Why Our Rates Lock the Moment You Create an Order

There are two ways instant exchanges can price a swap. Floating rate: you get whatever the market says when your deposit finally settles — sometimes better, often worse. Fixed rate: the number you see when creating the order is the number you receive, guaranteed.

We default to fixed-rate orders for exactly this reason. A 30-second price window can move 1–2% on a volatile day. Locking the rate at order creation means the quote you accepted is the settlement you get — no ambiguity, no re-calculation, no 'market moved' email.

The trade-off is a rate validity window (typically 15–30 minutes): your deposit must arrive within it. If it doesn't, the order expires and nothing was ever at risk — just create a new order at the current rate.