Explore Orca, a Solana-based decentralized exchange offering quick swaps, liquidity pools, and low fees. Trade efficiently with Orca's user-friendly tools.
About Orca
Orca is a non-custodial decentralized exchange (DEX) built on Solana that lets you swap tokens and provide concentrated liquidity with low latency and fees. Traders use Orca for fast swaps with clear price impact controls, while liquidity providers (LPs) use its Whirlpools concentrated-liquidity AMM to deploy capital into tight price ranges and earn fees. Orca’s interface is beginner-friendly, but it also includes advanced options such as custom price ranges (“range orders”), adaptive fee pools, and tools for token creators to bootstrap initial liquidity. Orca works with popular Solana wallets on desktop and mobile, so you keep control of your keys while interacting with smart contracts on chain.
Orca’s Whirlpools are purpose-built for Solana and expose fee tiers, tick spacing, and range selection in a way that is approachable for new LPs and flexible for pros. Positions are represented on chain and managed through the Liquidity Terminal, a dedicated interface for creating, monitoring, and adjusting positions.
For traders, the swap page shows an Orca quote alongside a reference quote from Jupiter so you can compare expected outcomes before you submit. You can also adjust slippage from the settings menu on the same page.
Orca Features
Orca focuses on practical tools that make swapping and liquidity provision straightforward on Solana.
Swap
Direct token-to-token trades with DEX routing and slippage control.
Built-in trading interface
Buy and sell directly from the token’s page within the platform.
Secure and non‑custodial
This tool never accesses private keys—transactions are signed through your wallet.
What makes Orca special?
Orca’s differentiation comes from a combination of design choices and on-chain features that are verifiable and practical for everyday Solana users:
✨
Side-by-side price awareness
The swap page shows an Orca quote and a Jupiter reference price in one place, helping traders decide which route to use without leaving the app.
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Purpose-built concentrated liquidity on Solana
Whirlpools expose tick spacing, fee tiers (from 0.01% up to 2% across pools), and range selection with clear visuals. LPs can create full-range or tight-range positions and manage them in the Liquidity Terminal.
✨
Adaptive Fee Pools
Certain pools use variable fees tied to market volatility/liquidity conditions, aiming to balance trader execution with LP earnings.
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Token-creator onboarding
Token Creation and Splash Pools reduce the friction for launching and seeding liquidity on Solana, with step-by-step guides.
Pricing
Discover the pricing options available for Orca
Free
Orca does not charge a subscription. Costs are transaction-based:
Trading: You pay the pool’s trading fee (set by fee tier and shown in the UI) plus Solana network fees. For Whirlpools, the on-chain split of trading fees is 87% to LPs, 12% to the Treasury, 1% to the Protocol Owner.
Providing liquidity: Creating, updating, or closing a position involves Solana network fees and rent for on-chain accounts. When you close a position and withdraw liquidity, rent is refunded. Orca notes that it does not charge separate protocol fees for creating a pool or position.
If you need precise fee amounts for a specific pool, check the fee tier displayed on that pool before swapping or adding liquidity.
How to get started
Orca’s workflow is straightforward for both traders and LPs.
1
Connect a Solana wallet
2 minutes
Easy
Open Orca and connect Phantom, Solflare, Backpack, or another supported wallet. Mobile connections are supported for several wallets.
2
Fund with SOL for fees
2 minutes
Easy
Keep a small SOL balance to cover network fees for swaps and liquidity actions. (Orca provides guidance on network and rent fees for LP activities.)
3
Make your first swap
2 minutes
Easy
Select tokens, review both the Orca and Jupiter reference quotes, set slippage in the settings (cog), and approve from your wallet.
4
Provide liquidity (optional)
2 minutes
Easy
Open the Liquidity Terminal, pick a pool, select a fee tier, choose a price range (full range or a custom band), deposit tokens, and confirm. Manage and harvest fees from the portfolio panel.
5
Try a Range Order (optional)
2 minutes
Easy
Use a tight price band around your desired execution level to convert one asset into another as the market trades through your range.
Pro Tips
Tip 1
On the swap page, compare the Orca quote with the Jupiter reference and choose the route with the better expected output for your size.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to the most common questions about this tool
What is Orca?
Orca is a decentralized exchange (DEX) built on the Solana blockchain, designed to facilitate fast and low-cost token swaps. It employs an Automated Market Maker (AMM) model, allowing users to trade assets directly from their wallets without the need for an order book.
How does Orca work?
Orca utilizes liquidity pools where users can deposit pairs of tokens. Traders swap tokens within these pools, and prices are determined algorithmically based on the pool's token ratios. Liquidity providers earn a portion of the transaction fees generated from trades in their pools.
What wallets can I use with Orca?
Orca supports many Solana wallets including Phantom, Solflare, Backpack, and more. The docs also indicate mobile compatibility where applicable. Connect from the “Wallet” button in the app.
How do Orca’s fees work?
Each pool has a fee tier shown in the UI. For Whirlpools on Solana, trading fees are split on chain (87% to LPs, 12% to Treasury, 1% to Protocol Owner). Network fees apply to all transactions.
What are Range Orders on Orca?
Range Orders are narrow-range liquidity positions. When price moves through your selected band, your liquidity gradually swaps from one token to the other—functionally similar to a limit order, implemented through AMM liquidity.
