Exchanges make swapping one cryptocurrency for another quick and convenient. You can exchange assets directly without complex order books with very low fees and even without KYC, like on Juno Swap. However, swaps can sometimes fail or encounter issues due to market conditions, AML scores, or platform limitations.
This guide covers the most common problems users face when swapping crypto and provides practical fixes based on official support resources and user experiences as of late 2025.
Insufficient Balance or Funds
Why it happens: You don’t have enough of the source cryptocurrency to cover the swap amount, plus any trading fees.
Common on: All major exchanges, especially for small swaps below minimum thresholds.
How to fix:
- Check available balance in your wallet.
- Ensure you have extra for potential fess and gas.
- Try a smaller/larger amount or top up your wallet.
Price Slippage or Sudden Price Changes
Why it happens: Crypto prices are volatile. The quoted rate at preview might change by confirmation time, causing the swap to fail if it exceeds the platform’s tolerance.
Common on: Centralized Exchanges like Coinbase (often shows “transaction likely to fail” due to price shifts).
How to fix:
- Wait 60 seconds and retry.
- Use floating rate if available instead of flat rate.
- Swap during lower volatility periods.
Unsupported Trading Pair or Token
Why it happens: Not all crypto pairs are available for instant swaps. Crypto exchanges and CEXs like Binance only support vetted, high liquidity pairs to comply with regulations and ensure smooth execution.
Common on: Coinbase and Binance because they restrict swaps to listed pairs and exotic or low-cap tokens may not qualify.
How to fix:
- Check the platform’s supported pairs list.
- Consider using a No KYC Exchange like Juno Swap.
Low Liquidity or High Volume Spikes
Why it happens: For less popular cryptocurrencies, there’s not enough liquidity in the exchange’s internal pools and blockchain swap API provider, leading to failed executions or poor rates.
Common on: Smaller coins on any centralized exchange.
How to fix:
- Retry with a smaller amount.
- Check liquidity indicators if shown.
- Switch to major coins.
Account Verification or Restrictions
Why it happens: Incomplete KYC, regional restrictions, or security flags can block swaps on centralized exchanges such as Binance and Coinbase.
Common on: Coinbase and Binance.
How to fix:
- Complete identity verification.
- Contact support to lift any holds.
- Switch to a No KYC Exchange like Juno Swap.
Bad / High Risk AML Scores
Why it happens: Exchanges use AML blockchain analytics to flag funds linked (even indirectly) to illicit sources. Regulations require them to freeze tainted deposits.
Common on: P2P trading, Gambling sites, Mixers (tumblers, blenders) Darknet markets, scams, hacks, or sanctioned entities.
How to Fix:
- Check score with AML tools (e.g., AMLBot).
- Isolate clean funds in a new wallet.
- Avoid mixing tainted coins.
- Screen sources before receiving funds.
- If frozen, provide proof of origin (success not guaranteed). Prevention is best.
Check your wallet’s AML score before proceeding with a swap by using one of the AML bots @ScorechainBot / @cryptoaml_bot / @bitok_aml_bot / @AML_check_bot or by using one of the following crypto wallet AML score checking services getblock.net / amlbot.com / namescan.io.
0-25%: Clean, high chance of acceptance by exchanges.
25-60%: Medium risk, possible links to P2P or gambling.
60%+: High risk, funds likely frozen on deposit to exchanges/swaps.
Note: AML checking tools may not be 100% accurate. Use at your own discretion. If your transaction get’s frozen by the swap API, it will not be able to be retrieved.
Tips to Prevent Swap Problems
- Always preview the swap and confirm the received amount.
- Start with small test swaps.
- Monitor market conditions, avoid swapping during extreme volatility.
- If issues persist, contact the exchange’s support.
- Check AML score of your wallet before exchanging coins.
Instant swaps on exchanges are designed for simplicity, but understanding these common pitfalls can save time and frustration. For more advanced or cross-chain needs, decentralized options exist, but they come with their own risks like higher gas fees and slippage. Happy trading!