MetricSwap Questions Answered
Everything you wanted to know about the MetricSwap protocol — swaps, pricing, fees, networks and security — collected in one place.
What is MetricSwap?
MetricSwap is an onchain trading protocol that lets you swap tokens directly from your wallet. No accounts, no custodial balances. Prices are computed against live liquidity on networks like Ethereum mainnet and Arbitrum, so the quote you see reflects what the market can actually fill — everything onchain, priced to reality.
How do I make my first swap on MetricSwap?
Connect a wallet such as MetaMask, Rabby or a WalletConnect-compatible app. Then pick the token you want to sell, choose what you want to receive, type an amount and review the quote. One signature later, the transaction is submitted onchain. If a token requires an approval first, MetricSwap will prompt you — the approval is a separate transaction that only needs to happen once per token.
Does MetricSwap charge any fees?
The MetricSwap interface takes no front end fees at all. You still pay the network's gas cost for the transaction, and a liquidity provider fee is already embedded in the pool price — usually a few basis points depending on the pool tier your trade routes through. Gas on Arbitrum and other L2 networks is typically a fraction of a dollar, while mainnet Ethereum can cost several dollars during busy periods.
Which networks does the protocol support?
MetricSwap routes trades across major EVM networks where deep liquidity exists. Ethereum mainnet covers the largest pairs, while layer-2 networks like Arbitrum offer cheaper gas for smaller trades. The token picker shows which assets are available on the currently selected network, so you always know what can actually be traded before you sign anything.
Why is my quoted amount different from what I expected?
Two things shape your final output: price impact and slippage. Large trades relative to a pool's depth move the price, which shows up as price impact in the quote. Slippage is the tolerance you allow between the quoted and executed price while the transaction waits in the mempool. If you see a big gap, try a smaller amount or a different route — the MetricSwap router will suggest better paths when they exist.
Is MetricSwap safe to use?
Your funds never sit in a MetricSwap account — trades settle wallet-to-wallet through audited smart contracts. That removes the classic custodial risk, but it doesn't remove every risk: fake tokens, malicious approvals and market volatility are still real. Always verify token contract addresses before swapping, and treat any token with no recognizable liquidity or community with caution.
What is a token approval and why do I need it?
ERC-20 tokens live under your address, so a contract needs explicit permission to move them. That permission is an approval transaction. MetricSwap asks for it once per token per contract. Approving exactly the amount you plan to spend is the safer habit; unlimited approvals are more convenient but give the contract ongoing access. You can revoke approvals at any time through your wallet or a revoke tool.
Can I trade any token on MetricSwap?
You can trade any token that has real liquidity on a supported network — just paste its contract address into the token picker if it isn't listed. Popular assets like ETH, USDC, USDT and WBTC appear by default. Less liquid tokens may show high price impact or fail to quote entirely, which is the protocol's way of telling you the market is too thin for that size.
What does "priced to reality" mean?
It's a promise about quote honesty. Some interfaces display mid-market prices that your trade can never actually get. MetricSwap computes the executable price after accounting for pool depth, fees and impact, so the number in the interface is the number the market will deliver. Smaller trades get better rates. Bigger ones pay for moving the market — the interface just refuses to hide that math.
How does MetricSwap find the best route for a swap?
The router scans available pools and can split a trade across multiple liquidity sources or hop through intermediary tokens when that produces a better net result. Sometimes the direct ETH → TOKEN path is optimal. Other times routing through a stablecoin pool saves you meaningful basis points. All of this is computed before you sign, and the final quote already includes every hop's fee.
What happens if my transaction fails?
A failed swap returns your tokens — only the gas spent is lost, since miners still processed the attempt. Failures usually come from slippage being exceeded during volatile moments, or from insufficient gas. If a swap keeps reverting, raise your slippage tolerance slightly, wait for calmer price action, or reduce the trade size. The MetricSwap interface will usually tell you which condition triggered the revert.
Do I need ETH in my wallet for gas?
Yes. Every onchain action — approval, swap, or liquidity operation — consumes gas paid in the network's native token, which is ETH on Ethereum and Arbitrum alike. Keep a small buffer beyond what you plan to trade; running the wallet to exactly zero ETH is a common reason swaps get stuck. A few dollars of ETH on an L2 covers dozens of transactions.
Can I provide liquidity through MetricSwap?
Beyond swapping, the MetricSwap protocol exposes liquidity positions where you deposit token pairs into pools and earn a share of trading fees. Returns depend on volume flowing through your chosen range, and concentrated positions carry impermanent loss when prices drift. If you're new to liquidity provision, start with a small position and watch how the position value behaves relative to simply holding the two tokens.
Where can I learn more about the team behind MetricSwap?
The team page covers the mission, technology approach and the people building the protocol. For the hands-on side, head back to the swap interface — the fastest way to understand MetricSwap is to watch a quote form in real time as you type an amount.