How to swap tokens on WAX
A plain, step-by-step walkthrough of swapping tokens on WAX with a non-custodial aggregator, including how slippage and best execution actually work.
Swapping tokens on WAX means trading one token for another directly on-chain, with no exchange holding your funds. Here is how to swap tokens on WAX with a non-custodial aggregator, start to finish.
1. Connect a WAX wallet
You need a WAX wallet. The common options are Anchor, the WAX Cloud Wallet, and Wombat. Connecting only shares your public account name. The app never sees your private keys, and every action is signed in your wallet.
2. Pick the pair and enter an amount
Choose the token you are paying and the token you want to receive, then type an amount. A good aggregator quotes the route across every venue with liquidity, so the number you see is the best available output, not just one pool's price.
3. Check the quote and slippage
Before you sign, read two things: the estimated output and the minimum received. The minimum received is protected by your slippage tolerance, often 0.5 percent by default. If the market moves past that between quote and execution, the trade reverts instead of filling at a bad price.
4. Sign the transaction
Signing happens in your wallet. The swap then executes on the destination contract. Because it is non-custodial, the tokens move from your wallet to the pool and back to your wallet in one transaction. If anything is off, it reverts and you keep your tokens, minus the small network fee.
Best execution, briefly
WAX liquidity is spread across Alcor, TacoSwap, and native pools. Prices differ between them and change through the day. Routing your trade through whichever venue is deepest at that moment is what "best execution" means, and it is the main reason to use an aggregator rather than a single DEX.
A note on fees
Two fees apply. The destination pool takes its own liquidity fee, which you would pay on any DEX. An aggregator may add a small routing fee on top, disclosed in the quote before you sign. Read the preview so there are no surprises.
FAQ
Do I need to create an account to swap on WAX?
No. You connect a WAX wallet such as Anchor, WAX Cloud Wallet, or Wombat. There is no signup, and the app never sees your keys.
What is slippage?
Slippage is how far the final price is allowed to move from the quote before the trade reverts. A common default is 0.5 percent. Set it too low and volatile pairs may fail; too high and you accept a worse price.
Why did my swap revert?
Usually because the price moved past your slippage tolerance between quote and execution, or the pool did not have enough liquidity. Nothing is lost on a revert except the network fee.