Why Does a Swap Amount Differ from the Original Quote?
The Quote Is an Estimateâ
When you swap in Gem Wallet, You Receive shows the provider's estimate at the moment of the quote. The final amount is set when the swap is executed, which can be seconds later for a same-chain swap or many minutes later for a cross-chain swap.
The amount you actually receive should be at least the Minimum Received shown before you confirmed. Within that range, it can be lower or higher than the estimate. See What Does Minimum Received Mean in a Swap?.
This page covers differences after you confirmed. For changes before you confirm, see Why Does My Swap Quote Change?.
Common Reasons the Amount Differsâ
| Reason | What happens |
|---|---|
| Price movement | The market price changes between the quote and execution. You can receive less or more, but not less than Minimum Received. See What is Slippage? |
| Price impact | A large swap moves the pool's price as it executes. See What is Price Impact? |
| Destination network fees | Cross-chain providers pay the fee to deliver on the destination network and deduct it from what you receive. When that network is busy, the fee is higher than when the quote was made |
| Provider fees | Provider and Gem Wallet fees are taken from the swap. They are already included in the quote, but fees that depend on the swapped amount move with it. See What are Gem Wallet Swap Fees? |
| Long cross-chain routes | Swaps from Bitcoin and other slow networks wait for confirmations before executing, so the price has more time to move |
| Swapping Max | For providers that need an exact amount, Gem Wallet keeps a little back for the network fee when you swap 100%. The amount actually swapped is shown on the confirmation screen, not the Swap screen |
Check Whether Your Amount Is Expectedâ
- Open the swap in Activity and note the amount received.
- Compare it with the Minimum Received you saw before confirming. If you didn't note it, the provider's explorer usually shows the minimum or limit used.
- For a cross-chain swap, open the provider's explorer from the swap details and check the fees deducted on the destination side.
- Open the destination transaction to confirm the exact amount delivered. See How to Verify the Destination Transaction of a Swap.
If you received at least the Minimum Received, the swap worked as expected.
When to Contact Supportâ
Contact Gem Wallet support from Settings > Support if:
- You received less than the Minimum Received.
- You received a different asset than expected. Some providers refund in a different asset, such as USDC or ETH. See What Does a Refunded Cross-Chain Swap Mean?.
- Nothing arrived on the destination network after the provider reported the swap as complete.
Include the swap's source transaction ID, the provider, and a screenshot of the swap details. Never share your Secret Phrase or private key.
Reduce the Difference Next Timeâ
- Swap smaller amounts in low-liquidity pairs to reduce price impact.
- Keep Slippage on Auto unless you have a reason to change it. A higher slippage lowers Minimum Received.
- For cross-chain swaps, check the estimated time on the quote. Faster routes leave less time for the price to move.