An open source frontend software portal to the Raydium protocol, a decentralized and community-driven collection of blockchain-enabled smart contracts
The Jupiter team has put together a wonderful document about swapping on Jupiter. Many of the concepts are the same as swapping on Raydium. Use our API: the Raydium protocol
Ray ID: 00wwRrjomx48bd3
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Raydium Swap: A Guide for Civilized Degens
Today, dear friends, nothing is more relevant than swaps.
We live in an age where even the most enthusiastic cryptonauts may lack time and emotional bandwidth to fully grasp what's happening on-chain — let alone confidently poke at buttons. And yet, we want to.
So for those among you who get nervous at the term decentralized exchange (DEX) but still crave something elegant, fast and unburdened by gas fee despair — there is Raydium. One of Solana’s proudest showcases. A buffet of token pairs, automated and indifferent, serving you with grace and efficiency.
Let’s skip the DeFi gospel and get straight to it — like buying a metro ticket.
Step 1: A Wallet — Your Ticket to the Promised Land
First, you need a Phantom Wallet. That’s your key to the Solana garden.
Download it from the official site, install it in your browser (Chrome, Firefox, etc.), and either create a new recovery phrase or import an existing one.
IMPORTANT: Save your recovery phrase (12 words) like you would save childhood memories. Lose it — and you become a ghost, wandering wallet-less.
Step 2: Fuel Up with SOL
Without some SOL in your Phantom, you're just a spectator. SOL is what pays for everything: intros, outros, the whole performance.
Send SOL from an exchange (Binance, Bybit, etc.) or another wallet. Just make sure you use the Solana network — otherwise your tokens will disappear into the digital abyss, meditating forever.
Step 3: Connect to Raydium
Visit raydium.
Top right corner: "Connect Wallet". Click it, select Phantom, approve the connection.
Congratulations. You're now not just a user of the internet — you’re an apprentice of molecular finance.
Step 4: Swap It Like It's Hot
Head to the Swap tab.
Select what you want to give (say, SOL) and what you want to get (say, RAY).
The interface shows an estimate of what you’ll receive, plus nice details like:
Price Impact – how much your trade nudges the market
Minimum Received – worst-case guaranteed amount
Fee – in SOL, and barely noticeable
Slippage Tolerance – adjustable via the gear icon
Slippage is your personal anxiety limit. If price veers too far, the transaction cancels. No drama.
Step 5: Confirm It
Click Swap. Phantom pops up. You confirm. Seconds later — new tokens appear in your wallet.
You’ve just performed a swap. You’re in the club now.
Helpful Wisdom from Those Who've Swapped Before
Keep extra SOL for fees. Better over than stuck.
For obscure tokens (ones only their mother knows), set slippage to 5–10% — volatility is real.
Double-check token legitimacy — Raydium tries to protect you, but CoinGecko or CoinMarketCap don’t hurt.
Final Thought
Raydium is like a self-service coffee bar — fast, intuitive, anonymous. No account, no bureaucracy, just you, your wallet, and the Solana freeway.
Trade with care. May your tokens grow like grandma’s ficus — steady, quiet, and pleasantly unexpected.