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---
title: What is Relay?
description: "Enterprise-Grade Onchain Payments Infrastructure"
description: "The universal onchain payment rail for businesses"
---

Relay is a multichain payments network, designed to make swapping and transacting across 100s of chains delightfully simple. Since launching in 2024, Relay has served **5M users**, processed **50M transactions**, and driven **$5B+ in volume** across **85+ networks**.
Relay is the universal onchain payment rail. One integration lets any business accept payment in any token, on any of 85+ chains, and settle in the asset it runs on. The blockchain complexity disappears. Since launching in 2024, applications and users have completed **186M transactions** and **$40B+ in volume** through Relay across **85+ chains**.

It combines two core components:
Relay is two products on one stack:

- Instant low cost cross-chain intents, powered by the [Relay Protocol](/references/protocol/overview)
- Comprehensive DEX Meta-Aggregation across 85 chains
- **The Relay Platform:** the commercial layer you integrate through the API, SDK, deposit addresses, swaps, gasless execution, fee sponsorship, MEV protection, compliance screening, SLAs, and support.
- **The Relay Protocol:** the open, permissionless crosschain settlement rail the Platform runs on. Anyone can build on it without commercial terms or permission.

This makes Relay a powerful solution for a diverse set of use cases:
Relay supports a diverse set of use cases:

<Columns cols={3}>
<Card
title="Bridging & Onboarding"
title="Onboarding & Funding"
icon="link"
href="/use-cases/bridging"
cta="Learn More"
>
Instant Bridging between 85+ Chains
Instant onboarding from any chain, in any token
</Card>
<Card
title="Swaps"
href="/use-cases/cross-chain-swaps"
icon="right-left"
cta="Learn More"
>
Same-chain & Cross-chain Swaps on Every Chain
Same-chain and crosschain swaps at the best possible price
</Card>
<Card
title="Call Execution"
href="/use-cases/calling"
icon="hexagon-nodes"
cta="Learn More"
>
Pay for Txs with Tokens on any Chain
Execute transactions on any chain and pay with any token
</Card>
</Columns>

To see Relay in action, and test supported routes, try the [Relay App](https://relay.link/bridge).

To start building, check out the [Quickstart Guide](/references/api/quickstart).
To see Relay in action, try the [Relay App](https://relay.link/). To start building, check out the [Quickstart Guide](/references/api/quickstart).

---

## The Relay Stack

Built as a full-stack solution for every layer of the multichain payments experience:

### Relay App

**For everyone who wants to swap tokens across chains** - The fastest way to go from any token to any token across chains. Swap ETH on Ethereum for SOL on Solana in one transaction — built on the same infrastructure that powers enterprise customers.
**For anyone moving tokens across chains.** The fastest way from any token to any token, built on the same infrastructure that powers enterprise customers.

[Try the App](https://relay.link/)

### Relay API

**For developers building multichain experiences** - One integration, 75+ chains, zero complexity. Abstract the hardest parts of multichain development:
**For developers and businesses building onchain payments.** One integration gives you access to 85+ chains:

- **Bridge instantly** between chains with predictable fees
- **Swap seamlessly** using meta-aggregation across all major DEXs
- **Deliver payments-grade UX** with gas sponsorship, guaranteed rates, and SLAs
- **Accept payment** from any chain, in any token, with predictable fees
- **Swap at the best price** through meta-aggregation across all major DEXs
- **Ship payments-grade UX** with gasless execution, fee sponsorship, predictable rates, and SLAs

Whether you're building wallets, marketplaces, or consumer apps, Relay makes crosschain payments fast, reliable, and invisible.
Whether you're building wallets, exchange flows, merchant acceptance, or consumer apps, Relay makes crosschain payments fast, reliable, and invisible.

[View Documentation](/references/api/overview)

### Relay Protocol

**The network powering it all** - The open system connecting users to relayers who execute onchain actions with maximum capital efficiency. Designed for low gas costs, rapid chain expansion, and enterprise-grade reliability.
**The open rail powering it all.** Permissionless crosschain settlement, designed for low costs, rapid chain expansion, and payments-grade reliability.

[Learn More](/references/protocol/overview)

---

## Payments-Grade Reliability
## Payments-Grade

Unlike traditional bridges, Relay delivers the reliability users expect from modern payments:
Payments-grade means meeting the reliability standard of modern payments, not simply being “crypto-native fast”:

- **99.9% uptime** across 85+ networks
- **Fast execution** instead of multi-minute wait times
- **Automatic redundancy** systems ensuring transactions complete
- **Clear completion signals** for apps and users
- **Speed:** sub-three-second settlement on supported routes
- **Success rate:** high end-to-end success rates that keep payments moving
- **Price:** predictable, competitive, and transparent
- **Coverage:** one integration for every relevant chain and asset
- **Support:** fast help when something goes wrong, backed by SLAs

---

## Trusted by Leading Teams

**Chain Expansion**: Alchemy, Conduit, and Caldera rely on Relay to provide payment rails to every rollup out of the box.

**Chain Abstraction**: OpenSea powers crosschain mints through Relay so collectors never worry about which chain they're on. Phantom collapses complex swaps into seamless flows.

**Multichain Infrastructure**: Apps like OneBalance route execution through Relay, letting users access opportunities across chains as easily as checking their balance.
OpenSea powers crosschain mints through Relay so collectors never have to worry about which chain they're on. Phantom collapses complex crosschain swaps into seamless flows. MetaMask, Coinbase, and 100+ other teams build on Relay across wallets, marketplaces, and payment platforms. Payroll, merchant acceptance, and exchange settlement all run on Relay today.

---

## Get Started

**For Users**: [Try the Relay App](https://relay.link/) to swap any token across any chain instantly.
**For users:** [Try the Relay App](https://relay.link/) to swap any token across any chain instantly.

**For teams and developers:** use the [Quickstart Guide](/references/api/quickstart) to add crosschain payments to your app.

**For Teams & Developers**: Check out our [Quickstart Guide](/references/api/quickstart) to add multichain payments to your app.
Contact us about enterprise features, including dedicated support and custom SLAs.
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