How FixedFloat works — anatomy of an instant crypto swap

The FixedFloat engine in one paragraph

When you create an exchange on ff-io.io, the FF platform locks a one-time deposit address to your order, registers the expected amount and the destination, and starts watching the relevant blockchain. The engine continuously monitors the mempool — so you see your transaction appear within seconds of broadcast — and waits for the agreed number of confirmations. As soon as the threshold is met, the corresponding hot wallet on the receive-chain signs and broadcasts the payout. The whole pipeline is automated; no human approves your trade.

Fixed rate vs float rate — what really changes

The difference between FixedFloat's two modes is when the conversion rate is committed:

• Fixed rate commits the rate at order creation. The engine adds a small spread to absorb the risk that the market moves while your deposit is confirming. You always receive exactly the displayed amount.
• Float rate commits the rate at payout time. There is no spread — you get the live mid-market rate. If the market moves in your favour, you receive more than the original estimate. If it moves against you, slightly less.

The right pick depends on three variables: which chain you are sending from, how much volatility the market is showing, and whether the receiver expects an exact amount.

Confirmation requirements per network

Tracking your ff-io.io order

Every order on the FixedFloat platform receives a unique 8-character ID and a status timeline: awaiting deposit → received → confirmed → exchange → done. You can bookmark the order URL and reload it any time. The page also shows a copy of the input and output transaction hashes, so the trade is fully verifiable on a block explorer like mempool.space, Etherscan, blockchair or tronscan.

Refunds and edge cases

If something unusual happens — for example, the deposit amount differs from the expected amount, the deposit arrives after the rate window has closed for fixed-rate orders, or a non-supported asset is sent to the address — the FF engine offers automated refund-to-source handling. You provide a refund address, and the platform pushes back the original asset minus network fees. This is the only scenario in which a human reviewer may step in.

AML triggers and what they mean

Like every reputable platform, FixedFloat runs incoming addresses through industry blockchain analytics. If a deposit comes from an address flagged as high-risk (e.g. sanctioned addresses, known darknet marketplaces or proceeds of confirmed hacks), the order is paused and our compliance team contacts the user. Most users will never see this flow — it is an exception path, not a rule.

Pro tips for power users

• Speed up Bitcoin deposits. Use RBF (Replace-By-Fee) to bump a stuck transaction; the FF engine accepts the bumped version automatically.
• USDT chain selection. If your wallet supports both, TRC-20 USDT settles in seconds and costs cents on the receive side.
• Combine fixed + float. Use fixed-rate for the BTC leg and float-rate for the fast-chain leg if you are routing a multi-step swap.
• API automation. Wallet vendors plug into FixedFloat's API to expose swaps directly inside their app.

Ready to put it into practice? Open the FF exchange widget →