A cross-chain DEX is a decentralised exchange that lets users swap assets native to different blockchains without a centralised custodian. It relies on bridges, atomic swaps, or liquidity-network protocols to coordinate settlement across chains while preserving non-custodial trading. It extends decentralised finance beyond single-chain liquidity silos.
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- Implementations use locked-and-minted bridge assets, hashed time-locked atomic swaps, or shared liquidity routers to settle trades spanning chains. The design must manage bridge security, cross-chain finality differences, and liquidity fragmentation, since each external dependency expands the attack surface relative to a single-chain DEX.