What is a THORChain memo?

A memo is a line of text attached to a THORChain transaction that tells the network what to do with the coins, such as which coin you want back and who receives it. Anyone can read it, because it sits in the public transaction.

Also called swap memo or transaction memo.

The shape of a swap memo

A swap memo has this form: SWAP:ASSET:DESTADDR:LIM/INTERVAL/QUANTITY:AFFILIATE:FEE. Only the asset and the destination address are needed for a basic swap, and the other fields are optional. A short form such as =:ASSET:DESTADDR means a market swap, and =< starts a limit swap.

What each field does

  • The asset names the coin you want back, and the name can be abbreviated.
  • The destination address receives that coin, and a THORName can take its place.
  • The limit is the least amount you accept back, and the memo counts it in units where one whole coin is 100000000 units.
  • The interval and quantity split the swap into sub-swaps.
  • The affiliate and fee fields name affiliates and set a fee for them, paid in RUNE.

Who can read it

The memo is written into the transaction that sends the coins, on the chain where they start, so anyone can read it, just as they can read the amount and the sending address.

A cross-chain swap therefore links the sending address on one chain to the receiving address on the other, for anyone who reads the memo.

In Redacted

When you deposit from another chain, the app shows the deposit details for a fresh pay-in account. Send the coins from your wallet on that chain exactly as shown, including the memo.

Related terms

Inbound addressAn inbound address is the address on a connected chain where you send coins to THORChain, and it belongs to the active vault that THORChain’s nodes control together. It changes when the vaults change, so read the current one right before you send.Price limitA price limit is the least amount of a coin you accept back from a swap, written into the memo. If the swap would pay less than that, THORChain refunds your coins instead of filling the swap below the limit.Streaming swapA streaming swap cuts one large swap into smaller sub-swaps that run over several blocks, so each piece moves the price less. You choose the interval between pieces and how many pieces there are.Native cross-chain swapA native cross-chain swap trades a coin on one chain for a coin on another, for example Bitcoin for Ether, by moving the real coins between vaults instead of minting wrapped copies on a bridge.THORChain privacyNo. THORChain is a public network, and every swap shows its amounts and the addresses on both sides. A cross-chain swap even links your address on one chain to your address on the other, because the receiving address is written into the swap’s memo.THORNameA THORName is a human-readable name on THORChain that points to addresses on several chains. Affiliates use one to collect fees, and it stays registered until the blocks it was paid for run out.

Sources: Transaction memos, THORChain developer docs

Updated November 1, 2026. All terms