain network fees32
    Fiat money
    No, crypto only32
    Runs on
    Desktop (Linux, macOS, Windows), with mobile coming to Nexus Wallet33,36
  • Centralized exchangesKraken, Binance
    Who holds your coins
    The exchange holds them1
    Account or ID checks
    Account and ID verification to deposit and trade2
    How trades are matched
    Order book3
    What you can trade
    600+ crypto pairs, fiat and stablecoins (Kraken)4
    Monero (XMR)
    Delisted by Binance (2024) and by Kraken in the EEA (2024)6,7
    Fees
    −0.02% to 0.80% per trade (Kraken)3
    Fiat money
    Bank transfer and cards, by country5
    Runs on
    Web, mobile apps and API4
  • Instant swap servicesChangeNOW
    Who holds your coins
    Keeps no balances, but you send coins to its address for each swap8,9
    Account or ID checks
    No account, but KYC in some countries or when a swap is flagged8
    How trades are matched
    Instant quote from pooled exchange liquidity9
    What you can trade
    1,000+ crypto assets10
    Monero (XMR)
    Yes11
    Fees
    Built into the quoted rate9
    Fiat money
    Card purchases through partners9
    Runs on
    Web, iOS and Android10
  • Haveno
    Who holds your coins
    You, in a 2-of-3 multisig with the other trader and an arbitrator13,12
    Account or ID checks
    None, only the desktop app16
    How trades are matched
    Offers between makers and takers13
    What you can trade
    Monero against fiat and other crypto12,16
    Monero (XMR)
    Every trade is against XMR16
    Fees
    0.15% maker, and 0.5% for crypto or 0.75% for fiat as taker15
    Fiat money
    Paid directly between traders (SEPA, Zelle, Revolut…)14,16
    Runs on
    Desktop (Linux, macOS, Windows) through third-party networks12
  • Bisq
    Who holds your coins
    You, in a 2-of-2 multisig escrow with the other trader17
    Account or ID checks
    No registration or KYC17
    How trades are matched
    Offers between traders17
    What you can trade
    Bitcoin against fiat and altcoins such as XMR, ETH and LTC17,19
    Monero (XMR)
    Yes, against BTC18
    Fees
    0.1% maker, 0.7% taker when paid in BTC17
    Fiat money
    Paid directly between traders17
    Runs on
    Desktop17
  • eigenwalletformerly UnstoppableSwap
    Who holds your coins
    You, in an atomic swap between two peers with no third party21,20
    Account or ID checks
    No accounts and no KYC20
    How trades are matched
    Makers listed in a public registry or found through rendezvous points23
    What you can trade
    One way only, BTC for XMR and never XMR back to BTC, where BasicSwap swaps both ways22,35
    Monero (XMR)
    Partial integration, one side only. You can buy XMR with BTC, but not sell XMR back21,22
    Fees
    Built into each maker's own rate21
    Fiat money
    Buy XMR with EUR by SEPA, in the EU only20
    Runs on
    Desktop (Linux, macOS, Windows), with mobile announced20
  • THORChain
    Who holds your coins
    Network vaults hold coins during a swap24
    Account or ID checks
    Permissionless protocol24
    How trades are matched
    Liquidity pools, no order book25
    What you can trade
    Native coins on about 15 chains, including BTC, ETH and SOL27
    Monero (XMR)
    Rolling out, in node software since Aug 2026 with swaps still in testing28,29
    Fees
    Liquidity fee by trade size, plus an outbound fee26
    Fiat money
    No, crypto pools only25
    Runs on
    Third-party wallets and interfaces24
  • Serai DEXnot live yet
    Who holds your coins
    Planned, with validator-run threshold multisig31
    Account or ID checks
    Not stated30
    How trades are matched
    Planned, with liquidity pools paired with SRI30
    What you can trade
    Planned for BTC, ETH, DAI and XMR31
    Monero (XMR)
    Planned31
    Fees
    Planned, with swap fees paid to liquidity providers30
    Fiat money
    No, crypto only31
    Runs on
    Not live yet, with Cake Wallet named as a partner30

Sources, checked 15 October 2026

  1. Kraken: Proof of Reserves
  2. Kraken: How to get verified on Kraken
  3. Kraken: How trading fees work on Kraken
  4. Kraken: home page (Kraken Pro, 600+ crypto pairs, web and mobile)
  5. Kraken: How to deposit or withdraw fiat currencies
  6. Decrypt: Binance delists Monero (February 2024)
  7. Decrypt: Kraken delists XMR for European customers (October 2024)
  8. ChangeNOW: AML/KYC Policy
  9. ChangeNOW: FAQ (deposit addresses, fees, buying with a card)
  10. ChangeNOW: home page (1000+ assets, iOS and Android apps)
  11. ChangeNOW: Monero (XMR) exchange
  12. Haveno: home page
  13. Haveno docs: Trade protocol
  14. Haveno docs: payment methods
  15. Haveno source: HavenoUtils.java (fee constants)
  16. Monero's Decentralized P2P Exchanges (arXiv, 2025)
  17. Bisq Wiki: Frequently asked questions
  18. Bisq Wiki: Trading Monero
  19. Bisq Wiki: Altcoins
  20. eigenwallet: home page
  21. eigenwallet docs: overview
  22. eigenwallet source: swap README (BTC to XMR only)
  23. eigenwallet docs: Market maker discovery
  24. THORChain docs: introduction
  25. THORChain docs: Continuous liquidity pools
  26. THORChain docs: Fees
  27. THORChain dev docs: Chain clients
  28. THORNode releases v3.20.0 (Aug 2026) and v3.21.0 (Oct 2026)
  29. Cointelegraph: THORWallet integrates Monero (October 2026)
  30. Serai: home page
  31. Serai: README on GitHub
  32. BasicSwap v0.19.0: README
  33. BasicSwap v0.19.0: install guide
  34. BasicSwap docs: Under the Hood
  35. BasicSwap Desktop: which coins swap with which
  36. BasicSwap: Mobile

Where BasicSwap differs

  • No server in the middle

    Offers and swap messages travel between traders over peer-to-peer networks, and the swap runs on the two blockchains, so there's no company or server whose failure stops trading.

  • Native coins on both sides

    Each side pays in the real coin on its own chain, without wrapped tokens, synthetic assets or a bridge holding funds in between.

  • Less on-chain linkage

    Adaptor-signature swaps leave no shared hash on the two chains, so an observer has nothing on-chain that pairs the two halves of a swap.

  • No trading fees

    You pay each blockchain's network fees and nothing else.

  • Monero both ways

    You can buy and sell Monero against Bitcoin and other coins, from your own wallets, with no account.
Docs
Latest release v0.19.1