How do I participate in parachain auctions?

DOT holders vote for parachains they want to support by locking DOT in crowdloans. Supporters receive rewards from successful parachain projects.

What are Polkadot staking rewards?

DOT staking yields approximately 13-15% annually, among the highest of major blockchains, earned through validator or nominator participation.

How does Polkadot ensure security across parachains?

The Relay Chain validators secure all parachains through shared security, making attacks extremely costly.

Can Ethereum dApps run on Polkadot?

Yes, some Polkadot parachains support EVM compatibility for Ethereum dApps, like Moonbeam.

Polkadot (DOT)

The Interoperability Protocol

Swap DOT without an account or KYC.

First AI-powered swap engine

No registration. No KYC. No custody. Just swap.

Market cap

—

Volume (24h)

—

Launched

2020

Consensus

Proof of Stake

Max supply

Unlimited (governed by community)

Block time

~6 seconds

Deposit confirmations

—

Memo / tag

not needed

Market data by CoinGecko (snapshot 2026-09-16).

About Polkadot

Polkadot (DOT) is a multi-chain, interoperable network designed to connect specialized blockchains (parachains) to a central Relay Chain, enabling cross-blockchain communication and shared security. Created by Gavin Wood, one of Ethereum's co-founders, Polkadot aims to solve blockchain fragmentation by allowing diverse chains to operate independently while maintaining security and interoperability. DOT token holders participate in governance through nomination and voting on parachain auctions, making Polkadot highly community-driven. The network's sharded architecture enables scalability by processing multiple parachains in parallel, while the Relay Chain ensures consensus and security.

Before you swap DOT: what to check

•Receiving address format: 1… (SS58) — a Polkadot address.
•Network: Polkadot. DOT exists on one network here; make sure your wallet sends on it.
•Deposit confirmations: network-dependent (block time ~6 seconds). The rate is locked when the deposit confirms, not when you broadcast.
•Limits: minimum and maximum are shown in the form for each pair and change with fees and liquidity.

Polkadot history

2016Gavin Wood publishes the Polkadot whitepaper
2020Polkadot mainnet launches with fully functional Relay Chain
2021Polkadot parachain auctions begin, with projects securing slots via DOT token holder votes
2022Polkadot enables XCM cross-chain messaging between parachains
2023Polkadot governance undergoes major OpenGov upgrade
2024Polkadot ecosystem expands with numerous parachains providing specialized services

How to swap DOT

In the form above, choose the direction: DOT to the coin you want, or the other way round.
Enter the amount — the estimated amount you receive updates live; minimums are shown in the form.
Paste the receiving address and, optionally, a refund address.
Click “Swap now” and send exactly the shown amount to the deposit address from any wallet you control.
After network confirmation the payout is sent; track it on the status page. No account, no KYC.

How to store DOT

DOT is stored in Polkadot-compatible wallets. Ledger hardware wallets offer maximum security, while Polkadot.js (browser extension), Subwallet, and Nova Wallet provide user-friendly access. All Polkadot wallets require a seed phrase — store offline and never share. Polkadot wallets typically allow staking directly from the wallet, making it easy to earn nomination rewards. Remember that DOT on centralized exchanges is custodial; move significant amounts to your own wallet.

If something looks wrong

The deposit is not showing up

Check the transaction in your wallet: it must be on Polkadot. Until it has the required confirmations the status page shows it as pending — this is normal.

I sent a different amount than quoted

Amounts inside the limits are recalculated at the current floating rate. Amounts below the minimum cannot be processed and are returned to the refund address you gave (minus the network fee).

I sent on the wrong network

Funds sent on a network other than Polkadot do not reach the deposit address automatically. Contact support with the transaction hash and the swap ID from the status page.

The payout has not arrived

Once the deposit is confirmed, the payout is broadcast within minutes. Check the destination address on its explorer; if the receiving service needs a memo or tag that was not provided, ask them to credit it manually with the transaction hash.

The rate changed while I waited

Rates are floating and locked at deposit confirmation. Slow confirmation (low fee, congested network) is the usual reason for a difference from the first estimate.

Frequently asked questions

A parachain is a specialized blockchain connected to the Polkadot Relay Chain. Parachains can have custom rules and features while maintaining Polkadot's security.

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