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Alkizen Features5 min read

Understanding Slippage: How to Set It Right on Alkizen

What slippage is, why it matters, and how to configure Alkizen slippage settings for different trade scenarios.

What Is Slippage?

Slippage is the difference between the expected price of a trade and the actual execution price. In decentralized markets, prices can shift between when you request a quote and when the transaction confirms.

Why Slippage Occurs

  • Market movement: Prices change naturally during transaction processing
  • Pool liquidity: Thin pools have more price impact from trades
  • Transaction ordering: Other transactions may execute before yours, moving the price
  • Network congestion: Delayed transactions face more price movement

    • Alkizen Slippage Settings

    Access slippage settings via the gear icon in the swap interface. Options:

    • 0.5%: Tight tolerance, best for stablecoin pairs and high-liquidity tokens

    • 1%: Default setting, works for most trades

    • 2%: For moderate-volatility tokens or medium-liquidity pools

    • 3%: For volatile tokens or low-liquidity situations

    • Custom: Set any percentage for specific needs


    When to Adjust Slippage

    Lower Slippage (0.5%)

    • Stablecoin-to-stablecoin swaps
    • High-liquidity pairs (ETH-USDC on major chains)
    • Calm market conditions

    Higher Slippage (2-3%)

    • New or volatile tokens
    • Low-liquidity chains or DEXs
    • During high market volatility
    • Large trades relative to pool size

    Very High Slippage (5%+)

    Generally avoid this. If you need >5% slippage, consider:
    • Breaking the trade into smaller chunks
    • Finding a different liquidity source
    • Waiting for better market conditions

    Slippage and MEV

    Higher slippage tolerances make your trade more vulnerable to sandwich attacks. MEV bots look for transactions with large slippage buffers. Keep slippage as tight as possible while still allowing your trade to execute.

    Cross-Chain Slippage

    For cross-chain swaps on Alkizen, slippage applies to the overall trade, including any bridging steps. Relay solver network helps minimize slippage across the entire execution path.

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