How to swap LTC to BTC

Litecoin and Bitcoin share a lot of history and design, so swapping between them feels natural. Litecoin is quick and cheap to send; Bitcoin is where many people prefer to hold long-term value. Moving from one to the other takes a single order. This guide covers the steps and the details worth knowing.

Why people swap LTC to BTC

• Consolidating holdings. Payments or mining rewards received in LTC get moved into BTC for saving.
• Using LTC as a fast on-ramp. Some people buy or receive LTC because it is cheap to transfer, then swap it to BTC.
• Rebalancing. Adjusting the mix between the two after price moves.

Whatever the reason, keep in mind that both coins are volatile. The fixed rate protects you during the order, not afterwards.

Know your address formats

Litecoin and Bitcoin addresses look similar, which is exactly why you should double-check them:

For this swap you need a BTC receiving address, starting with bc1, 1 or 3. Pasting an LTC address in the BTC field is a common slip. Your refund address, if you add one, must be an LTC address.

Confirmation times: why LTC is quick and BTC is slower

Litecoin targets a new block about every 2.5 minutes, so your deposit usually gathers confirmations quickly. Bitcoin targets roughly 10 minutes per block. On an LTC to BTC swap, the slow side is the payout, but you do not have to wait for its confirmations to see it: the tracking page shows the BTC transaction hash as soon as the payout is sent. Your wallet may show it as pending until it is included in a block. Overall, delivery is typically 5 to 30 minutes after your deposit has enough confirmations.

Step by step

1. Open LTC to BTC and enter the amount of LTC you want to swap.
2. Check the quote. It already includes the flat 0.4 % fee.
3. Paste your BTC receiving address and verify its first and last characters.
4. Optionally add an LTC refund address and an email or Telegram contact.
5. Create the order. You receive a deposit address and an exact LTC amount, with the rate locked for 30 minutes.
6. Send exactly that amount. Its unique decimals identify your order. If you send from an exchange that deducts a withdrawal fee, add the fee so the exact figure arrives.
7. Follow the order page until it shows the payout and its transaction hash.

What it costs

Two LarkSwap costs apply: the 0.4 % fee inside the quote, and a payout network cost for sending BTC of about $1.50, deducted from what you receive. On top of that, you pay your own Litecoin network fee when sending the deposit, which is usually very small. All LarkSwap figures are approximate and can be adjusted.

A note on small orders

The minimum order is roughly 20 USD equivalent. At that size, the 0.4 % fee is about 8 cents, but the roughly $1.50 BTC payout cost is about 7.5 % of the order. At 200 USD it is under 1 %, and at 1,000 USD about 0.15 %. If you swap small amounts regularly, it can be cheaper to wait and do one larger swap. Also consider that very small BTC amounts can be costly to move later, because Bitcoin fees depend on transaction size, not value.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Entering an LTC address where the BTC address belongs, or the other way round.
• Rounding the deposit amount. Send the exact figure, decimals included.
• Creating the order and sending an hour later. The rate lock is 30 minutes; a late payment is reviewed manually and either processed at the current rate or refunded.
• Assuming an unconfirmed BTC payout is lost. Check the transaction hash on a block explorer; it is usually just waiting for a block.

Related swaps

If you would rather move into a stablecoin, try LTC to USDT. Going back later is just as easy with BTC to LTC. For other options, see swap LTC, or read how to convert ETH to BTC if you hold ether as well.

Frequently asked questions