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Gem Wallet is happy to share: since October 17, starting with version 2.114.73, we work together with Orca - one of the leading DEXs on Solana. Now our users can make on-chain swaps of Solana tokens directly through Orca pool smart contracts - on iOS and Android.
What Is Orca?
Orca is a DEX on Solana that has grown since 2021 from a project of two Tokyo-based developers into one of the most popular trading venues on the network: its pools processed $8.7 billion in swaps over the last 30 days (according to DefiLlama, October 2026). The heart of the protocol is Whirlpools, pools with concentrated liquidity: tokens sit close to the market price, so even a large swap barely moves the rate, and the pool fee for stablecoin pairs starts at just 0.01%.
Gem Wallet and Orca: On-Chain Swaps of Solana Tokens
The partnership with Orca gives Gem Wallet users direct access to the liquidity of one of the network’s key DEXs. When you swap SOL or another Solana token, Gem Wallet sends the trade straight to the Orca pool - with no middleman between you and the liquidity. This is one more step toward our goal of making Gem Wallet a truly decentralized wallet.
How Orca Swaps Work Under the Hood
Many wallets get a swap from an aggregator’s server: the app sends the tokens and the amount to an API, and the API returns a price and a ready-made transaction. With Orca, Gem Wallet does this work on your device:
- Reads the pool from a Solana node. The wallet asks the node for every Whirlpools account the swap needs - the pool, its tick arrays, the fee oracle of adaptive-fee pools, and the token mints - in a single request once it knows the pool.
- Calculates the rate on the device. It runs the same concentrated-liquidity math as the Whirlpools program across Orca’s 9 most-traded fee tiers, which carry about 97% of the trading volume of its 3,000 largest pools.
- Builds and signs the transaction locally. The swap goes straight to the Whirlpools program, and the minimum you receive is enforced on-chain by the pool itself.
There is no quote server between you and the pool: no API key, no third party that can go down or limit requests, and no swap API learns what you are about to trade. The only thing the wallet talks to is a Solana node - the same kind of node that shows your balance.
Lower Network Fees
On Solana, a transaction pays a base fee plus a priority fee for every compute unit it reserves. A direct Orca swap uses 36,000-65,000 compute units, so Gem Wallet reserves 420,000 for it, while an aggregator route, which can pass through several pools and programs, gets the network maximum of 1,400,000. The priority fee falls with the reservation:
| Swaps in Gem Wallet, October 17-22, 2026 | Median network fee |
|---|---|
| Through Orca, straight to the pool | 0.000026 SOL |
| Built by an aggregator | 0.000075 SOL |
That is about 65% less in network fees on a typical swap through Orca.
Rates Close to the Best Route
An aggregator can split a trade across many venues, so its quote is the benchmark. On October 22, Orca’s direct pool quote came within 0.05% of the best aggregator route for SOL to USDC, USDC to SOL, and SOL to USDT, at every size we compared, from about $50 to $10,000. When Orca is that close, Gem Wallet picks the direct pool swap: you get nearly the same rate and pay less to the network.
How to Swap SOL via Orca in Gem Wallet
- Open Gem Wallet, select SOL, and tap Swap
- Choose the asset you want to receive - for example, USDT on Solana
- Enter the SOL amount
- Open the provider in the swap details - the list shows Orca and the rate it gives for your SOL
Important: The Solana network fee for a swap is paid in the native token, so keep a small amount of SOL on your balance.
Benefits of the Orca Partnership for Gem Wallet Users
Gem Wallet is a mobile self-custody wallet with 100% open-source code for iOS and Android, where you can securely store, swap, and stake crypto, and buy it with a credit card right in the wallet. Here is what the Orca integration gives our users when swapping Solana tokens:
- Lower Network Fees: A swap through Orca costs about 65% less in network fees than a swap through an aggregator route.
- More Tokens on Large Amounts: The concentrated liquidity of Whirlpools holds the rate even on big swaps, so you get more tokens for the same amount.
- Routes via SOL and USDC: If there is no direct pool between two SPL tokens, the swap goes in two steps through SOL or USDC in one transaction - for example, USDC to BONK.
- Swaps in Seconds: Pick the tokens in the wallet, confirm - and the trade through Orca is already on the Solana blockchain.
- Privacy Without Compromise: No phone number, no email, no ID - Gem Wallet collects no personal data, and the Orca smart contract needs no account.
- Simple, Clear Interface: Swap tokens through Orca in one window - the provider and the rate are shown right in the swap details, so an on-chain swap is just as easy for beginners as for experienced traders.
Resources for Developers
Besides Orca, Gem Wallet routes swaps on Solana through other leading DEX providers: Jupiter, Mayan, Relay, NEAR Intents, and others.
📖 Gem Wallet Swap Provider Documentation
The Orca integration code is fully open, and anyone can read it line by line:
📖 Orca Integration Code on GitHub
Conclusion
Together with Orca, Gem Wallet gives you a great rate, speed, and full control over your assets with every swap on Solana. Open Gem Wallet and make your first on-chain swap through Orca today - securely and privately.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only and is not financial or investment advice. Crypto assets are highly volatile, and you can lose all the money you invest. Do your own research and make decisions at your own risk.
