BTC to XMR Atomic Swaps: Step-by-Step eigenwallet Guide

If you already hold Bitcoin, an atomic swap is the cleanest way to turn it into Monero without trusting a company with your coins. The main tool for this today is eigenwallet, the desktop app that grew out of the UnstoppableSwap project. This guide explains what happens during a swap, walks you through your first one, and spends extra time on the part most people skip: what to do when a swap does not finish.

What an atomic swap actually is

A normal exchange works on trust: you send coins and hope the other side sends theirs. An atomic swap replaces that trust with cryptography. The Bitcoin and Monero transactions are linked so that only two outcomes are possible:

• the swap completes and both sides receive what they agreed, or
• the swap is cancelled and the Bitcoin goes back to its owner.

There is no state where one side walks away with both coins, as long as each party acts within the time limits built into the protocol.

In eigenwallet you are the taker. Makers are people or businesses running automated software that holds XMR and quotes a price for BTC. They set their own rates, minimums and maximums, and you choose whom to trade with.

eigenwallet in brief

eigenwallet describes itself as a Monero wallet with built-in atomic swaps. Key points:

• It runs on Linux, macOS and Windows; mobile is listed as coming later.
• It is open source and donation-funded, developed in the eigenwallet/core repository, a fork of the original COMIT xmr-btc-swap code.
• Traffic goes over Tor by default.
• It also works as a normal Monero wallet for sending and receiving XMR.

The latest stable release when this was written was 4.14.0 from August 2026. Earlier 2026 releases added a guided wallet setup with seed backup and lowered the protocol minimum swap size.

Tip: Download only from the official site or the GitHub releases page. Search ads and lookalike domains are a common source of malicious wallet builds.

Costs to expect

The app shows the final rate, fees and deposit ratio before you confirm, so compare offers on the XMR you will actually receive.

Your first swap, step by step

1. Install eigenwallet from the official site and complete the setup wizard. Write down the Monero seed it shows you and store it offline.
2. Open the Swap page and click to view current offers. Note each maker’s limits, rate and anti-spam deposit.
3. Deposit BTC to the internal Bitcoin address shown at the top of the page. The app will swap everything in this wallet, so send only the amount you want to convert. Very small amounts often get poor rates; the docs suggest around 0.003 BTC or more for better pricing.
4. Choose an offer with “Select”. Offers you cannot afford with your balance are greyed out.
5. Review and confirm within the time shown: BTC sent, XMR received, final rate, network fees and anti-spam ratio.
6. Leave the app open while the stages run:
   • Your BTC lock confirms, usually in about 10 minutes.
   • The maker locks XMR, usually a couple of minutes later.
   • The maker redeems your BTC.
   • The app redeems your XMR into your wallet.
7. Wait for Monero’s 10-confirmation lock before spending the new XMR.

Choosing a maker

The offer list can look like a row of nearly identical numbers. A few things are worth comparing beyond the headline rate:

• Final XMR amount. This already includes the maker’s markup, so it is the fairest number to compare.
• Minimum and maximum. A maker whose maximum is barely above your amount may not have much XMR available; one with comfortable limits is less likely to run short mid-swap.
• Anti-spam deposit. A deposit-free offer at a similar rate removes one small refund risk.
• Consistency. If you swap regularly, note which makers completed quickly for you before. The protocol protects you either way, but a reliable maker saves time.

There is no reputation system that guarantees a maker will behave, and you do not need one: the protocol is what protects your funds. Maker choice mostly affects price and convenience.

Market makers and liquidity

Makers run a program called the automated swap backend, which holds XMR, watches the Bitcoin chain and quotes prices automatically. Anyone with spare XMR and a server can become one, and the project publishes documentation for doing so. That openness is why rates and limits vary: each maker prices in their own costs and risk. When few makers are online, spreads widen, so if a quote looks poor it can be worth checking again later.

When a swap does not finish

Most swaps complete without trouble, but you need to understand the fallback, because it has deadlines.

The timeline

1. Cancel becomes possible after about 5 hours. If the swap has not completed after 30 Bitcoin confirmations, either party can publish a cancel transaction. Cancelling does not return your BTC by itself.
2. Refund window of about 24 hours. Once the cancel confirms, you have 144 Bitcoin blocks to publish your refund transaction. Only you can do this.
3. Punishment after the window. If you have not refunded in time, the maker can take your BTC. From then on the protocol no longer guarantees you anything.

The app does not need to run the whole time. It only needs to be opened for a few minutes at some point inside the refund window. But if you are travelling or offline for a day and a half, you could miss it.

Warning: Do not start a swap right before a trip, a long flight or anything that might keep you away from the computer for more than a day. A stalled swap needs your attention within roughly 29 hours of starting.

If you missed the window

eigenwallet will ask the maker for a cooperative redeem when you resume the swap, which can still deliver your XMR. Makers are not obliged to help, and the chance drops the longer you wait. Treat it as a last resort, not a plan.

The anti-spam deposit

Some makers require part of your BTC to be set aside in a separate lock, for example 2% or 5%. It costs nothing extra and is irrelevant if the swap succeeds. On a refund you get most of your BTC back first, then the rest after a short extra timelock of about three blocks. During that short window a maker can withhold the deposit if they believe you are spamming refunds, which the docs describe as rare. Deposit-free offers also exist.

If you need help with a withheld deposit, use the project’s official Discord or Matrix channels with your swap ID. Ignore anyone who messages you privately offering support, and never share your seed.

Troubleshooting common problems

The swap seems stuck after I locked BTC

Check whether your BTC lock has confirmed. During periods of high Bitcoin fees a low-fee transaction can sit unconfirmed for a while. Keep the app open; the maker only locks XMR after your BTC is confirmed.

The maker never locked XMR

If the maker goes offline after your BTC is locked, you cannot be forced to lose your coins, but you will need the refund path. Wait until cancel becomes available (about 5 hours), then let the app cancel and refund. Make a note of the time so you stay well inside the refund window.

My Monero balance does not show the swap yet

The app redeems your XMR once the maker has claimed your BTC. Newly received Monero needs 10 confirmations before it can be spent, so the balance may show as locked for around 20 minutes. Make sure the wallet is fully synced with its node.

I closed the app mid-swap

That is fine as long as you reopen it in time. Resuming the swap continues from where it left off. Just do not leave it closed for more than a day if the swap had not finished.

Privacy notes

• No account and no ID are involved.
• The Bitcoin side is public. Anyone can see the BTC lock transaction. If your BTC came from an exchange with your name on it, that link exists on the Bitcoin chain up to the swap.
• The Monero side is private once the XMR lands in your wallet.
• Tor is on by default, which hides your IP address from makers.

For more on breaking links between identities and coins, see Privacy & OpSec.

Atomic swaps compared with other routes

What about selling XMR for BTC?

The eigenwallet app is focused on buying XMR. Running a maker yourself is one way to sell, but it is a server-style setup aimed at advanced users. Other non-custodial options include BasicSwap, a desktop atomic swap DEX that lists XMR/BTC and other Monero pairs in both directions, and Haveno crypto trades. These are covered in the Buy, Sell & Swap section.

Quick checklist

• Official download, seed written down.
• Only the intended BTC amount in the internal wallet.
• Offer checked for rate, limits and anti-spam deposit.
• Time available over the next day in case of a refund.
• XMR confirmed in your wallet before you close the swap from your mind.