Find answers to common questions about trading, providing liquidity, and using Orca.Documentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.orca.so/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
About Orca
What is Orca?
What is Orca?
Orca is a decentralized exchange (DEX) that strives to be the epicenter of spot trading on Solana. Built by DeFi OGs with a user-first approach, Orca combines concentrated liquidity (CLMM) with an intuitive UI and unparalleled user support.
What's the difference between a CLMM and traditional exchange?
What's the difference between a CLMM and traditional exchange?
Traditional order book exchanges (CLOBs) match buyers and sellers based on price. AMMs/CLMMs let you trade against a pool of tokens rather than directly with other users.Orca believes CLMMs offer a superior approach for blockchain applications due to their simplicity and composability. With the right tools, a CLMM can achieve everything a CLOB can—and more.
Why Solana?
Why Solana?
Solana offers exceptional performance: 50,000 TPS, 400ms block times, and low transaction fees. Orca believes Solana is the best choice to support the next generation of DeFi apps.
Has Orca been audited?
Has Orca been audited?
Yes. Orca’s Whirlpools concentrated liquidity product is double audited, and amendments are also audited.
Does Orca have a governance token?
Does Orca have a governance token?
Yes. The ORCA governance token launched on August 9, 2021. See Token Treasury for details and Governance for the governance process.
Trading
How do I trade on Orca?
How do I trade on Orca?
See our complete How to Swap guide.
Which wallets can I use?
Which wallets can I use?
See our supported wallets. Orca integrates wallets that support Solana program execution.
Can I use Orca on mobile?
Can I use Orca on mobile?
Yes! Use Orca with mobile-compatible wallets listed in our wallets guide.
What fees do I pay when trading?
What fees do I pay when trading?
| Fee Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Trading fee | 0.01% - 1% (varies by pool) |
| Network fee | ~0.0001-0.001 SOL |
What is price impact?
What is price impact?
Price impact is how much your trade moves the market price. Larger trades in smaller pools have higher price impact.If your trade has >1% price impact, you’ll see a warning. You can still proceed after acknowledging it.
Why did my trade fail?
Why did my trade fail?
Common causes:
- Slippage too low — Increase slippage tolerance
- Insufficient SOL — Need SOL for network fees
- Price moved — Market moved beyond your slippage tolerance
What does 'spend at most' and 'receive at least' mean?
What does 'spend at most' and 'receive at least' mean?
These are your worst-case outcomes based on your slippage tolerance. If actual slippage exceeds these limits, the trade fails instead of executing at a bad price.
What is a sub-route?
What is a sub-route?
Orca’s Smart Router can split trades across up to six routes for the best price. A sub-route is an indirect path like ORCA → SOL → USDC. View your trade composition in the details dropdown.
Can I trade programmatically?
Can I trade programmatically?
Yes! Use the TypeScript SDK. See Developer Docs for guidance.
Liquidity Provision
Why provide liquidity on Orca?
Why provide liquidity on Orca?
Liquidity providers earn trading fees from every trade that routes through their position. Some pools also offer additional token rewards.
How do I earn fees?
How do I earn fees?
When you provide liquidity in a pool, you earn a maker fee from each trade executed against your liquidity. Yield is harvestable anytime.
What is the difference between Full-Range and Custom-Range?
What is the difference between Full-Range and Custom-Range?
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Full-Range | Liquidity spread from 0 to infinity. Simple, always earning, but less capital efficient |
| Custom-Range | Liquidity concentrated in a specific range. More efficient but requires monitoring |
What is divergence loss (impermanent loss)?
What is divergence loss (impermanent loss)?
Divergence loss occurs when token prices deviate from their initial deposit values, causing your position value to decrease compared to simply holding the tokens.See Impermanent Loss for details.
Can I withdraw my liquidity at any time?
Can I withdraw my liquidity at any time?
Yes, Orca allows you to withdraw liquidity at any time with no lock-up period.
What is a pool position NFT?
What is a pool position NFT?
Your liquidity position is represented by an NFT that proves ownership. This NFT:
- Is required to withdraw your liquidity
- Can be transferred to move your position
- Must not be burned or your liquidity is permanently lost
I burned my position NFT—can Orca help?
I burned my position NFT—can Orca help?
No. If a position NFT is burned, there is no way to recover the associated liquidity. The NFT is proof of ownership on the blockchain—without it, the liquidity cannot be accessed by anyone.
Why isn't my deposit ratio 50:50?
Why isn't my deposit ratio 50:50?
The deposit ratio depends on your price range relative to current price. The closer current price is to one of your range bounds, the less balanced the ratio. Full-range positions have 50:50 ratios.
What happens if price goes outside my range?
What happens if price goes outside my range?
Your position becomes 100% one token and stops earning fees. If price returns to your range, you’ll start earning again. See Managing Your Portfolio.
Do I get ORCA tokens as rewards?
Do I get ORCA tokens as rewards?
Some pools receive ORCA token rewards to encourage deeper liquidity. Eligible pools are marked in the explorer. Non-incentivized pools still generate trading fees.
Pool Creation
Does Orca charge fees to create pools?
Does Orca charge fees to create pools?
No. Only Solana network and Metaplex fees are payable.
What is an Adaptive Fee Pool vs Fixed Fee Pool?
What is an Adaptive Fee Pool vs Fixed Fee Pool?
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Adaptive Fee | Dynamically adjusts fees based on market volatility |
| Fixed Fee | Charges the same fee for every trade |
I created a pool but can't find it—where is it?
I created a pool but can't find it—where is it?
New pools can take up to 15 minutes to appear. Force-refresh your browser to potentially reduce this time.
How can I change the token price in my pool?
How can I change the token price in my pool?
You can’t directly change a pool price—only market trading activity changes it. Contact Orca via the in-app Support widget for help calculating trade sizes to move prices.
Can I delete a pool I created?
Can I delete a pool I created?
No. Pools cannot be deleted. Take care during the creation process.
How do I remove the warning triangle on my token?
How do I remove the warning triangle on my token?
Contact Orca via the Support function in the UI to discuss removal.
What are Token Extensions?
What are Token Extensions?
Token Extensions are advanced functionalities for tokens to comply with legal requirements. Most tokens don’t need them. See Token Extensions.
Technical
What does 'Not Enough SOL' mean?
What does 'Not Enough SOL' mean?
SOL is required for network fees. Maintain at least 0.05 SOL. See Pool Network Fees.
Why was I charged higher network fees than usual?
Why was I charged higher network fees than usual?
If your price range includes limits where no positions exist, you may pay 0.07-0.14 SOL extra to initialize tick arrays. These are Solana network fees, not Orca fees.
Are tokens on Orca wrapped?
Are tokens on Orca wrapped?
Some tokens are wrapped from other chains. Always do your own research before trading wrapped tokens.
How do I trade ERC-20 tokens on Orca?
How do I trade ERC-20 tokens on Orca?
You’ll need to convert ERC-20s to SPL tokens using a bridge. Do your own research before bridging.
Security & Risks
What are the risks of using Orca?
What are the risks of using Orca?
| Risk | Mitigation |
|---|---|
| Smart contract vulnerabilities | Orca is double audited |
| Divergence loss | Understand concentrated liquidity mechanics |
| Wallet vulnerabilities | Use reputable wallets, DYOR |
Is Orca safe?
Is Orca safe?
Orca’s smart contracts are audited and have secured billions in trading volume. However, always practice good security hygiene—verify transactions and protect your wallet.
More Help
In-App Support
Open the Support widget in the Orca UI for the fastest help
Discord
Join the community on Discord
Telegram
Join the community on Telegram
Can’t find your answer? Use the Support button in the Orca UI for the fastest, most secure help.