What an Exchange Charges and How the Rate Is Built

An exchange rate has two parts: the live market price at the moment of the swap, and the service's fee. You don't control the market price. You do see the fee before you confirm. That's why comparing services by the final amount you receive is more useful than comparing advertised percentages.

What makes up the rate

The market price is set by supply and demand. It moves constantly. An exchange takes that as a baseline and adds its margin. The amount you receive reflects both.

Why do prices differ between services

Fee sizes differ. Services also pull market data with small timing differences. For the same pair, the final amount can vary by a noticeable amount even if the advertised fee looks similar.

What is a spread

The spread is the gap between the buy price and the sell price. More liquid coins have a smaller spread. Stablecoins and top coins trade with minimal spread. Less common assets cost more.

Why you should look at the final amount, not the percentage

"Zero commission" does not mean zero cost: the spread can be baked into the rate. Compare how many coins you receive, not the headline figure.

How to read the total before you confirm

A straightforward exchange shows you what you send and what you get before you confirm. On swapss.lol/exchange, the result appears as soon as you enter the amount, with no account needed.