A cross-chain swap quote can expire before a deposit is final because the quote prices a moment, while block confirmations take time. Send within the quote’s stated window, then let the network confirm; if the window passes before you broadcast, get a fresh quote and check its expected output again.
Refresh the quote if you have not sent the deposit
A quote is a time-limited estimate of the amount you may receive, based on current prices, pool liquidity and fees. It can go stale while you compare routes or approve a wallet transaction, because other trades can change pool prices.
A thor swap service can quote a BTC-to-ETH route before you send BTC, giving you an expected output to compare with other routes. THORChain’s developer docs say its quotes should be treated as valid for 10 minutes and warn against sending funds after expiry.
If the deadline passes before you broadcast, request a new quote and compare the new output and any stated minimum. For example, a fresh quote could show less ETH than the earlier estimate because pool prices or fees changed. This approach suits someone who wants current terms before committing, but it does not make Bitcoin confirm faster.
After broadcast, watch the deposit and its price limit
Once you broadcast a deposit within the quote window, confirmation is a separate step from the quote countdown. A Bitcoin transaction averages about 10 minutes to get its first confirmation, and cross-chain systems may wait for more confirmations to reduce the chance of a chain reorganisation, when recent blocks are replaced.
For example, you broadcast BTC at minute eight of a ten-minute quote. The countdown may end before Bitcoin confirms, but the relevant question is whether the deposit was sent in time and what execution conditions it carries. THORChain’s quote response includes an expiry and can encode a minimum output, a floor that makes the swap fail or refund if the price moves too far against you.
Check the transaction’s broadcast time, the deposit status and any minimum-output condition. Bitcoin’s developer guide explains why confirmations build confidence gradually; finality, meaning the point at which reversal is unlikely, is not the same as a quote deadline. If a thor swap quote has expired before you send, refresh it rather than relying on the old estimate.
In short, quote expiry protects the price estimate before you send, while confirmations protect the network after broadcast. Compare the fresh output and the minimum you will accept, then send only while the quote is valid.