== Command-line fix ==

{{{2}}}:

JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS="{{{1}}}" /opt/bisq/bin/Bisq

<code>/opt/bisq/bin/Bisq</code> is the default application directory on Linux. If you run another operating system, you'll need to replace that path with [[Running_from_the_command_line|the one for your OS]].

You can adjust the scaling factor as you wish, of course, and add any [[Command_line_options|runtime options for Bisq]] as well.

== GUI fix ==

To be able to launch the fix by double clicking an icon, rather than running a command in CLI, you can edit the launcher file to run, instead of the Bisq app directly, a shell script which injects said fix.

1. Create a text file (for example <code>/opt/bisq/Bisq-runner.sh</code>) containing the following code:

#!/bin/bash
JAVA_TOOL_OPTIONS="{{{1}}}" /opt/bisq/bin/Bisq

2. Make it executable:

chmod +x /opt/bisq/Bisq-runner.sh

3. Edit the launcher file (<code>/opt/bisq/Bisq.desktop</code> and/or <code>/usr/share/applications/Bisq.desktop</code>) by opening it in a text editor and modifying the <code>Exec</code> line like follows:

Exec=/opt/bisq/Bisq-runner.sh

Connecting to your own Bitcoin node

2022-07-23T23:10:57Z

W000000t: /* Connecting to another Bitcoin node */

Bisq will '''connect to your local Bitcoin node''' if it finds it upon starting up. This article contains the requirements for this to work correctly.

You can also specify the addresses of particular Bitcoin nodes in <code>Settings</code> > <code>Network Info</code>.

__TOC__

= General node settings =

The bitcoin.conf file needs to contain the following settings (either by adding them or editing the existing ones):

<code>server=1</code> 
<code>pruned=0</code> 
<code>peerbloomfilters=1</code> 

which in turn:
* enable the block server mode
* disable the pruning of old blocks
* allow Bisq to run its SPV wallet

= Connecting to a local Bitcoin node =

If you're running a Bitcoin full node on the same machine as Bisq, Bisq should connect to your node on startup—it will look for Bitcoin Core or <code>bitcoind</code> running on <code>localhost</code> on port 8333.

Just make sure to not be running any other Bitcoin-based altcoin nodes (like LTC) while starting Bisq.

= Connecting to another Bitcoin node =

By default, Bisq maximizes your privacy by connecting to nodes run by trusted Bisq contributors.

If you'd like to connect to another node, you can specify its address in <code>Settings</code> > <code>Network Info</code>. Bisq will validate the address and connect to the specified node the next time it starts.

Bisq supports connecting to Bitcoin nodes with Tor v3 addresses: this is the easiest path to take, since you only have to fill in your node's onion address in settings. 
If your node is on your local network, connecting directly to it rather than using Tor would reduce latency by a sensible degree. In order to do this:
* make sure the node's firewall allows incoming connections on port 8333 from the local network
* have Bitcoin daemon listen to <code>0.0.0.0</code> rather than <code>127.0.0.1</code>
* uncheck "Use Tor for Bitcoin network" under Settings>Network in Bisq application
* fill in your node's local network <code>ipaddress:8333</code> in "Use custom bitcoin Core nodes" field

Explaining in detail each step of the above goes past the scope of this guide, yet you can usually find more information either by searching for specific guides, or asking on discussion boards/groups.

= Troubleshooting =

If you get into a state where Bisq is unable to connect, you can revert to a provided node as follows.

For MacOS:
<code>Bisq -btcNodes=emzybtc3ewh7zihpkdvuwlgxrhzcxy2p5fvjggp7ngjbxcytxvt4rjid.onion:8333 -useTorForBtc=true </code>

For Linux:

<code> cd /opt/bisq/bin

./Bisq -btcNodes=emzybtc3ewh7zihpkdvuwlgxrhzcxy2p5fvjggp7ngjbxcytxvt4rjid.onion:8333 -useTorForBtc=true </code>

Contributor nodes can be seen [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/blob/7c07cdb6ff60ad1186dea33acdfb688668c2aae6/core/src/main/java/bisq/core/btc/nodes/BtcNodes.java#L51-L76 here in the Bisq code].

[[Running_from_the_command_line|More info on running from the command line]].

[[Command_line_options|More info on command line options]].

Connecting to your own Bitcoin node

2022-07-23T22:54:47Z

W000000t: /* General node settings */

Troubleshooting network issues

2022-06-29T17:54:16Z

W000000t: /* 3/4 connection problem */

You may be experiencing '''network issues''' if you're stuck on Bisq's initial loading screen for a while. Often this results in a screen mentioning outdated Tor files and other Tor settings. This could occur for a number of reasons.

__TOC__

== Weak internet connection ==

Bisq generally needs a strong, fast connection to work properly. Tethering on mobile connections can work but is known to cause issues.

== 3/4 connection problem ==

If Bisq stalls at step 3/4 of the startup sequence for more than 5 minutes it means the initial data download from seednodes has failed, or is taking too long.
This can happen on weak or slow internet connections, or if Tor is having issues relaying the large data download to your node.
Proposed mitigation is to clear the Tor cachefiles. (Close Bisq first). All files except <code>hiddenservice</code> can be deleted from <code>btc_mainnet/tor</code> beneath the [[https://bisq.wiki/Data_directory#Default_locations data directory]], they will be re-created as necessary at startup. <code>hiddenservice</code> should be kept as it defines your onion address.

See https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/issues/2547#issuecomment-1016787843

For a geekier approach, you can also try [[Manually_select_seednodes|manually choosing seednodes to connect to]]

== Windows antivirus software ==

Antivirus software is known to cause connection issues. Try turning it off to see if it helps Bisq to connect, and if it does, consider switching antivirus software or running Bisq on another operating system on which you don't need to run antivirus.

== Being temporarily banned by the Tor network ==

Trying to open Bisq too many times in a short timeframe can result in failing to connect to the Tor network. Simple wait 30-60 minutes and then try opening Bisq again.

== Tor censorship ==

In certain situations, Bisq may fail to start because your ISP or network provider is actively blocking Tor.

Tor is tries to fight such obstacles by providing ''bridges''. Bridges help you connect to the Tor network through a less well-known node. If you know someone who runs a bridge, you can ask to use their bridge, or you can go to https://bridges.torproject.org/bridges to pick a bridge listed by the Tor Project.

If you're in China, [[在中国运行Bisq_(Running_Bisq_in_China)|this method using SStap]] has worked to get around the Great Firewall.

==Tor bridges that don't work ==

Some network administrators try really hard to block all Tor activity on their network (universities are infamous for this) and will even sometimes block specific types of SSL traffic and handshakes.

In these scenarios, consider using a VPN and then running Bisq from within the VPN tunnel.

== Altcoin nodes running on the same computer ==

Some forks of the Bitcoin repository (e.g., Litecoin, Dogecoin, etc) are known to cause issues with Bisq starting up. Bisq can sometimes recognize altcoin nodes as Bitcoin nodes, causing Bisq to try connecting to them and then failing when it finds no Bitcoin blocks.

To solve this, switch altcoin nodes off, turn Bisq on and let it load completely. Then, turn the altcoin nodes back on.

Manually select seednodes

2022-06-29T17:51:36Z

W000000t:

If Tor network is experiencing issues, and seednodes are only partially operational, leading to frequent inability to connect to the p2p network, the following method is one workaround that will increase your probability of correctly running Bisq.

We want to manually connect to seednodes that appear to be working, rather than having Bisq randomly choose them; reach the network monitors available at the following addresses (click ''Continue'' in case your browser complains about the security of the page, they are just showing a large HTML table):
- http://46.101.179.224:8080/
- http://135.181.92.87:8080/

What you are looking for is in the '''Data inventory''' and '''DAO data''' columns, where you need to make sure that the former reports ''Number of Mediator: 2'' (do not mind skull and warning icons), and the latter shows a large integer near ''Number of BSQ blocks'' (''171131'' at the time of writing).

During high network instability, only a handful of seednodes will satisfy such requirements, and the data will also change both with time, and between the two monitor URLs, so your job is to identify those (at least a couple, the more the merrier) that show most consistently stable over time on all monitors, and note down their ''Node address:'' under the '''Seed node info''' column.

Once you have copied those <code>address.onion:port</code> strings, place them in a command line to start Bisq, appending them as a comma-separated list to the <code>-seednodes=</code> option, like so for example (for Linux):

<code>/opt/bisq/bin/Bisq -seedNodes=address1.onion:8000,address2.onion:8000,address3.onion:8000</code>

Press Enter, cross your fingers, and watch the magic happen (maybe), otherwise go back to square one and retry with different seednodes.

Manually select seednodes

2022-06-29T17:51:13Z

W000000t:

If Tor network is experiencing issues, and seednodes are only partially operational, leading to frequent inability to connect to the p2p network, the following method is one workaround that will increase your probability of correctly running Bisq.

We want to manually connect to seednodes that appear to be working, rather than having Bisq randomly choose them; reach the network monitors available at the following addresses (click ''Continue'' in case your browser complains about the security of the page, they are just showing a large HTML table):
- http://46.101.179.224:8080/
- http://135.181.92.87:8080/

What you are looking for is in the '''Data inventory''' and '''DAO data''' columns, where you need to make sure that the former reports ''Number of Mediator: 2'' (do not mind skull and warning icons), and the latter shows a large integer near ''Number of BSQ blocks'' (''171131'' at the time of writing).

During high network instability, only a handful of seednodes will show such requirements, and the data will also change both with time, and between the two monitor URLs, so your job is to identify those (at least a couple, the more the merrier) that show most consistently stable over time on all monitors, and note down their ''Node address:'' under the '''Seed node info''' column.

Once you have copied those <code>address.onion:port</code> strings, place them in a command line to start Bisq, appending them as a comma-separated list to the <code>-seednodes=</code> option, like so for example (for Linux):

<code>/opt/bisq/bin/Bisq -seedNodes=address1.onion:8000,address2.onion:8000,address3.onion:8000</code>

Press Enter, cross your fingers, and watch the magic happen (maybe), otherwise go back to square one and retry with different seednodes.

Manually select seednodes

2022-06-29T17:24:39Z

W000000t: Created page with "If Tor network is experiencing issues, and seednodes are only partially operational, leading to frequent inability to connect to the p2p network, the following method is one w..."

If Tor network is experiencing issues, and seednodes are only partially operational, leading to frequent inability to connect to the p2p network, the following method is one workaround that will increase your probability of correctly running Bisq.

We want to manually connect to seednodes that appear to be working, rather than having Bisq randomly choose them; reach the network monitors available at the following addresses (click ''Continue'' in case your browser complains about the security of the page, they are just showing a large HTML table):
- http://46.101.179.224:8080/
- http://135.181.92.87:8080/

What you are looking for is in the '''Data inventory''' and '''DAO data''' columns, where you need to make sure that the former reports ''Number of Mediator: 2'' (do not mind skull and warning icons), and the latter shows a large number near ''Number of BSQ blocks'' (''171131'' at the time of writing).

During high network instability, only a handful of seednodes will show such requirements, and the data will also change both with time, and between the two monitor URLs, so your job is to identify those (at least a couple, the more the merrier) that show most consistently stable over time on all monitors, and note down their ''Node address:'' under the '''Seed node info''' column.

Once you have copied those <code>address.onion:port</code> strings, place them in a command line to start Bisq, appending them as a comma-separated list to the <code>-seednodes=</code> option, like so for example (for Linux):

<code>/opt/bisq/bin/Bisq -seedNodes=address1.onion:8000,address2.onion:8000,address3.onion:8000</code>

Press Enter, cross your fingers, and watch the magic happen (maybe), otherwise go back to square one and retry with different seednodes.

Last resort restore

2022-06-09T09:39:15Z

W000000t: Created page with "Sometimes it will happen that your Bisq instance won't start, and you don't have backups, or your backups do not start as well, or are too old to be useful. The following is t..."

Sometimes it will happen that your Bisq instance won't start, and you don't have backups, or your backups do not start as well, or are too old to be useful.
The following is to be intended as a hacky-workaround-last-resort-attempt to have Bisq start while retaining as much data as possible from the previous installation.

=== Test with a fresh data directory ===

First of all, make sure you have the latest version installed, and Bisq is closed (terminate orphan existing processes if any), then rename your [https://bisq.wiki/Data_directory#Default_locations data directory] by changing <code>Bisq</code> to, for example, <code>Bisq.old</code>. 
Start Bisq again: it should start into a 100% new instance, creating a brand new <code>Bisq</code> folder (if it doesn't, try uninstalling and then reinstalling Bisq). 
Close Bisq again: we are going to use the freshly created Data Directory as a stump to populate with our old data.

=== Import raw data from backup ===

Open your renamed folder, get into the <code>btc_mainnet/db</code> folder, and sort files by "last modified" descending, you are looking for a series of file that were modified last, all of them in the same day (presumably the last day your Bisq was operational). 
The list should include: 
<code>BsqSwapTrades 
DisputeList 
RefundDisputeList 
SequenceNumberMap 
MyVoteList 
OpenOffers 
MyBlindVoteList 
ClosedTrades 
MediationDisputeList 
MyProposalList 
MailboxMessageList 
AccountAgeWitnessStore 
PendingTrades 
MyProofOfBurnList 
PreferencesPayload 
UserPayload 
AddressEntryList 
FailedTrades 
MyReputationList 
TempProposalStore 
NavigationPath 
UnconfirmedBsqChangeOutputList 
IgnoredMailboxMap 
PeerList 
RemovedPayloadsMap 
TradeStatistics3Store 
SignedWitnessStore 
</code>

Copy all the above files in the corresponding <code>btc_mainnet/db</code> folder of your fresh data directory, overwriting the existing ones.

Then, delete from the fresh data directory, and replace with copies from the old direcoty, the following folders: 
<code>btc_mainnet/keys 
btc_mainnet/wallet 
btc_mainnet/tor/hiddenservice 
</code>

Cross your fingers, and start Bisq again hoping that everything, including the state of trades and disputes, has been restored;if not, this is a reversible step as you can simply restore the existing old folder after deleting the fresh one you created.

Face-to-face (payment method)

2022-05-23T15:04:04Z

W000000t: /* Setting up a F2F account in Bisq */

Bisq can help users arrange '''face-to-face''' (F2F) trades to buy and sell bitcoin.

Done correctly, this may be the only payment method that can be both private ''and'' anonymous. But there are a number of things you should consider when doing a F2F trade on Bisq.

F2F trades are ''technically'' very similar to online trades. In fact, to carry out a F2F trade, you follow the exact same process within the Bisq software as you would for any other trade. The difference is in how the buyer pays the seller: instead of paying through a financial intermediary (like a bank or other money transfer service), the buyer meets the seller in real life and pays with cash.

__TOC__

= Setting up a F2F account in Bisq =

When setting up a F2F payment account in Bisq, you will be asked to enter the following information:

* Country
* Currency
* City (this will be displayed with the offer)
* Additional information (for example where you would like to complete the trade, do NOT place direct contact information here!)

You can only select one currency for a single F2F account. If you would like to trade with more than one currency, please create separate accounts for each currency.

Define any special terms, conditions, or details you would like to be displayed with your offers in the 'Additional Information' field. '''Users can see this field ''before'' taking the offer by clicking the info icon of the offer.'''

{{Admonition_Note|Consider setting up separate F2F accounts for buying and selling so you can specify special instructions for each.}}

= Making a F2F offer =

Make sure to state any special terms or conditions in the 'Additional Information' field of the payment account before making an offer. The person taking the offer will be accepting these terms and conditions by taking the offer. For example you could include that you are looking to complete the trade in a Starbucks within the city center.

Please note it is against Bisq rules to use the 'Additional Information' field to include advertising offers with a way to contact you prior to the trade (e.g. website, phone, email, or Matrix/Keybase/Telegram user name). Doing this can result in a penalty, should someone take your offer and request for you to be penalized.

= Taking a F2F offer =

'''Make sure to check the offer maker's terms and conditions before taking a F2F offer.''' If you cannot fulfill the terms, do not take the the offer. If you have specific terms you would prefer, consider making your own offer instead.

== Meeting your trading partner ==

Doing a transaction face-to-face means you’ll be coming within close proximity of a stranger to exchange relatively substantial value.

=== Be safe ===

People do local, in-person commerce all the time, all over the world. Incidents are rare, but they do happen. You should be cognizant of risks and do your part to minimize potential harm.

'''Guard your data.''' When you set up a face-to-face payment account in Bisq, you’ll need to provide contact information so you can arrange a meeting with your trading partner. Make sure this information isn’t traceable back to your property or identity.

'''Meet in a neutral public place.''' Meeting your trading partner in a place with witnesses and security cameras significantly reduces the chance of an incident.

'''Don’t bring more than you need.''' Even in a public place, incidents can still happen, but you can limit the chance even further by limiting valuables on your person that would interest a thief in the first place.

'''Bring backup.''' Consider bringing a friend with you. Also, depending on the laws in your area & your own comfort, consider carrying a concealed tool for self-defense. Even pepper-spray can hobble a criminal just enough to get you out of immediate danger.

=== Validate payment ===

Face-to-face trades are usually settled with cash. Cash is wonderfully anonymous, but it can be counterfeited. Be sure you know the basics of detecting counterfeit currency. For example, there are several characteristics of US dollar bills one can examine to quickly determine fakes with high accuracy.

You could look for tools like counterfeit pens to do the work for you, but make sure you do thorough research before picking one. Counterfeit pens, for example, are often not reliable.

If you’d rather not take the chance of carrying or accepting cash, consider meeting at a bank where you can validate a buyer’s payment on the spot.

=== Ensure you follow Bisq protocol ===

Ultimately, the deal will be completed in Bisq. Buyers must mark payment as sent before sellers can release assets.

'''Buyers''' should bring a laptop with them so they can mark the payment as sent. Otherwise, the buyer will end up paying the seller and have to walk away without the bitcoin they paid for (since the seller won’t be able to acknowledge receipt of payment before the buyer acknowledges they sent payment).

'''Sellers''' should bring a laptop with their Bisq client running no matter what. Once they receive a legitimate payment, they’ll need to mark the payment as received so the assets are released to the buyer. No buyer will want to walk away after paying without proof of a complete deal.

== Disputes ==

The lack of verifiable actions makes handling face-to-face disputes much harder.

This is why we highly recommend that both parties bring laptops and acknowledge their ends of the deal on the spot.

Otherwise, the same dispute process is in place for F2F trades, but be advised that mediators and arbitrators often won’t have a way to settle disputes. In such cases, aggrieved traders can send deposit funds to the donation address and [[Making_a_reimbursement_request|make an appeal to the Bisq DAO]].

Having said that, mediators and arbitrators may attempt different tactics to get a handle on the situation. For example, they may ask a potential scammer for ID verification, which is a request a real scammer probably wouldn’t comply with.

Face-to-face (payment method)

2022-05-23T15:01:12Z

W000000t: /* Setting up a F2F account in Bisq */

Bisq can help users arrange '''face-to-face''' (F2F) trades to buy and sell bitcoin.

Done correctly, this may be the only payment method that can be both private ''and'' anonymous. But there are a number of things you should consider when doing a F2F trade on Bisq.

F2F trades are ''technically'' very similar to online trades. In fact, to carry out a F2F trade, you follow the exact same process within the Bisq software as you would for any other trade. The difference is in how the buyer pays the seller: instead of paying through a financial intermediary (like a bank or other money transfer service), the buyer meets the seller in real life and pays with cash.

__TOC__

= Setting up a F2F account in Bisq =

When setting up a F2F payment account in Bisq, you will be asked to enter the following information:

* Country
* Currency
* City (this will be displayed with the offer)
* Additional information (for example where you would like to complete the trade.)

You can only select one currency for a single F2F account. If you would like to trade with more than one currency, please create separate accounts for each currency.

Define any special terms, conditions, or details you would like to be displayed with your offers in the 'Additional Information' field. '''Users can see this field ''before'' taking the offer by clicking the info icon of the offer.'''

{{Admonition_Note|Consider setting up separate F2F accounts for buying and selling so you can specify special instructions for each.}}

= Making a F2F offer =

Make sure to state any special terms or conditions in the 'Additional Information' field of the payment account before making an offer. The person taking the offer will be accepting these terms and conditions by taking the offer. For example you could include that you are looking to complete the trade in a Starbucks within the city center.

Please note it is against Bisq rules to use the 'Additional Information' field to include advertising offers with a way to contact you prior to the trade (e.g. website, phone, email, or Matrix/Keybase/Telegram user name). Doing this can result in a penalty, should someone take your offer and request for you to be penalized.

= Taking a F2F offer =

'''Make sure to check the offer maker's terms and conditions before taking a F2F offer.''' If you cannot fulfill the terms, do not take the the offer. If you have specific terms you would prefer, consider making your own offer instead.

== Meeting your trading partner ==

Doing a transaction face-to-face means you’ll be coming within close proximity of a stranger to exchange relatively substantial value.

=== Be safe ===

People do local, in-person commerce all the time, all over the world. Incidents are rare, but they do happen. You should be cognizant of risks and do your part to minimize potential harm.

'''Guard your data.''' When you set up a face-to-face payment account in Bisq, you’ll need to provide contact information so you can arrange a meeting with your trading partner. Make sure this information isn’t traceable back to your property or identity.

'''Meet in a neutral public place.''' Meeting your trading partner in a place with witnesses and security cameras significantly reduces the chance of an incident.

'''Don’t bring more than you need.''' Even in a public place, incidents can still happen, but you can limit the chance even further by limiting valuables on your person that would interest a thief in the first place.

'''Bring backup.''' Consider bringing a friend with you. Also, depending on the laws in your area & your own comfort, consider carrying a concealed tool for self-defense. Even pepper-spray can hobble a criminal just enough to get you out of immediate danger.

=== Validate payment ===

Face-to-face trades are usually settled with cash. Cash is wonderfully anonymous, but it can be counterfeited. Be sure you know the basics of detecting counterfeit currency. For example, there are several characteristics of US dollar bills one can examine to quickly determine fakes with high accuracy.

You could look for tools like counterfeit pens to do the work for you, but make sure you do thorough research before picking one. Counterfeit pens, for example, are often not reliable.

If you’d rather not take the chance of carrying or accepting cash, consider meeting at a bank where you can validate a buyer’s payment on the spot.

=== Ensure you follow Bisq protocol ===

Ultimately, the deal will be completed in Bisq. Buyers must mark payment as sent before sellers can release assets.

'''Buyers''' should bring a laptop with them so they can mark the payment as sent. Otherwise, the buyer will end up paying the seller and have to walk away without the bitcoin they paid for (since the seller won’t be able to acknowledge receipt of payment before the buyer acknowledges they sent payment).

'''Sellers''' should bring a laptop with their Bisq client running no matter what. Once they receive a legitimate payment, they’ll need to mark the payment as received so the assets are released to the buyer. No buyer will want to walk away after paying without proof of a complete deal.

== Disputes ==

The lack of verifiable actions makes handling face-to-face disputes much harder.

This is why we highly recommend that both parties bring laptops and acknowledge their ends of the deal on the spot.

Otherwise, the same dispute process is in place for F2F trades, but be advised that mediators and arbitrators often won’t have a way to settle disputes. In such cases, aggrieved traders can send deposit funds to the donation address and [[Making_a_reimbursement_request|make an appeal to the Bisq DAO]].

Having said that, mediators and arbitrators may attempt different tactics to get a handle on the situation. For example, they may ask a potential scammer for ID verification, which is a request a real scammer probably wouldn’t comply with.

Frequently asked questions

2022-04-28T20:21:37Z

W000000t: /* "Payment started" button will not stick, always says "Please send confirmation again" */

Below is a compilation of '''frequently-asked questions (FAQ)''' about Bisq, how to use it, and how to help the project.

Feel free to ask further questions on any of Bisq's many outreach channels.

== About ==

==== How is Bisq different from other decentralized exchanges? ====

Bisq is a peer-to-peer trading network, not a website or "app" or other centralized service. It's software you run on your own hardware, which connects to other people running the Bisq software to facilitate trades. It's open-source and community-driven.

And you can trade bitcoin for fiat currencies with it!

The difference between Bisq and other so-called decentralized exchanges is as stark as the difference between owning your own home and renting someone else's—in the former case you have full control over the property, and in the latter you're always subject to the landlord's whims and demands (no matter how nice the landlord may seem to be).

With Bisq you're always the owner—not just owner of your bitcoin, but also owner of your data.

* Bisq does not hold any bitcoin. All bitcoin used for trading is held in '''2-of-2 multisignature addresses''' controlled solely by the trading peers themselves.
* Bisq does not hold any national currency. National currency is transferred directly from one trader to the other using traditional banking and payment services.
* All Bisq data is transferred over its own secure peer-to-peer network, which is built on top of the Tor network—no central servers. This means '''there are no data honeypots''', rendering large-scale hacks of customer information databases impossible.
* Bisq does not know anything about traders who use its network, and no data is stored on who trades with whom.
* Bisq does not require registration, so your privacy is protected, and you can '''begin trading instantly'''.
* Bisq is code, not a company. It is an open-source project organized as a [[Decentralized_autonomous_organization|decentralized autonomous organization (DAO)]] built on top of Bitcoin.

See more in the [[Introduction]].

==== Is Bisq open-source software? ====

Bisq's software is free/libre open-source licensed under Version 3 of the GNU Affero General Public License.

Here's the [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq source code] and [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/blob/master/LICENSE license].

==== Is Bisq safe? ====

Thanks to strong incentives encouraging traders to play fairly, the vast majority of trades on Bisq go smoothly and quickly.

Bisq employs three primary mechanisms to achieve security:

* All bitcoin traded with Bisq is secured in a 2-of-2 multisignature address.
* Both traders are required to pay security deposits, which are refunded after trades are completed.
* Trade disputes are handled through a [[Dispute_resolution|3-tier mechanism]] that includes end-to-end encrypted trader chat, mediation, and arbitration.

When trading fiat currency for bitcoin, there is always some chargeback risk, as fiat transactions can often be reversed.

To mitigate this risk, Bisq:

* only supports payment methods which are known to make chargebacks difficult—this is why Bisq does not support PayPal and credit cards, for example. See more on chargeback risks.
* employs an [[Account_limits#Account_signing account|signing mechanism]] that forces 0.01 BTC buy limits until a buyer's integrity (not identity!) is verified.

== Getting started ==

==== I find Bisq very confusing. I've tried using it but just end up getting lost! ====

Some people find Bisq's interface intuitive, but many people don't. Check out [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDkzUl9wibc this tour video] to help you make sense of the interface, and then check out the [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjmpAq9RUXM Bird's Eye View of a Bisq Trade] video for a high-level overview of how Bisq trading works.

Then check out the [https://bisq.network/getting-started getting-started guide] to see how to get up and running quickly.

As of April 2021, Bisq contributors have designed a whole new beautiful interface that should make Bisq significantly more intuitive, and are also in touch with a talented UI developer to turn the design into code. You can follow progress on this initiative [https://github.com/bisq-network/projects/issues/49 here].

==== I can't use Bisq to trade because there are hardly ever any offers in my currency. What can I do? ====

While Bisq can technically support any market, only a handful of markets are consistently active on Bisq—mainly because they offer good payment methods and had strong on-the-ground support to bootstrap them in the beginning.

{{Admonition_Note|Note that a weak offer book in a particular market doesn't ''necessarily'' mean trades don't take place in that market. It could be that there are people lurking there that will happily take an offer if you take the initiative to make one (this is often the case in markets like CAD, AUD, and GBP, for example).

You can check trade history for your market by going to <code>Market</code> > <code>Trades</code> and picking your currency from the dropdown.}}

If your market has no recent trades, a little more work will need to be done to get it going. At a minimum, payment methods common in your market should be added ([https://github.com/bisq-network/growth/issues/new/choose suggest them here]), and some form of marketing should be done to get users and market-makers to bootstrap a market.

Bisq contributors are more than happy to help if you can help with guidance, connections to people who can help, and/or events and translations and other vehicles for reaching your target demographics.

==== I heard I need bitcoin in order to buy bitcoin on Bisq...but I don't have any bitcoin. What can I do? ====

Yes, the chicken-and-egg problem with Bisq is real.

Here are some ways to get just enough bitcoin to do your first trade on Bisq:
* try to obtain some yourself using [https://bisq.wiki/Funding_your_wallet#How_to_Obtain_Your_First_Bitcoin these suggestions]
* hop onto the <code>Get your first BTC</code> room on [https://bisq.chat Matrix] and make a deal ([[Informal_Market_for_Small_BTC_Trades|see more here]])

== Trading ==

==== What are trading fees? ====

[[Trading fees]] are calculated as a percentage of trade size: 0.1% for makers and 0.7% for takers if paid in BTC and about half of that if paid in BSQ.

Keep in mind that you'll also need to pay [[mining fees]] for the on-chain transactions, as well as a deposit to lock into the multisig escrow. You'll get the deposit back in full after the trade completes successfully.

==== Mining fees are too high. How can I trade on Bisq cost-effectively? ====

Bisq's current trade protocol requires 4 on-chain transactions. Takers pay for 3 of these transactions and makers pay for 1 of them.

Therefore, to make trading on Bisq as cost-effective as possible, consider '''making your own offers''' at times '''when mining fees are lower'''.

Other things you can do:
* make offers to trade '''larger amounts of BTC''' (bigger offers tend to get better pricing)
* '''pay trade fees with BSQ''' (BSQ trade fees tend to be about half of BTC trading fees)

==== Why does Bisq require a security deposit in BTC? ====

[[Security deposit | Security deposits]] create strong incentives for buyers and sellers to follow the [[Trading rules|rules of Bisq's trading protocol]]. Deposits are locked into multisig escrow along with the bitcoin being traded, and are returned to each user when the trade is complete.

If a trade is disputed through a mediator or arbitrator, some or all of the offending party's security deposit may be awarded to the counterparty. Examples of protocol violations include a buyer failing to pay a seller, paying with a different account or with a different name, or a seller failing to acknowledge receipt of a buyer's payment.

Most Bisq trades complete without any problem thanks in part to the incentives that security deposits create.

See full [[trading rules]].

==== What are trading limits? How much bitcoin can I buy/sell at once? ====

Trading limits vary based on payment method, since some payment methods are more secure than others.

Relatively safe payment methods such as Japan's Furikomi and Australia's PayID are set to allow trades of up to 1 BTC, but other payment methods such as Zelle and SEPA have a cap of 0.25 BTC. See the [[Payment_methods|full list of payment methods and limits]].

Altoins are not possible to charge back, so all altcoin trades have a limit of 2 BTC.

==== Which payment methods are available? ====

See [[payment methods]].

If you'd like to suggest a payment method to be added, please [https://github.com/bisq-network/growth/issues/new/choose submit a new issue].

==== How does Bisq handle fiat like dollars and euros? Where does it go? ====

Bisq doesn't handle fiat at all -- it only handles BTC. Trades are settled outside of Bisq, meaning fiat payments are sent outside Bisq via traditional banking services.

Bisq merely matches peers and sets incentives (e.g. locking a BTC security deposit from both peers, as a sort of escrow) to encourage both trading peers to act in good faith. This is also why you need bitcoin to begin trading on Bisq.

==== How long does a trade take? ====

There is no automatic order matching on Bisq, and trades are settled manually by humans. As a result, trades are not completed as quickly as they would be on centralized exchanges, but can still be fairly quick.

Some payment methods are instant (e.g., Faster Payment) while others can take a few days (e.g., SEPA).

As far as Bisq is concerned, the deposit transaction needs to be confirmed once before the buyer can send payment. Bitcoin transactions take about 10 minutes to confirm, so with quick traders and quick payment method, a Bisq trade can be completed in a matter of minutes.

Altcoin trade periods are always 1 day (or 1 hour for Altcoins Instant trades).

See the list of [[payment methods]] for complete details.

==== How does Bisq protect my privacy? ====

Bisq is standalone, open-source software that you can inspect before running on your machine, and as a result, you don't have to trust that any server is logging your personal details (as you would in the case of a website).

As for the trading process, your payment information is stored locally on your machine, and only your trading partner (and your mediator or arbitrator, in case of a dispute) can ever see it. All data exchanged between users is encrypted and signed.

To transmit data from one user to another, Bisq uses a P2P network built on top of Tor, which provides a high degree of anonymity. The user doesn't need to do any additional work for all of this to work—it is all integrated in the application.

==== Do I need to keep Bisq online for my offers to remain online? ====

Yes. There are no central servers on the Bisq network—so all peers are responsible for keeping their offers online.

If you have published an offer, your Bisq application needs to stay online so it can react when another trader wants to take your offer (the multisig deposit transaction is created in the take-offer process). Be sure you have deactivated your computer's standby mode so your Bisq application can stay online (monitor standby is not a problem).

If your Bisq application does go offline, your offer will get removed from the distributed offerbook. It will be re-published the next time you start your Bisq application.

After an offer has been taken and the trade process has started, neither trader needs to be online continuously, but each trader will need to be online periodically to check if any action is needed on their side (e.g. sending fiat/altcoin, confirming payment receipt, etc).

==== Do I have to use the Bisq wallet? ====

No, but you may find it convenient to keep a small amount of trading capital there.

When entering a new trade on Bisq, you will get the option to transfer funds from your Bisq wallet ''or'' send funds from an external wallet.

Likewise, when concluding a trade on Bisq, you can withdraw your funds to the Bisq wallet or to an external wallet.

==== Do I have to use the Bisq token? ====

No, using BSQ is totally optional. However, using it gets you a ~50% discount on [[trading fees]] while helping to [[Introduction_to_the_DAO#Earn_and_distribute_revenue|compensate Bisq contributors]] at the same time.

==== Will my bank know I'm trading bitcoin? ====

Generally speaking, Bisq doesn't deal with banks at all. All fiat transfers take place directly between users.

But there have been reports of banks closing accounts upon suspecting bitcoin activity. As a result, Bisq requires that the "reason for payment" field always be left BLANK when making a payment (if the payment method offers such a field).

If a reason is required, it should be something trivial like a "-" or "payment". If you want to use something else, please agree on an alternative with your peer using trader chat.
See full [[trading rules]] for more information.

== Common Technical Niggles ==

==== Bisq on macOS won't open, or it's asking for permission to record my keystrokes! ====

If Bisq won't open, try right-clicking the app and clicking <code>Open</code>.

If you get the prompt asking to record your keystrokes, rest assured it's a [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/issues/3373 bug] (Bisq is absolutely not recording your keystrokes). This bug should be fixed with a [[https://github.com/bisq-network/projects/issues/44|Java LTS version update]] coming soon.

==== Bisq seems to bog down my computer. When I open it, CPU and memory usage spike. Can this be prevented? ====

Bisq has had memory usage and CPU usage issue on certain operating systems in the past, but these issues should be resolved now. You can manually set the max RAM usage by following [[Reducing_memory_usage|these instructions]].

Chances are Bisq is probably just trying to sync blockchain data. New releases of Bisq include data stores updated at release time to reduce this syncing time, but as a release gets older (i.e., beyond 3-4 weeks old), the data stores get older, and syncing takes longer. Just let it finish and your computer resources should go back down to normal again.

If the issue doesn't go away on its own, please reach out for help in the <code>Support</code> room [https://bisq.chat on Matrix] or open an issue [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq on GitHub].

==== I'm on a high-resolution monitor on Linux and everything is way too small. Help? ====

See [[Running_on_HiDPI_screen|this article]] for a tip on fixing this issue.

==== Bisq says "this offer cannot be taken due to counterparty trade restrictions". What does that mean? ====

This happens in rare circumstances. Bisq checks information about an account such as its age to determine if it is allowed to trade over certain limits. The information is stored in the P2P network, and it may not yet have propagated to your node. Try again after restarting Bisq. The offer maker may need to restart Bisq in order for the information to propagate.

==== My SPV resync is taking all day and it keeps freezing. What can I do to make it go faster? ====

Unfortunately this can happen sometimes if your wallet is over a year old and/or has a lot of transactions. If the resync stalls, close and restart Bisq to continue the resync. It will go faster if you [[Connecting_to_your_own_Bitcoin_node|connect to a local Bitcoin node]].
After your SPV resync is completed, it would be best to switch to a fresh wallet.

==== How can I get a fresh Bisq wallet and transfer my BSQ balance to it? ====

The procedure involves setting aside the existing wallet directory (by renaming) in order to get a fresh wallet. The wallet directory is at <code>btc_mainnet/wallet</code> from the [[Data_directory|main data directory location]]. You'll then be able to activate either the old or new wallet by renaming the directory before starting Bisq. Be sure that Bisq is never running when you rename a directory.
# You have some BSQ and also some BTC balance existing in your wallet. (You need BTC to pay mining fees for sending BSQ).
# Close Bisq then rename your <code>wallet</code> directory to <code>oldWallet</code>.
# Start Bisq and it will create a fresh wallet. Note down your BSQ receiving address and also your BTC receiving address. Write down your recovery seed phrase (Under Account / Wallet Seed menu) and store it in a safe place (not online).
# Close Bisq and rename your <code>wallet</code> dir to <code>newWallet</code>, rename your old wallet dir to <code>wallet</code>, then restart Bisq.
# Send BSQ to your new receiving address you saved in the earlier step. Then send BTC the same way. Close Bisq.
# Rename <code>wallet</code> to <code>oldWallet</code> and <code>newWallet</code> to <code>wallet</code>. Then restart Bisq.

Done! Your BSQ and BTC balances have been moved to a fresh wallet.

==== "heightOfLastBlock must match chainHeight" error on starting Bisq ====

The following procedure should fix itː
* make a backup of your data folder
* close Bisq
* from inside data folder, delete DaoStateStore and BsqBlocks
* restart Bisq

==== "Payment started" button will not stick, always says "Please send confirmation again" ====

This is a known issue, stemming from how the application will err on the side of caution when P2P network conditions are less than favorable.
It most often happens when the peer is offline, so usually when a seller taker accepts an open offer with a non-instant payment method, like SEPA, and then goes offline, since the payment will take at least a day to be credited and they do not need to stay connected while the buyer maker's payment arrives.
Here are some things that might work
* Send a message in trader chat
* Insist on pressing the button tens of times
* Restart Bisq
* Follow menus '''Settings''' -> '''Network Info''' -> '''Open Tor Settings''' -> '''Delete Outdated Tor Files And Shutdown''', then restart Bisq
* Do nothing and stay online, as the button will sometimes finally "register" by itself with a random delay
* When everything else fails, and the trade period is almost at its end, communicate your intentions to the peer in trader chat and open mediation by pressing Ctrl-O in trade window, explaining what happened to the mediator, even better by attaching a screenshot of the issue; a support ticket will be opened and both peers will have the opportunity to accept the original payout

==== I want to install Bisq on a VPS or on an otherwise headless system ====

Bisq needs a graphical desktop environment to be ran, but in order to keep offers online without the need to have your PC always on, some users reported good results by using https://www.xpra.org as a graphical endpoint which you can forward to a client.

== Dispute resolution ==

==== How does dispute resolution work? ====

Bisq provides a 3-layer mechanism for resolving disputes: trader chat, mediation, and arbitration.

Trader chat enables traders to resolve small issues themselves privately over end-to-end encrypted chat right in Bisq. If this doesn't work, traders can engage a mediator to examine the situation and suggest a payout. In rare circumstances that mediation fails, a trader can choose to engage an arbitrator to re-examine the situation and make a payout.

Veteran users: please note that the arbitrator role changed significantly with the launch of the new trade protocol on v1.2.

See [[trading rules]] and [[dispute resolution]] for more.

==== How is collusion between mediators, arbitrators, and traders prevented? ====

With the launch of the new trading protocol in v1.2, multisig escrows went from 2-of-3 to 2-of-2 arrangements, so that only the two trading peers have control of trading funds (instead of the 2 trading peers and an arbitrator). With no keys in the multisig escrow, it is no longer possible for a mediator or arbitrator to collude with another trader to release funds maliciously.

Mediators and arbitrators are still bonded roles, however, because even though they cannot sign a payout transaction to resolve a dispute, they can ''advise'' how to resolve a dispute, and it's important that they be responsive, responsible, and fair when doing so.

==== What happens if the person buying bitcoin does a chargeback after the bitcoin has been released from the multisig address? ====

Bisq only supports payment methods for which chargebacks are not easy (e.g., this is why PayPal and credit cards are not supported). But there is still a little chargeback risk with banks. If a bank executes a chargeback after the BTC has been released, there is nothing a mediator or arbitrator can do.

Bisq's goal is to make this scenario as unattractive as possible, using three primary mechanisms:

# [[Account limits|Account aging]] requires newly-created fiat payment accounts on Bisq to have lower trade limits, and those limits are increased over time.
# [[Account_limits#Account_signing|Account signing]] requires higher-risk payment methods to be signed upon verifying the integrity of a trader before account aging kicks in. Until such accounts are signed, buy limits are set to 0.01 BTC.
# National currency payment methods which are found to be used for chargebacks are quickly removed.

==== Wouldn't a pure reputation system among traders make mediators and arbitrators unnecessary? ====

Pure reputation without additional dispute resolution measures is a weak protection system, as you can never avoid [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sybil_attack sybil] or [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confidence_trick long con] attacks.

Such mechanisms are also problematic for protecting privacy and for keeping the service decentralized.

==== How can I contact my trading peer? ====

Bisq has a built-in end-to-end encrypted [[Dispute_resolution#Level_1:_Trader_chat|chat mechanism]] that you can use to talk to your trading peer while the trade is in progress.

== DAO ==

==== What is the Bisq DAO? ====

The Bisq DAO (decentralized autonomous organization) is a decentralized governance mechanism for the Bisq software, built on Bitcoin. It takes the place of a company. How good can decentralized software possibly be if it's still controlled by a single entity, like a company?

Decentralized software is no good without decentralized governance.

That's why Bisq is not a company or legal entity of any kind—instead, it's organized as a DAO. The DAO handles the software's funding and strategy-making to enable the Bisq network to thrive, and at the same time, harden it against attacks on the infrastructure that powers its leadership and operation.

In a nutshell, the Bisq DAO enables Bisq to become even more censorship-resistant, a core [[Introduction|principle of the project]] from the very beginning.

Read more about the Bisq DAO in [[Introduction_to_the_DAO|this introductory article]].

==== How does the Bisq DAO work? ====

The primary purposes of the Bisq DAO are financing the project and determining strategy.

# Trading fees are distributed directly from traders to contributors with a token (colored bitcoin) called BSQ.
# Strategy is determined collectively through voting done in the Bisq software and recorded on the Bitcoin network.

Learn more about how this actually works in [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFH5SztL5cYPAXWFz-IMB4dBZ0MEZEG_e this series of short 3-5 minute videos].

See [[Decentralized_autonomous_organization|this article]] for a full list of resources to learn more.

==== What do I need to know about the DAO, as a trader? ====

First of all, you are NOT required to use the BSQ token or Bisq DAO to use Bisq.

But there are benefits to doing so: you'll pay lower trading fees by using BSQ instead of BTC.

But why have the BSQ token at all? Because it enables Bisq contributors to be paid for their work without any central wallets or points of control. When you buy BSQ, you're directly paying a Bisq contributor for their work, and in the process, helping to sustain the whole project. The dynamic this token enables is not possible with plain bitcoin.

When you use BSQ to pay trading fees, it's destroyed and 'burned' out of existence.

[[Introduction_to_the_DAO#Overview|See more on this dynamic here]].

==== Is Bisq using a token because it needs money? What's the issuance schedule for the token? ====

Bisq already earns revenue from trading fees. It's not launching this DAO and BSQ token for ''earning'' revenue—it's doing it to ''distribute'' the revenue it already earns to more people without any central points of control.

BSQ tokens are issued every time a contributor's compensation request is approved through voting, and the tokens are destroyed every time a trader uses BSQ to pay trading fees.

BSQ issuance is not a 1-time event, and its purpose is not to raise capital. You can see a walk-through of the BSQ issuance process in [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFH5SztL5cYPAXWFz-IMB4dBZ0MEZEG_e this video series].

==== Can I use Bisq without BSQ and without this DAO? ====

You could. All you'd have to do is pay your trading fees with BTC instead of BSQ. But we hope you don't, because doing so would render the project unsustainable.

Before the Bisq DAO, trading fees went to just a couple of wallets owned by specific Bisq contributors (arbitrators). All other contributors were not paid. Bisq needs its contributors to be paid in regular, predictable ways to ensure continual (and reliable) development, service, and growth; the Bisq DAO enables this to happen by distributing trading fees to all contributors in a totally decentralized way.

The Bisq DAO and BSQ token enable a funding and governance mechanism that is [[https://bisq.network/blog/bisq-dao-for-bitcoin-maximalists/ not possible with plain bitcoin]]. We highly recommend you check [[Decentralized_autonomous_organization|out the documentation]] and [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFH5SztL5cYPAXWFz-IMB4dBZ0MEZEG_e video series]] to learn more.

== Other ==

==== This project is cool! How can I help out? ====

Check out the [[contributor checklist]]. We'd love to hear from you!

==== I have a question that isn’t covered here...? ====

Feel free to reach out on [https://bisq.chat Matrix] or [https://bisq.network/#community any other channel].

Frequently asked questions

2022-04-24T15:29:38Z

W000000t: /* Common Technical Niggles */

Below is a compilation of '''frequently-asked questions (FAQ)''' about Bisq, how to use it, and how to help the project.

Feel free to ask further questions on any of Bisq's many outreach channels.

== About ==

==== How is Bisq different from other decentralized exchanges? ====

Bisq is a peer-to-peer trading network, not a website or "app" or other centralized service. It's software you run on your own hardware, which connects to other people running the Bisq software to facilitate trades. It's open-source and community-driven.

And you can trade bitcoin for fiat currencies with it!

The difference between Bisq and other so-called decentralized exchanges is as stark as the difference between owning your own home and renting someone else's—in the former case you have full control over the property, and in the latter you're always subject to the landlord's whims and demands (no matter how nice the landlord may seem to be).

With Bisq you're always the owner—not just owner of your bitcoin, but also owner of your data.

* Bisq does not hold any bitcoin. All bitcoin used for trading is held in '''2-of-2 multisignature addresses''' controlled solely by the trading peers themselves.
* Bisq does not hold any national currency. National currency is transferred directly from one trader to the other using traditional banking and payment services.
* All Bisq data is transferred over its own secure peer-to-peer network, which is built on top of the Tor network—no central servers. This means '''there are no data honeypots''', rendering large-scale hacks of customer information databases impossible.
* Bisq does not know anything about traders who use its network, and no data is stored on who trades with whom.
* Bisq does not require registration, so your privacy is protected, and you can '''begin trading instantly'''.
* Bisq is code, not a company. It is an open-source project organized as a [[Decentralized_autonomous_organization|decentralized autonomous organization (DAO)]] built on top of Bitcoin.

See more in the [[Introduction]].

==== Is Bisq open-source software? ====

Bisq's software is free/libre open-source licensed under Version 3 of the GNU Affero General Public License.

Here's the [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq source code] and [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/blob/master/LICENSE license].

==== Is Bisq safe? ====

Thanks to strong incentives encouraging traders to play fairly, the vast majority of trades on Bisq go smoothly and quickly.

Bisq employs three primary mechanisms to achieve security:

* All bitcoin traded with Bisq is secured in a 2-of-2 multisignature address.
* Both traders are required to pay security deposits, which are refunded after trades are completed.
* Trade disputes are handled through a [[Dispute_resolution|3-tier mechanism]] that includes end-to-end encrypted trader chat, mediation, and arbitration.

When trading fiat currency for bitcoin, there is always some chargeback risk, as fiat transactions can often be reversed.

To mitigate this risk, Bisq:

* only supports payment methods which are known to make chargebacks difficult—this is why Bisq does not support PayPal and credit cards, for example. See more on chargeback risks.
* employs an [[Account_limits#Account_signing account|signing mechanism]] that forces 0.01 BTC buy limits until a buyer's integrity (not identity!) is verified.

== Getting started ==

==== I find Bisq very confusing. I've tried using it but just end up getting lost! ====

Some people find Bisq's interface intuitive, but many people don't. Check out [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDkzUl9wibc this tour video] to help you make sense of the interface, and then check out the [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjmpAq9RUXM Bird's Eye View of a Bisq Trade] video for a high-level overview of how Bisq trading works.

Then check out the [https://bisq.network/getting-started getting-started guide] to see how to get up and running quickly.

As of April 2021, Bisq contributors have designed a whole new beautiful interface that should make Bisq significantly more intuitive, and are also in touch with a talented UI developer to turn the design into code. You can follow progress on this initiative [https://github.com/bisq-network/projects/issues/49 here].

==== I can't use Bisq to trade because there are hardly ever any offers in my currency. What can I do? ====

While Bisq can technically support any market, only a handful of markets are consistently active on Bisq—mainly because they offer good payment methods and had strong on-the-ground support to bootstrap them in the beginning.

{{Admonition_Note|Note that a weak offer book in a particular market doesn't ''necessarily'' mean trades don't take place in that market. It could be that there are people lurking there that will happily take an offer if you take the initiative to make one (this is often the case in markets like CAD, AUD, and GBP, for example).

You can check trade history for your market by going to <code>Market</code> > <code>Trades</code> and picking your currency from the dropdown.}}

If your market has no recent trades, a little more work will need to be done to get it going. At a minimum, payment methods common in your market should be added ([https://github.com/bisq-network/growth/issues/new/choose suggest them here]), and some form of marketing should be done to get users and market-makers to bootstrap a market.

Bisq contributors are more than happy to help if you can help with guidance, connections to people who can help, and/or events and translations and other vehicles for reaching your target demographics.

==== I heard I need bitcoin in order to buy bitcoin on Bisq...but I don't have any bitcoin. What can I do? ====

Yes, the chicken-and-egg problem with Bisq is real.

Here are some ways to get just enough bitcoin to do your first trade on Bisq:
* try to obtain some yourself using [https://bisq.wiki/Funding_your_wallet#How_to_Obtain_Your_First_Bitcoin these suggestions]
* hop onto the <code>Get your first BTC</code> room on [https://bisq.chat Matrix] and make a deal ([[Informal_Market_for_Small_BTC_Trades|see more here]])

== Trading ==

==== What are trading fees? ====

[[Trading fees]] are calculated as a percentage of trade size: 0.1% for makers and 0.7% for takers if paid in BTC and about half of that if paid in BSQ.

Keep in mind that you'll also need to pay [[mining fees]] for the on-chain transactions, as well as a deposit to lock into the multisig escrow. You'll get the deposit back in full after the trade completes successfully.

==== Mining fees are too high. How can I trade on Bisq cost-effectively? ====

Bisq's current trade protocol requires 4 on-chain transactions. Takers pay for 3 of these transactions and makers pay for 1 of them.

Therefore, to make trading on Bisq as cost-effective as possible, consider '''making your own offers''' at times '''when mining fees are lower'''.

Other things you can do:
* make offers to trade '''larger amounts of BTC''' (bigger offers tend to get better pricing)
* '''pay trade fees with BSQ''' (BSQ trade fees tend to be about half of BTC trading fees)

==== Why does Bisq require a security deposit in BTC? ====

[[Security deposit | Security deposits]] create strong incentives for buyers and sellers to follow the [[Trading rules|rules of Bisq's trading protocol]]. Deposits are locked into multisig escrow along with the bitcoin being traded, and are returned to each user when the trade is complete.

If a trade is disputed through a mediator or arbitrator, some or all of the offending party's security deposit may be awarded to the counterparty. Examples of protocol violations include a buyer failing to pay a seller, paying with a different account or with a different name, or a seller failing to acknowledge receipt of a buyer's payment.

Most Bisq trades complete without any problem thanks in part to the incentives that security deposits create.

See full [[trading rules]].

==== What are trading limits? How much bitcoin can I buy/sell at once? ====

Trading limits vary based on payment method, since some payment methods are more secure than others.

Relatively safe payment methods such as Japan's Furikomi and Australia's PayID are set to allow trades of up to 1 BTC, but other payment methods such as Zelle and SEPA have a cap of 0.25 BTC. See the [[Payment_methods|full list of payment methods and limits]].

Altoins are not possible to charge back, so all altcoin trades have a limit of 2 BTC.

==== Which payment methods are available? ====

See [[payment methods]].

If you'd like to suggest a payment method to be added, please [https://github.com/bisq-network/growth/issues/new/choose submit a new issue].

==== How does Bisq handle fiat like dollars and euros? Where does it go? ====

Bisq doesn't handle fiat at all -- it only handles BTC. Trades are settled outside of Bisq, meaning fiat payments are sent outside Bisq via traditional banking services.

Bisq merely matches peers and sets incentives (e.g. locking a BTC security deposit from both peers, as a sort of escrow) to encourage both trading peers to act in good faith. This is also why you need bitcoin to begin trading on Bisq.

==== How long does a trade take? ====

There is no automatic order matching on Bisq, and trades are settled manually by humans. As a result, trades are not completed as quickly as they would be on centralized exchanges, but can still be fairly quick.

Some payment methods are instant (e.g., Faster Payment) while others can take a few days (e.g., SEPA).

As far as Bisq is concerned, the deposit transaction needs to be confirmed once before the buyer can send payment. Bitcoin transactions take about 10 minutes to confirm, so with quick traders and quick payment method, a Bisq trade can be completed in a matter of minutes.

Altcoin trade periods are always 1 day (or 1 hour for Altcoins Instant trades).

See the list of [[payment methods]] for complete details.

==== How does Bisq protect my privacy? ====

Bisq is standalone, open-source software that you can inspect before running on your machine, and as a result, you don't have to trust that any server is logging your personal details (as you would in the case of a website).

As for the trading process, your payment information is stored locally on your machine, and only your trading partner (and your mediator or arbitrator, in case of a dispute) can ever see it. All data exchanged between users is encrypted and signed.

To transmit data from one user to another, Bisq uses a P2P network built on top of Tor, which provides a high degree of anonymity. The user doesn't need to do any additional work for all of this to work—it is all integrated in the application.

==== Do I need to keep Bisq online for my offers to remain online? ====

Yes. There are no central servers on the Bisq network—so all peers are responsible for keeping their offers online.

If you have published an offer, your Bisq application needs to stay online so it can react when another trader wants to take your offer (the multisig deposit transaction is created in the take-offer process). Be sure you have deactivated your computer's standby mode so your Bisq application can stay online (monitor standby is not a problem).

If your Bisq application does go offline, your offer will get removed from the distributed offerbook. It will be re-published the next time you start your Bisq application.

After an offer has been taken and the trade process has started, neither trader needs to be online continuously, but each trader will need to be online periodically to check if any action is needed on their side (e.g. sending fiat/altcoin, confirming payment receipt, etc).

==== Do I have to use the Bisq wallet? ====

No, but you may find it convenient to keep a small amount of trading capital there.

When entering a new trade on Bisq, you will get the option to transfer funds from your Bisq wallet ''or'' send funds from an external wallet.

Likewise, when concluding a trade on Bisq, you can withdraw your funds to the Bisq wallet or to an external wallet.

==== Do I have to use the Bisq token? ====

No, using BSQ is totally optional. However, using it gets you a ~50% discount on [[trading fees]] while helping to [[Introduction_to_the_DAO#Earn_and_distribute_revenue|compensate Bisq contributors]] at the same time.

==== Will my bank know I'm trading bitcoin? ====

Generally speaking, Bisq doesn't deal with banks at all. All fiat transfers take place directly between users.

But there have been reports of banks closing accounts upon suspecting bitcoin activity. As a result, Bisq requires that the "reason for payment" field always be left BLANK when making a payment (if the payment method offers such a field).

If a reason is required, it should be something trivial like a "-" or "payment". If you want to use something else, please agree on an alternative with your peer using trader chat.
See full [[trading rules]] for more information.

== Common Technical Niggles ==

==== Bisq on macOS won't open, or it's asking for permission to record my keystrokes! ====

If Bisq won't open, try right-clicking the app and clicking <code>Open</code>.

If you get the prompt asking to record your keystrokes, rest assured it's a [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/issues/3373 bug] (Bisq is absolutely not recording your keystrokes). This bug should be fixed with a [[https://github.com/bisq-network/projects/issues/44|Java LTS version update]] coming soon.

==== Bisq seems to bog down my computer. When I open it, CPU and memory usage spike. Can this be prevented? ====

Bisq has had memory usage and CPU usage issue on certain operating systems in the past, but these issues should be resolved now. You can manually set the max RAM usage by following [[Reducing_memory_usage|these instructions]].

Chances are Bisq is probably just trying to sync blockchain data. New releases of Bisq include data stores updated at release time to reduce this syncing time, but as a release gets older (i.e., beyond 3-4 weeks old), the data stores get older, and syncing takes longer. Just let it finish and your computer resources should go back down to normal again.

If the issue doesn't go away on its own, please reach out for help in the <code>Support</code> room [https://bisq.chat on Matrix] or open an issue [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq on GitHub].

==== I'm on a high-resolution monitor on Linux and everything is way too small. Help? ====

See [[Running_on_HiDPI_screen|this article]] for a tip on fixing this issue.

==== Bisq says "this offer cannot be taken due to counterparty trade restrictions". What does that mean? ====

This happens in rare circumstances. Bisq checks information about an account such as its age to determine if it is allowed to trade over certain limits. The information is stored in the P2P network, and it may not yet have propagated to your node. Try again after restarting Bisq. The offer maker may need to restart Bisq in order for the information to propagate.

==== My SPV resync is taking all day and it keeps freezing. What can I do to make it go faster? ====

Unfortunately this can happen sometimes if your wallet is over a year old and/or has a lot of transactions. If the resync stalls, close and restart Bisq to continue the resync. It will go faster if you [[Connecting_to_your_own_Bitcoin_node|connect to a local Bitcoin node]].
After your SPV resync is completed, it would be best to switch to a fresh wallet.

==== How can I get a fresh Bisq wallet and transfer my BSQ balance to it? ====

The procedure involves setting aside the existing wallet directory (by renaming) in order to get a fresh wallet. The wallet directory is at <code>btc_mainnet/wallet</code> from the [[Data_directory|main data directory location]]. You'll then be able to activate either the old or new wallet by renaming the directory before starting Bisq. Be sure that Bisq is never running when you rename a directory.
# You have some BSQ and also some BTC balance existing in your wallet. (You need BTC to pay mining fees for sending BSQ).
# Close Bisq then rename your <code>wallet</code> directory to <code>oldWallet</code>.
# Start Bisq and it will create a fresh wallet. Note down your BSQ receiving address and also your BTC receiving address. Write down your recovery seed phrase (Under Account / Wallet Seed menu) and store it in a safe place (not online).
# Close Bisq and rename your <code>wallet</code> dir to <code>newWallet</code>, rename your old wallet dir to <code>wallet</code>, then restart Bisq.
# Send BSQ to your new receiving address you saved in the earlier step. Then send BTC the same way. Close Bisq.
# Rename <code>wallet</code> to <code>oldWallet</code> and <code>newWallet</code> to <code>wallet</code>. Then restart Bisq.

Done! Your BSQ and BTC balances have been moved to a fresh wallet.

==== "heightOfLastBlock must match chainHeight" error on starting Bisq ====

The following procedure should fix itː
* make a backup of your data folder
* close Bisq
* from inside data folder, delete DaoStateStore and BsqBlocks
* restart Bisq

==== "Payment started" button will not stick, always says "Please send confirmation again" ====

This is a known issue, and it's because the application will err on the side of caution when P2P network conditions are less than favourable.
It most often happens when the peer is offline, so usually when a seller taker accepts an open offer with a non-instant payment method, like SEPA, and then goes offline, since the payment will take at least a day to be credited and they do not need to stay connected while the buyer maker's payment arrives.
Here are some things that might work
* Send a message in trader chat
* Insist on pressing the button tens of times
* Restart Bisq
* Follow menus '''Settings''' -> '''Network Info''' -> '''Open Tor Settings''' -> '''Delete Outdated Tor Files And Shutdown''', then restart Bisq
* Do nothing and stay online, as the button will sometimes finally "register" by itself with a random delay
* When everything else fails, and the trade period is almost at its end, communicate your intentions to the peer in trader chat and open mediation by pressing Ctrl-O in trade window, explaining what happened to the mediator, even better by attaching a screenshot of the issue; a support ticket will be opened and both peers will have the opportunity to accept the original payout

==== I want to install Bisq on a VPS or on an otherwise headless system ====

Bisq needs a graphical desktop environment to be ran, but in order to keep offers online without the need to have your PC always on, some users reported good results by using https://www.xpra.org as a graphical endpoint which you can forward to a client.

== Dispute resolution ==

==== How does dispute resolution work? ====

Bisq provides a 3-layer mechanism for resolving disputes: trader chat, mediation, and arbitration.

Trader chat enables traders to resolve small issues themselves privately over end-to-end encrypted chat right in Bisq. If this doesn't work, traders can engage a mediator to examine the situation and suggest a payout. In rare circumstances that mediation fails, a trader can choose to engage an arbitrator to re-examine the situation and make a payout.

Veteran users: please note that the arbitrator role changed significantly with the launch of the new trade protocol on v1.2.

See [[trading rules]] and [[dispute resolution]] for more.

==== How is collusion between mediators, arbitrators, and traders prevented? ====

With the launch of the new trading protocol in v1.2, multisig escrows went from 2-of-3 to 2-of-2 arrangements, so that only the two trading peers have control of trading funds (instead of the 2 trading peers and an arbitrator). With no keys in the multisig escrow, it is no longer possible for a mediator or arbitrator to collude with another trader to release funds maliciously.

Mediators and arbitrators are still bonded roles, however, because even though they cannot sign a payout transaction to resolve a dispute, they can ''advise'' how to resolve a dispute, and it's important that they be responsive, responsible, and fair when doing so.

==== What happens if the person buying bitcoin does a chargeback after the bitcoin has been released from the multisig address? ====

Bisq only supports payment methods for which chargebacks are not easy (e.g., this is why PayPal and credit cards are not supported). But there is still a little chargeback risk with banks. If a bank executes a chargeback after the BTC has been released, there is nothing a mediator or arbitrator can do.

Bisq's goal is to make this scenario as unattractive as possible, using three primary mechanisms:

# [[Account limits|Account aging]] requires newly-created fiat payment accounts on Bisq to have lower trade limits, and those limits are increased over time.
# [[Account_limits#Account_signing|Account signing]] requires higher-risk payment methods to be signed upon verifying the integrity of a trader before account aging kicks in. Until such accounts are signed, buy limits are set to 0.01 BTC.
# National currency payment methods which are found to be used for chargebacks are quickly removed.

==== Wouldn't a pure reputation system among traders make mediators and arbitrators unnecessary? ====

Pure reputation without additional dispute resolution measures is a weak protection system, as you can never avoid [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sybil_attack sybil] or [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confidence_trick long con] attacks.

Such mechanisms are also problematic for protecting privacy and for keeping the service decentralized.

==== How can I contact my trading peer? ====

Bisq has a built-in end-to-end encrypted [[Dispute_resolution#Level_1:_Trader_chat|chat mechanism]] that you can use to talk to your trading peer while the trade is in progress.

== DAO ==

==== What is the Bisq DAO? ====

The Bisq DAO (decentralized autonomous organization) is a decentralized governance mechanism for the Bisq software, built on Bitcoin. It takes the place of a company. How good can decentralized software possibly be if it's still controlled by a single entity, like a company?

Decentralized software is no good without decentralized governance.

That's why Bisq is not a company or legal entity of any kind—instead, it's organized as a DAO. The DAO handles the software's funding and strategy-making to enable the Bisq network to thrive, and at the same time, harden it against attacks on the infrastructure that powers its leadership and operation.

In a nutshell, the Bisq DAO enables Bisq to become even more censorship-resistant, a core [[Introduction|principle of the project]] from the very beginning.

Read more about the Bisq DAO in [[Introduction_to_the_DAO|this introductory article]].

==== How does the Bisq DAO work? ====

The primary purposes of the Bisq DAO are financing the project and determining strategy.

# Trading fees are distributed directly from traders to contributors with a token (colored bitcoin) called BSQ.
# Strategy is determined collectively through voting done in the Bisq software and recorded on the Bitcoin network.

Learn more about how this actually works in [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFH5SztL5cYPAXWFz-IMB4dBZ0MEZEG_e this series of short 3-5 minute videos].

See [[Decentralized_autonomous_organization|this article]] for a full list of resources to learn more.

==== What do I need to know about the DAO, as a trader? ====

First of all, you are NOT required to use the BSQ token or Bisq DAO to use Bisq.

But there are benefits to doing so: you'll pay lower trading fees by using BSQ instead of BTC.

But why have the BSQ token at all? Because it enables Bisq contributors to be paid for their work without any central wallets or points of control. When you buy BSQ, you're directly paying a Bisq contributor for their work, and in the process, helping to sustain the whole project. The dynamic this token enables is not possible with plain bitcoin.

When you use BSQ to pay trading fees, it's destroyed and 'burned' out of existence.

[[Introduction_to_the_DAO#Overview|See more on this dynamic here]].

==== Is Bisq using a token because it needs money? What's the issuance schedule for the token? ====

Bisq already earns revenue from trading fees. It's not launching this DAO and BSQ token for ''earning'' revenue—it's doing it to ''distribute'' the revenue it already earns to more people without any central points of control.

BSQ tokens are issued every time a contributor's compensation request is approved through voting, and the tokens are destroyed every time a trader uses BSQ to pay trading fees.

BSQ issuance is not a 1-time event, and its purpose is not to raise capital. You can see a walk-through of the BSQ issuance process in [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFH5SztL5cYPAXWFz-IMB4dBZ0MEZEG_e this video series].

==== Can I use Bisq without BSQ and without this DAO? ====

You could. All you'd have to do is pay your trading fees with BTC instead of BSQ. But we hope you don't, because doing so would render the project unsustainable.

Before the Bisq DAO, trading fees went to just a couple of wallets owned by specific Bisq contributors (arbitrators). All other contributors were not paid. Bisq needs its contributors to be paid in regular, predictable ways to ensure continual (and reliable) development, service, and growth; the Bisq DAO enables this to happen by distributing trading fees to all contributors in a totally decentralized way.

The Bisq DAO and BSQ token enable a funding and governance mechanism that is [[https://bisq.network/blog/bisq-dao-for-bitcoin-maximalists/ not possible with plain bitcoin]]. We highly recommend you check [[Decentralized_autonomous_organization|out the documentation]] and [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFH5SztL5cYPAXWFz-IMB4dBZ0MEZEG_e video series]] to learn more.

== Other ==

==== This project is cool! How can I help out? ====

Check out the [[contributor checklist]]. We'd love to hear from you!

==== I have a question that isn’t covered here...? ====

Feel free to reach out on [https://bisq.chat Matrix] or [https://bisq.network/#community any other channel].

Frequently asked questions

2022-04-21T22:09:53Z

W000000t: /* "Payment started" button will not stick, always says "Please send confirmation again" */

Below is a compilation of '''frequently-asked questions (FAQ)''' about Bisq, how to use it, and how to help the project.

Feel free to ask further questions on any of Bisq's many outreach channels.

== About ==

==== How is Bisq different from other decentralized exchanges? ====

Bisq is a peer-to-peer trading network, not a website or "app" or other centralized service. It's software you run on your own hardware, which connects to other people running the Bisq software to facilitate trades. It's open-source and community-driven.

And you can trade bitcoin for fiat currencies with it!

The difference between Bisq and other so-called decentralized exchanges is as stark as the difference between owning your own home and renting someone else's—in the former case you have full control over the property, and in the latter you're always subject to the landlord's whims and demands (no matter how nice the landlord may seem to be).

With Bisq you're always the owner—not just owner of your bitcoin, but also owner of your data.

* Bisq does not hold any bitcoin. All bitcoin used for trading is held in '''2-of-2 multisignature addresses''' controlled solely by the trading peers themselves.
* Bisq does not hold any national currency. National currency is transferred directly from one trader to the other using traditional banking and payment services.
* All Bisq data is transferred over its own secure peer-to-peer network, which is built on top of the Tor network—no central servers. This means '''there are no data honeypots''', rendering large-scale hacks of customer information databases impossible.
* Bisq does not know anything about traders who use its network, and no data is stored on who trades with whom.
* Bisq does not require registration, so your privacy is protected, and you can '''begin trading instantly'''.
* Bisq is code, not a company. It is an open-source project organized as a [[Decentralized_autonomous_organization|decentralized autonomous organization (DAO)]] built on top of Bitcoin.

See more in the [[Introduction]].

==== Is Bisq open-source software? ====

Bisq's software is free/libre open-source licensed under Version 3 of the GNU Affero General Public License.

Here's the [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq source code] and [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/blob/master/LICENSE license].

==== Is Bisq safe? ====

Thanks to strong incentives encouraging traders to play fairly, the vast majority of trades on Bisq go smoothly and quickly.

Bisq employs three primary mechanisms to achieve security:

* All bitcoin traded with Bisq is secured in a 2-of-2 multisignature address.
* Both traders are required to pay security deposits, which are refunded after trades are completed.
* Trade disputes are handled through a [[Dispute_resolution|3-tier mechanism]] that includes end-to-end encrypted trader chat, mediation, and arbitration.

When trading fiat currency for bitcoin, there is always some chargeback risk, as fiat transactions can often be reversed.

To mitigate this risk, Bisq:

* only supports payment methods which are known to make chargebacks difficult—this is why Bisq does not support PayPal and credit cards, for example. See more on chargeback risks.
* employs an [[Account_limits#Account_signing account|signing mechanism]] that forces 0.01 BTC buy limits until a buyer's integrity (not identity!) is verified.

== Getting started ==

==== I find Bisq very confusing. I've tried using it but just end up getting lost! ====

Some people find Bisq's interface intuitive, but many people don't. Check out [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDkzUl9wibc this tour video] to help you make sense of the interface, and then check out the [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjmpAq9RUXM Bird's Eye View of a Bisq Trade] video for a high-level overview of how Bisq trading works.

Then check out the [https://bisq.network/getting-started getting-started guide] to see how to get up and running quickly.

As of April 2021, Bisq contributors have designed a whole new beautiful interface that should make Bisq significantly more intuitive, and are also in touch with a talented UI developer to turn the design into code. You can follow progress on this initiative [https://github.com/bisq-network/projects/issues/49 here].

==== I can't use Bisq to trade because there are hardly ever any offers in my currency. What can I do? ====

While Bisq can technically support any market, only a handful of markets are consistently active on Bisq—mainly because they offer good payment methods and had strong on-the-ground support to bootstrap them in the beginning.

{{Admonition_Note|Note that a weak offer book in a particular market doesn't ''necessarily'' mean trades don't take place in that market. It could be that there are people lurking there that will happily take an offer if you take the initiative to make one (this is often the case in markets like CAD, AUD, and GBP, for example).

You can check trade history for your market by going to <code>Market</code> > <code>Trades</code> and picking your currency from the dropdown.}}

If your market has no recent trades, a little more work will need to be done to get it going. At a minimum, payment methods common in your market should be added ([https://github.com/bisq-network/growth/issues/new/choose suggest them here]), and some form of marketing should be done to get users and market-makers to bootstrap a market.

Bisq contributors are more than happy to help if you can help with guidance, connections to people who can help, and/or events and translations and other vehicles for reaching your target demographics.

==== I heard I need bitcoin in order to buy bitcoin on Bisq...but I don't have any bitcoin. What can I do? ====

Yes, the chicken-and-egg problem with Bisq is real.

Here are some ways to get just enough bitcoin to do your first trade on Bisq:
* try to obtain some yourself using [https://bisq.wiki/Funding_your_wallet#How_to_Obtain_Your_First_Bitcoin these suggestions]
* hop onto the <code>Get your first BTC</code> room on [https://bisq.chat Matrix] and make a deal ([[Informal_Market_for_Small_BTC_Trades|see more here]])

== Trading ==

==== What are trading fees? ====

[[Trading fees]] are calculated as a percentage of trade size: 0.1% for makers and 0.7% for takers if paid in BTC and about half of that if paid in BSQ.

Keep in mind that you'll also need to pay [[mining fees]] for the on-chain transactions, as well as a deposit to lock into the multisig escrow. You'll get the deposit back in full after the trade completes successfully.

==== Mining fees are too high. How can I trade on Bisq cost-effectively? ====

Bisq's current trade protocol requires 4 on-chain transactions. Takers pay for 3 of these transactions and makers pay for 1 of them.

Therefore, to make trading on Bisq as cost-effective as possible, consider '''making your own offers''' at times '''when mining fees are lower'''.

Other things you can do:
* make offers to trade '''larger amounts of BTC''' (bigger offers tend to get better pricing)
* '''pay trade fees with BSQ''' (BSQ trade fees tend to be about half of BTC trading fees)

==== Why does Bisq require a security deposit in BTC? ====

[[Security deposit | Security deposits]] create strong incentives for buyers and sellers to follow the [[Trading rules|rules of Bisq's trading protocol]]. Deposits are locked into multisig escrow along with the bitcoin being traded, and are returned to each user when the trade is complete.

If a trade is disputed through a mediator or arbitrator, some or all of the offending party's security deposit may be awarded to the counterparty. Examples of protocol violations include a buyer failing to pay a seller, paying with a different account or with a different name, or a seller failing to acknowledge receipt of a buyer's payment.

Most Bisq trades complete without any problem thanks in part to the incentives that security deposits create.

See full [[trading rules]].

==== What are trading limits? How much bitcoin can I buy/sell at once? ====

Trading limits vary based on payment method, since some payment methods are more secure than others.

Relatively safe payment methods such as Japan's Furikomi and Australia's PayID are set to allow trades of up to 1 BTC, but other payment methods such as Zelle and SEPA have a cap of 0.25 BTC. See the [[Payment_methods|full list of payment methods and limits]].

Altoins are not possible to charge back, so all altcoin trades have a limit of 2 BTC.

==== Which payment methods are available? ====

See [[payment methods]].

If you'd like to suggest a payment method to be added, please [https://github.com/bisq-network/growth/issues/new/choose submit a new issue].

==== How does Bisq handle fiat like dollars and euros? Where does it go? ====

Bisq doesn't handle fiat at all -- it only handles BTC. Trades are settled outside of Bisq, meaning fiat payments are sent outside Bisq via traditional banking services.

Bisq merely matches peers and sets incentives (e.g. locking a BTC security deposit from both peers, as a sort of escrow) to encourage both trading peers to act in good faith. This is also why you need bitcoin to begin trading on Bisq.

==== How long does a trade take? ====

There is no automatic order matching on Bisq, and trades are settled manually by humans. As a result, trades are not completed as quickly as they would be on centralized exchanges, but can still be fairly quick.

Some payment methods are instant (e.g., Faster Payment) while others can take a few days (e.g., SEPA).

As far as Bisq is concerned, the deposit transaction needs to be confirmed once before the buyer can send payment. Bitcoin transactions take about 10 minutes to confirm, so with quick traders and quick payment method, a Bisq trade can be completed in a matter of minutes.

Altcoin trade periods are always 1 day (or 1 hour for Altcoins Instant trades).

See the list of [[payment methods]] for complete details.

==== How does Bisq protect my privacy? ====

Bisq is standalone, open-source software that you can inspect before running on your machine, and as a result, you don't have to trust that any server is logging your personal details (as you would in the case of a website).

As for the trading process, your payment information is stored locally on your machine, and only your trading partner (and your mediator or arbitrator, in case of a dispute) can ever see it. All data exchanged between users is encrypted and signed.

To transmit data from one user to another, Bisq uses a P2P network built on top of Tor, which provides a high degree of anonymity. The user doesn't need to do any additional work for all of this to work—it is all integrated in the application.

==== Do I need to keep Bisq online for my offers to remain online? ====

Yes. There are no central servers on the Bisq network—so all peers are responsible for keeping their offers online.

If you have published an offer, your Bisq application needs to stay online so it can react when another trader wants to take your offer (the multisig deposit transaction is created in the take-offer process). Be sure you have deactivated your computer's standby mode so your Bisq application can stay online (monitor standby is not a problem).

If your Bisq application does go offline, your offer will get removed from the distributed offerbook. It will be re-published the next time you start your Bisq application.

After an offer has been taken and the trade process has started, neither trader needs to be online continuously, but each trader will need to be online periodically to check if any action is needed on their side (e.g. sending fiat/altcoin, confirming payment receipt, etc).

==== Do I have to use the Bisq wallet? ====

No, but you may find it convenient to keep a small amount of trading capital there.

When entering a new trade on Bisq, you will get the option to transfer funds from your Bisq wallet ''or'' send funds from an external wallet.

Likewise, when concluding a trade on Bisq, you can withdraw your funds to the Bisq wallet or to an external wallet.

==== Do I have to use the Bisq token? ====

No, using BSQ is totally optional. However, using it gets you a ~50% discount on [[trading fees]] while helping to [[Introduction_to_the_DAO#Earn_and_distribute_revenue|compensate Bisq contributors]] at the same time.

==== Will my bank know I'm trading bitcoin? ====

Generally speaking, Bisq doesn't deal with banks at all. All fiat transfers take place directly between users.

But there have been reports of banks closing accounts upon suspecting bitcoin activity. As a result, Bisq requires that the "reason for payment" field always be left BLANK when making a payment (if the payment method offers such a field).

If a reason is required, it should be something trivial like a "-" or "payment". If you want to use something else, please agree on an alternative with your peer using trader chat.
See full [[trading rules]] for more information.

== Common Technical Niggles ==

==== Bisq on macOS won't open, or it's asking for permission to record my keystrokes! ====

If Bisq won't open, try right-clicking the app and clicking <code>Open</code>.

If you get the prompt asking to record your keystrokes, rest assured it's a [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/issues/3373 bug] (Bisq is absolutely not recording your keystrokes). This bug should be fixed with a [[https://github.com/bisq-network/projects/issues/44|Java LTS version update]] coming soon.

==== Bisq seems to bog down my computer. When I open it, CPU and memory usage spike. Can this be prevented? ====

Bisq has had memory usage and CPU usage issue on certain operating systems in the past, but these issues should be resolved now. You can manually set the max RAM usage by following [[Reducing_memory_usage|these instructions]].

Chances are Bisq is probably just trying to sync blockchain data. New releases of Bisq include data stores updated at release time to reduce this syncing time, but as a release gets older (i.e., beyond 3-4 weeks old), the data stores get older, and syncing takes longer. Just let it finish and your computer resources should go back down to normal again.

If the issue doesn't go away on its own, please reach out for help in the <code>Support</code> room [https://bisq.chat on Matrix] or open an issue [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq on GitHub].

==== I'm on a high-resolution monitor on Linux and everything is way too small. Help? ====

See [[Running_on_HiDPI_screen|this article]] for a tip on fixing this issue.

==== Bisq says "this offer cannot be taken due to counterparty trade restrictions". What does that mean? ====

This happens in rare circumstances. Bisq checks information about an account such as its age to determine if it is allowed to trade over certain limits. The information is stored in the P2P network, and it may not yet have propagated to your node. Try again after restarting Bisq. The offer maker may need to restart Bisq in order for the information to propagate.

==== My SPV resync is taking all day and it keeps freezing. What can I do to make it go faster? ====

Unfortunately this can happen sometimes if your wallet is over a year old and/or has a lot of transactions. If the resync stalls, close and restart Bisq to continue the resync. It will go faster if you [[Connecting_to_your_own_Bitcoin_node|connect to a local Bitcoin node]].
After your SPV resync is completed, it would be best to switch to a fresh wallet.

==== How can I get a fresh Bisq wallet and transfer my BSQ balance to it? ====

The procedure involves setting aside the existing wallet directory (by renaming) in order to get a fresh wallet. The wallet directory is at <code>btc_mainnet/wallet</code> from the [[Data_directory|main data directory location]]. You'll then be able to activate either the old or new wallet by renaming the directory before starting Bisq. Be sure that Bisq is never running when you rename a directory.
# You have some BSQ and also some BTC balance existing in your wallet. (You need BTC to pay mining fees for sending BSQ).
# Close Bisq then rename your <code>wallet</code> directory to <code>oldWallet</code>.
# Start Bisq and it will create a fresh wallet. Note down your BSQ receiving address and also your BTC receiving address. Write down your recovery seed phrase (Under Account / Wallet Seed menu) and store it in a safe place (not online).
# Close Bisq and rename your <code>wallet</code> dir to <code>newWallet</code>, rename your old wallet dir to <code>wallet</code>, then restart Bisq.
# Send BSQ to your new receiving address you saved in the earlier step. Then send BTC the same way. Close Bisq.
# Rename <code>wallet</code> to <code>oldWallet</code> and <code>newWallet</code> to <code>wallet</code>. Then restart Bisq.

Done! Your BSQ and BTC balances have been moved to a fresh wallet.

==== "heightOfLastBlock must match chainHeight" error on starting Bisq ====

The following procedure should fix itː
* make a backup of your data folder
* close Bisq
* from inside data folder, delete DaoStateStore and BsqBlocks
* restart Bisq

==== "Payment started" button will not stick, always says "Please send confirmation again" ====

This is a known issue, and it's because the application will err on the side of caution when P2P network conditions are less than favourable.
It most often happens when the peer is offline, so usually when a seller taker accepts an open offer with a non-instant payment method, like SEPA, and then goes offline, since the payment will take at least a day to be credited and they do not need to stay connected while the buyer maker's payment arrives.
Here are some things that might work
* Send a message in trader chat
* Insist on pressing the button tens of times
* Restart Bisq
* Follow menus '''Settings''' -> '''Network Info''' -> '''Open Tor Settings''' -> '''Delete Outdated Tor Files And Shutdown''', then restart Bisq
* Do nothing and stay online, as the button will sometimes finally "register" by itself with a random delay
* When everything else fails, and the trade period is almost at its end, communicate your intentions to the peer in trader chat and open mediation by pressing Ctrl-O in trade window, explaining what happened to the mediator, even better by attaching a screenshot of the issue; a support ticket will be opened and both peers will have the opportunity to accept the original payout

== Dispute resolution ==

==== How does dispute resolution work? ====

Bisq provides a 3-layer mechanism for resolving disputes: trader chat, mediation, and arbitration.

Trader chat enables traders to resolve small issues themselves privately over end-to-end encrypted chat right in Bisq. If this doesn't work, traders can engage a mediator to examine the situation and suggest a payout. In rare circumstances that mediation fails, a trader can choose to engage an arbitrator to re-examine the situation and make a payout.

Veteran users: please note that the arbitrator role changed significantly with the launch of the new trade protocol on v1.2.

See [[trading rules]] and [[dispute resolution]] for more.

==== How is collusion between mediators, arbitrators, and traders prevented? ====

With the launch of the new trading protocol in v1.2, multisig escrows went from 2-of-3 to 2-of-2 arrangements, so that only the two trading peers have control of trading funds (instead of the 2 trading peers and an arbitrator). With no keys in the multisig escrow, it is no longer possible for a mediator or arbitrator to collude with another trader to release funds maliciously.

Mediators and arbitrators are still bonded roles, however, because even though they cannot sign a payout transaction to resolve a dispute, they can ''advise'' how to resolve a dispute, and it's important that they be responsive, responsible, and fair when doing so.

==== What happens if the person buying bitcoin does a chargeback after the bitcoin has been released from the multisig address? ====

Bisq only supports payment methods for which chargebacks are not easy (e.g., this is why PayPal and credit cards are not supported). But there is still a little chargeback risk with banks. If a bank executes a chargeback after the BTC has been released, there is nothing a mediator or arbitrator can do.

Bisq's goal is to make this scenario as unattractive as possible, using three primary mechanisms:

# [[Account limits|Account aging]] requires newly-created fiat payment accounts on Bisq to have lower trade limits, and those limits are increased over time.
# [[Account_limits#Account_signing|Account signing]] requires higher-risk payment methods to be signed upon verifying the integrity of a trader before account aging kicks in. Until such accounts are signed, buy limits are set to 0.01 BTC.
# National currency payment methods which are found to be used for chargebacks are quickly removed.

==== Wouldn't a pure reputation system among traders make mediators and arbitrators unnecessary? ====

Pure reputation without additional dispute resolution measures is a weak protection system, as you can never avoid [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sybil_attack sybil] or [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confidence_trick long con] attacks.

Such mechanisms are also problematic for protecting privacy and for keeping the service decentralized.

==== How can I contact my trading peer? ====

Bisq has a built-in end-to-end encrypted [[Dispute_resolution#Level_1:_Trader_chat|chat mechanism]] that you can use to talk to your trading peer while the trade is in progress.

== DAO ==

==== What is the Bisq DAO? ====

The Bisq DAO (decentralized autonomous organization) is a decentralized governance mechanism for the Bisq software, built on Bitcoin. It takes the place of a company. How good can decentralized software possibly be if it's still controlled by a single entity, like a company?

Decentralized software is no good without decentralized governance.

That's why Bisq is not a company or legal entity of any kind—instead, it's organized as a DAO. The DAO handles the software's funding and strategy-making to enable the Bisq network to thrive, and at the same time, harden it against attacks on the infrastructure that powers its leadership and operation.

In a nutshell, the Bisq DAO enables Bisq to become even more censorship-resistant, a core [[Introduction|principle of the project]] from the very beginning.

Read more about the Bisq DAO in [[Introduction_to_the_DAO|this introductory article]].

==== How does the Bisq DAO work? ====

The primary purposes of the Bisq DAO are financing the project and determining strategy.

# Trading fees are distributed directly from traders to contributors with a token (colored bitcoin) called BSQ.
# Strategy is determined collectively through voting done in the Bisq software and recorded on the Bitcoin network.

Learn more about how this actually works in [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFH5SztL5cYPAXWFz-IMB4dBZ0MEZEG_e this series of short 3-5 minute videos].

See [[Decentralized_autonomous_organization|this article]] for a full list of resources to learn more.

==== What do I need to know about the DAO, as a trader? ====

First of all, you are NOT required to use the BSQ token or Bisq DAO to use Bisq.

But there are benefits to doing so: you'll pay lower trading fees by using BSQ instead of BTC.

But why have the BSQ token at all? Because it enables Bisq contributors to be paid for their work without any central wallets or points of control. When you buy BSQ, you're directly paying a Bisq contributor for their work, and in the process, helping to sustain the whole project. The dynamic this token enables is not possible with plain bitcoin.

When you use BSQ to pay trading fees, it's destroyed and 'burned' out of existence.

[[Introduction_to_the_DAO#Overview|See more on this dynamic here]].

==== Is Bisq using a token because it needs money? What's the issuance schedule for the token? ====

Bisq already earns revenue from trading fees. It's not launching this DAO and BSQ token for ''earning'' revenue—it's doing it to ''distribute'' the revenue it already earns to more people without any central points of control.

BSQ tokens are issued every time a contributor's compensation request is approved through voting, and the tokens are destroyed every time a trader uses BSQ to pay trading fees.

BSQ issuance is not a 1-time event, and its purpose is not to raise capital. You can see a walk-through of the BSQ issuance process in [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFH5SztL5cYPAXWFz-IMB4dBZ0MEZEG_e this video series].

==== Can I use Bisq without BSQ and without this DAO? ====

You could. All you'd have to do is pay your trading fees with BTC instead of BSQ. But we hope you don't, because doing so would render the project unsustainable.

Before the Bisq DAO, trading fees went to just a couple of wallets owned by specific Bisq contributors (arbitrators). All other contributors were not paid. Bisq needs its contributors to be paid in regular, predictable ways to ensure continual (and reliable) development, service, and growth; the Bisq DAO enables this to happen by distributing trading fees to all contributors in a totally decentralized way.

The Bisq DAO and BSQ token enable a funding and governance mechanism that is [[https://bisq.network/blog/bisq-dao-for-bitcoin-maximalists/ not possible with plain bitcoin]]. We highly recommend you check [[Decentralized_autonomous_organization|out the documentation]] and [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFH5SztL5cYPAXWFz-IMB4dBZ0MEZEG_e video series]] to learn more.

== Other ==

==== This project is cool! How can I help out? ====

Check out the [[contributor checklist]]. We'd love to hear from you!

==== I have a question that isn’t covered here...? ====

Feel free to reach out on [https://bisq.chat Matrix] or [https://bisq.network/#community any other channel].

Frequently asked questions

2022-04-20T05:15:44Z

W000000t: /* Common Technical Niggles */

Below is a compilation of '''frequently-asked questions (FAQ)''' about Bisq, how to use it, and how to help the project.

Feel free to ask further questions on any of Bisq's many outreach channels.

== About ==

==== How is Bisq different from other decentralized exchanges? ====

Bisq is a peer-to-peer trading network, not a website or "app" or other centralized service. It's software you run on your own hardware, which connects to other people running the Bisq software to facilitate trades. It's open-source and community-driven.

And you can trade bitcoin for fiat currencies with it!

The difference between Bisq and other so-called decentralized exchanges is as stark as the difference between owning your own home and renting someone else's—in the former case you have full control over the property, and in the latter you're always subject to the landlord's whims and demands (no matter how nice the landlord may seem to be).

With Bisq you're always the owner—not just owner of your bitcoin, but also owner of your data.

* Bisq does not hold any bitcoin. All bitcoin used for trading is held in '''2-of-2 multisignature addresses''' controlled solely by the trading peers themselves.
* Bisq does not hold any national currency. National currency is transferred directly from one trader to the other using traditional banking and payment services.
* All Bisq data is transferred over its own secure peer-to-peer network, which is built on top of the Tor network—no central servers. This means '''there are no data honeypots''', rendering large-scale hacks of customer information databases impossible.
* Bisq does not know anything about traders who use its network, and no data is stored on who trades with whom.
* Bisq does not require registration, so your privacy is protected, and you can '''begin trading instantly'''.
* Bisq is code, not a company. It is an open-source project organized as a [[Decentralized_autonomous_organization|decentralized autonomous organization (DAO)]] built on top of Bitcoin.

See more in the [[Introduction]].

==== Is Bisq open-source software? ====

Bisq's software is free/libre open-source licensed under Version 3 of the GNU Affero General Public License.

Here's the [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq source code] and [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/blob/master/LICENSE license].

==== Is Bisq safe? ====

Thanks to strong incentives encouraging traders to play fairly, the vast majority of trades on Bisq go smoothly and quickly.

Bisq employs three primary mechanisms to achieve security:

* All bitcoin traded with Bisq is secured in a 2-of-2 multisignature address.
* Both traders are required to pay security deposits, which are refunded after trades are completed.
* Trade disputes are handled through a [[Dispute_resolution|3-tier mechanism]] that includes end-to-end encrypted trader chat, mediation, and arbitration.

When trading fiat currency for bitcoin, there is always some chargeback risk, as fiat transactions can often be reversed.

To mitigate this risk, Bisq:

* only supports payment methods which are known to make chargebacks difficult—this is why Bisq does not support PayPal and credit cards, for example. See more on chargeback risks.
* employs an [[Account_limits#Account_signing account|signing mechanism]] that forces 0.01 BTC buy limits until a buyer's integrity (not identity!) is verified.

== Getting started ==

==== I find Bisq very confusing. I've tried using it but just end up getting lost! ====

Some people find Bisq's interface intuitive, but many people don't. Check out [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDkzUl9wibc this tour video] to help you make sense of the interface, and then check out the [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjmpAq9RUXM Bird's Eye View of a Bisq Trade] video for a high-level overview of how Bisq trading works.

Then check out the [https://bisq.network/getting-started getting-started guide] to see how to get up and running quickly.

As of April 2021, Bisq contributors have designed a whole new beautiful interface that should make Bisq significantly more intuitive, and are also in touch with a talented UI developer to turn the design into code. You can follow progress on this initiative [https://github.com/bisq-network/projects/issues/49 here].

==== I can't use Bisq to trade because there are hardly ever any offers in my currency. What can I do? ====

While Bisq can technically support any market, only a handful of markets are consistently active on Bisq—mainly because they offer good payment methods and had strong on-the-ground support to bootstrap them in the beginning.

{{Admonition_Note|Note that a weak offer book in a particular market doesn't ''necessarily'' mean trades don't take place in that market. It could be that there are people lurking there that will happily take an offer if you take the initiative to make one (this is often the case in markets like CAD, AUD, and GBP, for example).

You can check trade history for your market by going to <code>Market</code> > <code>Trades</code> and picking your currency from the dropdown.}}

If your market has no recent trades, a little more work will need to be done to get it going. At a minimum, payment methods common in your market should be added ([https://github.com/bisq-network/growth/issues/new/choose suggest them here]), and some form of marketing should be done to get users and market-makers to bootstrap a market.

Bisq contributors are more than happy to help if you can help with guidance, connections to people who can help, and/or events and translations and other vehicles for reaching your target demographics.

==== I heard I need bitcoin in order to buy bitcoin on Bisq...but I don't have any bitcoin. What can I do? ====

Yes, the chicken-and-egg problem with Bisq is real.

Here are some ways to get just enough bitcoin to do your first trade on Bisq:
* try to obtain some yourself using [https://bisq.wiki/Funding_your_wallet#How_to_Obtain_Your_First_Bitcoin these suggestions]
* hop onto the <code>Get your first BTC</code> room on [https://bisq.chat Matrix] and make a deal ([[Informal_Market_for_Small_BTC_Trades|see more here]])

== Trading ==

==== What are trading fees? ====

[[Trading fees]] are calculated as a percentage of trade size: 0.1% for makers and 0.7% for takers if paid in BTC and about half of that if paid in BSQ.

Keep in mind that you'll also need to pay [[mining fees]] for the on-chain transactions, as well as a deposit to lock into the multisig escrow. You'll get the deposit back in full after the trade completes successfully.

==== Mining fees are too high. How can I trade on Bisq cost-effectively? ====

Bisq's current trade protocol requires 4 on-chain transactions. Takers pay for 3 of these transactions and makers pay for 1 of them.

Therefore, to make trading on Bisq as cost-effective as possible, consider '''making your own offers''' at times '''when mining fees are lower'''.

Other things you can do:
* make offers to trade '''larger amounts of BTC''' (bigger offers tend to get better pricing)
* '''pay trade fees with BSQ''' (BSQ trade fees tend to be about half of BTC trading fees)

==== Why does Bisq require a security deposit in BTC? ====

[[Security deposit | Security deposits]] create strong incentives for buyers and sellers to follow the [[Trading rules|rules of Bisq's trading protocol]]. Deposits are locked into multisig escrow along with the bitcoin being traded, and are returned to each user when the trade is complete.

If a trade is disputed through a mediator or arbitrator, some or all of the offending party's security deposit may be awarded to the counterparty. Examples of protocol violations include a buyer failing to pay a seller, paying with a different account or with a different name, or a seller failing to acknowledge receipt of a buyer's payment.

Most Bisq trades complete without any problem thanks in part to the incentives that security deposits create.

See full [[trading rules]].

==== What are trading limits? How much bitcoin can I buy/sell at once? ====

Trading limits vary based on payment method, since some payment methods are more secure than others.

Relatively safe payment methods such as Japan's Furikomi and Australia's PayID are set to allow trades of up to 1 BTC, but other payment methods such as Zelle and SEPA have a cap of 0.25 BTC. See the [[Payment_methods|full list of payment methods and limits]].

Altoins are not possible to charge back, so all altcoin trades have a limit of 2 BTC.

==== Which payment methods are available? ====

See [[payment methods]].

If you'd like to suggest a payment method to be added, please [https://github.com/bisq-network/growth/issues/new/choose submit a new issue].

==== How does Bisq handle fiat like dollars and euros? Where does it go? ====

Bisq doesn't handle fiat at all -- it only handles BTC. Trades are settled outside of Bisq, meaning fiat payments are sent outside Bisq via traditional banking services.

Bisq merely matches peers and sets incentives (e.g. locking a BTC security deposit from both peers, as a sort of escrow) to encourage both trading peers to act in good faith. This is also why you need bitcoin to begin trading on Bisq.

==== How long does a trade take? ====

There is no automatic order matching on Bisq, and trades are settled manually by humans. As a result, trades are not completed as quickly as they would be on centralized exchanges, but can still be fairly quick.

Some payment methods are instant (e.g., Faster Payment) while others can take a few days (e.g., SEPA).

As far as Bisq is concerned, the deposit transaction needs to be confirmed once before the buyer can send payment. Bitcoin transactions take about 10 minutes to confirm, so with quick traders and quick payment method, a Bisq trade can be completed in a matter of minutes.

Altcoin trade periods are always 1 day (or 1 hour for Altcoins Instant trades).

See the list of [[payment methods]] for complete details.

==== How does Bisq protect my privacy? ====

Bisq is standalone, open-source software that you can inspect before running on your machine, and as a result, you don't have to trust that any server is logging your personal details (as you would in the case of a website).

As for the trading process, your payment information is stored locally on your machine, and only your trading partner (and your mediator or arbitrator, in case of a dispute) can ever see it. All data exchanged between users is encrypted and signed.

To transmit data from one user to another, Bisq uses a P2P network built on top of Tor, which provides a high degree of anonymity. The user doesn't need to do any additional work for all of this to work—it is all integrated in the application.

==== Do I need to keep Bisq online for my offers to remain online? ====

Yes. There are no central servers on the Bisq network—so all peers are responsible for keeping their offers online.

If you have published an offer, your Bisq application needs to stay online so it can react when another trader wants to take your offer (the multisig deposit transaction is created in the take-offer process). Be sure you have deactivated your computer's standby mode so your Bisq application can stay online (monitor standby is not a problem).

If your Bisq application does go offline, your offer will get removed from the distributed offerbook. It will be re-published the next time you start your Bisq application.

After an offer has been taken and the trade process has started, neither trader needs to be online continuously, but each trader will need to be online periodically to check if any action is needed on their side (e.g. sending fiat/altcoin, confirming payment receipt, etc).

==== Do I have to use the Bisq wallet? ====

No, but you may find it convenient to keep a small amount of trading capital there.

When entering a new trade on Bisq, you will get the option to transfer funds from your Bisq wallet ''or'' send funds from an external wallet.

Likewise, when concluding a trade on Bisq, you can withdraw your funds to the Bisq wallet or to an external wallet.

==== Do I have to use the Bisq token? ====

No, using BSQ is totally optional. However, using it gets you a ~50% discount on [[trading fees]] while helping to [[Introduction_to_the_DAO#Earn_and_distribute_revenue|compensate Bisq contributors]] at the same time.

==== Will my bank know I'm trading bitcoin? ====

Generally speaking, Bisq doesn't deal with banks at all. All fiat transfers take place directly between users.

But there have been reports of banks closing accounts upon suspecting bitcoin activity. As a result, Bisq requires that the "reason for payment" field always be left BLANK when making a payment (if the payment method offers such a field).

If a reason is required, it should be something trivial like a "-" or "payment". If you want to use something else, please agree on an alternative with your peer using trader chat.
See full [[trading rules]] for more information.

== Common Technical Niggles ==

==== Bisq on macOS won't open, or it's asking for permission to record my keystrokes! ====

If Bisq won't open, try right-clicking the app and clicking <code>Open</code>.

If you get the prompt asking to record your keystrokes, rest assured it's a [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/issues/3373 bug] (Bisq is absolutely not recording your keystrokes). This bug should be fixed with a [[https://github.com/bisq-network/projects/issues/44|Java LTS version update]] coming soon.

==== Bisq seems to bog down my computer. When I open it, CPU and memory usage spike. Can this be prevented? ====

Bisq has had memory usage and CPU usage issue on certain operating systems in the past, but these issues should be resolved now. You can manually set the max RAM usage by following [[Reducing_memory_usage|these instructions]].

Chances are Bisq is probably just trying to sync blockchain data. New releases of Bisq include data stores updated at release time to reduce this syncing time, but as a release gets older (i.e., beyond 3-4 weeks old), the data stores get older, and syncing takes longer. Just let it finish and your computer resources should go back down to normal again.

If the issue doesn't go away on its own, please reach out for help in the <code>Support</code> room [https://bisq.chat on Matrix] or open an issue [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq on GitHub].

==== I'm on a high-resolution monitor on Linux and everything is way too small. Help? ====

See [[Running_on_HiDPI_screen|this article]] for a tip on fixing this issue.

==== Bisq says "this offer cannot be taken due to counterparty trade restrictions". What does that mean? ====

This happens in rare circumstances. Bisq checks information about an account such as its age to determine if it is allowed to trade over certain limits. The information is stored in the P2P network, and it may not yet have propagated to your node. Try again after restarting Bisq. The offer maker may need to restart Bisq in order for the information to propagate.

==== My SPV resync is taking all day and it keeps freezing. What can I do to make it go faster? ====

Unfortunately this can happen sometimes if your wallet is over a year old and/or has a lot of transactions. If the resync stalls, close and restart Bisq to continue the resync. It will go faster if you [[Connecting_to_your_own_Bitcoin_node|connect to a local Bitcoin node]].
After your SPV resync is completed, it would be best to switch to a fresh wallet.

==== How can I get a fresh Bisq wallet and transfer my BSQ balance to it? ====

The procedure involves setting aside the existing wallet directory (by renaming) in order to get a fresh wallet. The wallet directory is at <code>btc_mainnet/wallet</code> from the [[Data_directory|main data directory location]]. You'll then be able to activate either the old or new wallet by renaming the directory before starting Bisq. Be sure that Bisq is never running when you rename a directory.
# You have some BSQ and also some BTC balance existing in your wallet. (You need BTC to pay mining fees for sending BSQ).
# Close Bisq then rename your <code>wallet</code> directory to <code>oldWallet</code>.
# Start Bisq and it will create a fresh wallet. Note down your BSQ receiving address and also your BTC receiving address. Write down your recovery seed phrase (Under Account / Wallet Seed menu) and store it in a safe place (not online).
# Close Bisq and rename your <code>wallet</code> dir to <code>newWallet</code>, rename your old wallet dir to <code>wallet</code>, then restart Bisq.
# Send BSQ to your new receiving address you saved in the earlier step. Then send BTC the same way. Close Bisq.
# Rename <code>wallet</code> to <code>oldWallet</code> and <code>newWallet</code> to <code>wallet</code>. Then restart Bisq.

Done! Your BSQ and BTC balances have been moved to a fresh wallet.

==== "heightOfLastBlock must match chainHeight" error on starting Bisq ====

The following procedure should fix itː
* make a backup of your data folder
* close Bisq
* from inside data folder, delete DaoStateStore and BsqBlocks
* restart Bisq

==== "Payment started" button will not stick, always says "Please send confirmation again" ====

This is a known issue, and it's because the application will err on the side of caution when P2P network conditions are less than favourable.
It most often happens when the peer is offline, so usually when a seller taker accepts an open offer with a non-instant payment method, like SEPA, and then goes offline, since the payment will take at least a day to be credited and they do not need to stay connected while the buyer maker's payment arrives.
Here are some things that might work
* Send a message in trader chat
* Insist on pressing the button tens of times
* Restart Bisq
* Do nothing and stay online, as the button will sometimes finally "register" by itself with a random delay
* When everything else fails, and the trade period is almost at its end, communicate your intentions to the peer in trader chat and open mediation by pressing Ctrl-O in trade window, explaining what happened to the mediator, even better by attaching a screenshot of the issue; a support ticket will be opened and both peers will have the opportunity to accept the original payout

== Dispute resolution ==

==== How does dispute resolution work? ====

Bisq provides a 3-layer mechanism for resolving disputes: trader chat, mediation, and arbitration.

Trader chat enables traders to resolve small issues themselves privately over end-to-end encrypted chat right in Bisq. If this doesn't work, traders can engage a mediator to examine the situation and suggest a payout. In rare circumstances that mediation fails, a trader can choose to engage an arbitrator to re-examine the situation and make a payout.

Veteran users: please note that the arbitrator role changed significantly with the launch of the new trade protocol on v1.2.

See [[trading rules]] and [[dispute resolution]] for more.

==== How is collusion between mediators, arbitrators, and traders prevented? ====

With the launch of the new trading protocol in v1.2, multisig escrows went from 2-of-3 to 2-of-2 arrangements, so that only the two trading peers have control of trading funds (instead of the 2 trading peers and an arbitrator). With no keys in the multisig escrow, it is no longer possible for a mediator or arbitrator to collude with another trader to release funds maliciously.

Mediators and arbitrators are still bonded roles, however, because even though they cannot sign a payout transaction to resolve a dispute, they can ''advise'' how to resolve a dispute, and it's important that they be responsive, responsible, and fair when doing so.

==== What happens if the person buying bitcoin does a chargeback after the bitcoin has been released from the multisig address? ====

Bisq only supports payment methods for which chargebacks are not easy (e.g., this is why PayPal and credit cards are not supported). But there is still a little chargeback risk with banks. If a bank executes a chargeback after the BTC has been released, there is nothing a mediator or arbitrator can do.

Bisq's goal is to make this scenario as unattractive as possible, using three primary mechanisms:

# [[Account limits|Account aging]] requires newly-created fiat payment accounts on Bisq to have lower trade limits, and those limits are increased over time.
# [[Account_limits#Account_signing|Account signing]] requires higher-risk payment methods to be signed upon verifying the integrity of a trader before account aging kicks in. Until such accounts are signed, buy limits are set to 0.01 BTC.
# National currency payment methods which are found to be used for chargebacks are quickly removed.

==== Wouldn't a pure reputation system among traders make mediators and arbitrators unnecessary? ====

Pure reputation without additional dispute resolution measures is a weak protection system, as you can never avoid [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sybil_attack sybil] or [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confidence_trick long con] attacks.

Such mechanisms are also problematic for protecting privacy and for keeping the service decentralized.

==== How can I contact my trading peer? ====

Bisq has a built-in end-to-end encrypted [[Dispute_resolution#Level_1:_Trader_chat|chat mechanism]] that you can use to talk to your trading peer while the trade is in progress.

== DAO ==

==== What is the Bisq DAO? ====

The Bisq DAO (decentralized autonomous organization) is a decentralized governance mechanism for the Bisq software, built on Bitcoin. It takes the place of a company. How good can decentralized software possibly be if it's still controlled by a single entity, like a company?

Decentralized software is no good without decentralized governance.

That's why Bisq is not a company or legal entity of any kind—instead, it's organized as a DAO. The DAO handles the software's funding and strategy-making to enable the Bisq network to thrive, and at the same time, harden it against attacks on the infrastructure that powers its leadership and operation.

In a nutshell, the Bisq DAO enables Bisq to become even more censorship-resistant, a core [[Introduction|principle of the project]] from the very beginning.

Read more about the Bisq DAO in [[Introduction_to_the_DAO|this introductory article]].

==== How does the Bisq DAO work? ====

The primary purposes of the Bisq DAO are financing the project and determining strategy.

# Trading fees are distributed directly from traders to contributors with a token (colored bitcoin) called BSQ.
# Strategy is determined collectively through voting done in the Bisq software and recorded on the Bitcoin network.

Learn more about how this actually works in [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFH5SztL5cYPAXWFz-IMB4dBZ0MEZEG_e this series of short 3-5 minute videos].

See [[Decentralized_autonomous_organization|this article]] for a full list of resources to learn more.

==== What do I need to know about the DAO, as a trader? ====

First of all, you are NOT required to use the BSQ token or Bisq DAO to use Bisq.

But there are benefits to doing so: you'll pay lower trading fees by using BSQ instead of BTC.

But why have the BSQ token at all? Because it enables Bisq contributors to be paid for their work without any central wallets or points of control. When you buy BSQ, you're directly paying a Bisq contributor for their work, and in the process, helping to sustain the whole project. The dynamic this token enables is not possible with plain bitcoin.

When you use BSQ to pay trading fees, it's destroyed and 'burned' out of existence.

[[Introduction_to_the_DAO#Overview|See more on this dynamic here]].

==== Is Bisq using a token because it needs money? What's the issuance schedule for the token? ====

Bisq already earns revenue from trading fees. It's not launching this DAO and BSQ token for ''earning'' revenue—it's doing it to ''distribute'' the revenue it already earns to more people without any central points of control.

BSQ tokens are issued every time a contributor's compensation request is approved through voting, and the tokens are destroyed every time a trader uses BSQ to pay trading fees.

BSQ issuance is not a 1-time event, and its purpose is not to raise capital. You can see a walk-through of the BSQ issuance process in [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFH5SztL5cYPAXWFz-IMB4dBZ0MEZEG_e this video series].

==== Can I use Bisq without BSQ and without this DAO? ====

You could. All you'd have to do is pay your trading fees with BTC instead of BSQ. But we hope you don't, because doing so would render the project unsustainable.

Before the Bisq DAO, trading fees went to just a couple of wallets owned by specific Bisq contributors (arbitrators). All other contributors were not paid. Bisq needs its contributors to be paid in regular, predictable ways to ensure continual (and reliable) development, service, and growth; the Bisq DAO enables this to happen by distributing trading fees to all contributors in a totally decentralized way.

The Bisq DAO and BSQ token enable a funding and governance mechanism that is [[https://bisq.network/blog/bisq-dao-for-bitcoin-maximalists/ not possible with plain bitcoin]]. We highly recommend you check [[Decentralized_autonomous_organization|out the documentation]] and [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFH5SztL5cYPAXWFz-IMB4dBZ0MEZEG_e video series]] to learn more.

== Other ==

==== This project is cool! How can I help out? ====

Check out the [[contributor checklist]]. We'd love to hear from you!

==== I have a question that isn’t covered here...? ====

Feel free to reach out on [https://bisq.chat Matrix] or [https://bisq.network/#community any other channel].

Trading rules

2022-04-09T20:54:14Z

W000000t: /* Do not communicate with buyers away from Bisq */

Both Bisq traders must follow these '''trading rules''' to ensure smooth and successful trades.

To trade on Bisq, you assume one of two roles, no matter what national currency or cryptocurrency you’re trading: you either ''buy bitcoin'' or ''sell bitcoin''.

The rules below are '''default''' rules for every transaction. Offer makers sometimes specify their own additional terms for handling payments. For example, a seller using cash deposits might require a picture of a receipt torn in half with "NO REFUND" written on it. Face-to-face traders often specify terms about where and how to meet.

Make sure you’re okay with an offer-maker’s terms '''before''' you accept an offer!

Trade rules also help with the following:

* Promoting good behavior from traders
* Penalizing bad behavior from traders
* Promoting good payment accounts of traders
* Penalizing bad payment accounts of traders
* Put the 'wrong doer' in a worse position and the person 'not at fault' in a better position

= Rules for bitcoin sellers =

Whether making or taking an offer, bitcoin sellers put all the bitcoin they’re selling in the multisig escrow, so there’s less for them to do and fewer rules they need to follow.

=== Click <code>Confirm payment</code> after receiving payment ===

Sellers have until the end of the maximum trade period to do so.

[[Account_limits#Account_signing|Account signing]], introduced in Bisq v1.2, enables a seller with a signed payment account to sign a buyer’s payment account when they successfully receive a payment. For such trades, it is recommended that the seller take as long as possible (i.e., wait until close to the end of the trade period) to confirm receipt of payment to reduce the chance of a chargeback.

=== Collaborate with mediators and arbitrators ===

In case of a dispute, users must respond to inquiries within 48 hours and providing materials as requested to determine an outcome.

Mediators may take up to 48 hours to respond to messages, and arbitrators may take up to 5 days to respond to messages.

=== Do not change payment details once trade is in progress ===

Once the deposit transaction is published, the trade is in progress, and its terms cannot be changed. The seller had agreed to be paid as specified in the trade contract.

In the event of an unexpected circumstance (e.g., hitting a bank-imposed transfer limit), seller can propose alternatives through trader chat or mediation, but buyer is not required to comply. It is the seller to ensure that the payment account in their offer will work before an offer is taken.

=== Do not confirm payments with mismatching details ===

Payer name, payment method, institution, and other details of a payment should ''exactly'' match the details in the trade contract. '''If not, the payment should not be accepted.'''

{{Admonition_Warn|This is especially relevant for trades in which a signed seller trades with an unsigned buyer, because confirmation of payment receipt signs the buyer’s payment account. In case of such an issue, a dispute should be opened.}}

=== Do not communicate with buyers away from Bisq ===

Using email addresses, phone numbers, and other means to contact traders is strongly discouraged. The trader chat feature built into Bisq should be used instead: not only is it more private, but the chat record can more easily be made available to mediators and arbitrators (useful in case a trader’s chat messages indicate they broke a rule). This includes advertising offers to sell BTC with a way to contact you, for example a website, Telegram user name, or email.

At this point, the software itself does not provide a way to relay the message record between 2 traders to a mediator or arbitrator, so other means of sharing the chat record will be used if needed.

= Rules for bitcoin buyers =

{{Admonition_Warn|To avoid unexpected issues, make sure you can actually carry out a payment with the payment method you’ve set up in Bisq. Examples: Wells Fargo doesn’t allow cash deposits into bank accounts not owned by the depositor, and Zelle has weekly and monthly transfer maximums that are easy to overlook. The software will warn you about known issues, but cannot possibly keep up with all the newest banking and money transfer rules.}}

=== Make payment reasonably early within trade period ===

Buyer should complete at a time such that the seller has enough time to acknowledge receipt of the payment before the trade period is over. Waiting until the very end of the trade period to make a payment is not advised, as then the seller cannot reasonably act in time to acknowledge receipt (also, it’s annoying). The lengths of trade periods vary based on [[Payment methods|payment method]].

This is especially important for buyers with unsigned payment accounts trading with sellers with signed payment accounts. A seller will not want to confirm receipt of a payment made at the last minute from an untrusted account, so if you’re a buyer looking to get your payment account signed, you should make the payment ''as soon as possible''.

=== Use same payment account in trade contract ===

Intermediary banks or other payment methods from the same bank are not acceptable. Account information (e.g., name, account number, etc) of the account used to make the payment must '''exactly''' match the information in the Bisq payment account details.

If such a payment cannot be made, please communicate the issue through trader chat, or you’ll need to make your case to a mediator or arbitrator.

=== Click Payment started after sending payment ===

Seller cannot mark payment as received until buyer confirms that they have sent it.

Don’t forget to do this!

=== Leave the "reason for payment" field empty ===

{{Admonition_Warn|Before 1.5.5, it was required to put the trade ID in the 'reason for payment' field of a payment. As of 1.5.5, reason for payment should be left BLANK.}}

Some payments offer a way to specify a reason for payment (some payment methods call it "Message" or "Information for recipient" or similar). '''Leave this field BLANK.''' Do not put the trade ID, any mentions of "Bisq" or "Bitcoin" or "crypto", or any other text whatsoever.

If you are required to fill in a reason, use your account name eg "Joe Bloggs" alternatively enter something non-descriptive like a dash "-". If you would prefer to use other text please agree this with your peer in trader chat. Please remember your peer is not obligated to agree anything and may not want to agree to anything other than leaving the description blank, your name or a dash.

Violating this rule will likely result in a [[Table of penalties|trade penalty]].

Many banks don’t like anything related to Bitcoin, and may take draconian measures if they sense such a transaction.

Many users trade from personal accounts and may object to using anything that looks like it could be a commercial transaction.

=== Pay any transaction fees ===

Any fees incurred to make the payment via the agreed payment method (e.g., bank fees for bank transfer, money-order fees for money orders, etc) are the buyer’s responsibility to pay.

The seller should receive the exact amount of the trade. The only exception to this rule is if the receiving institution imposes a fee on incoming payments—these fees are borne by the seller.

=== Collaborate with mediators and arbitrators ===

In case of a dispute, users must respond to inquiries within 48 hours and providing materials as requested to determine an outcome.

Mediators may take up to 48 hours to respond to messages, and arbitrators may take up to 5 days to respond to messages.

=== Do not communicate with sellers away from Bisq ===

Using email addresses, phone numbers, and other means to contact traders is strongly discouraged. The trader chat feature built into Bisq should be used instead: not only is it more private, but the chat record can more easily be made available to mediators and arbitrators (useful in case a trader’s chat messages indicate they broke a rule). This includes advertising offers to buy BTC with a way to contact you for example; a website, Telegram user name, or email.

At this point, the software itself does not provide a way to relay the message record between 2 traders to a mediator or arbitrator, so other means of sharing the chat record will be used if needed.

= What happens when things go wrong? =

Sometimes trades do not go to plan for whatever reason.

It is prudent for all traders to know when entering into the trade what will happen when things go wrong. Traders would be wise to make themselves aware of the [[dispute resolution]] process to ensure there are no surprises.

Cash by mail

2022-04-09T20:53:06Z

W000000t: /* Making a CBM offer */

'''Cash by mail''' (CBM) is one of the most private payment methods on Bisq.

This payment method has special requirements you should be aware of, so please read this article carefully before doing any cash by mail trades.

__TOC__

= Setting up a CBM account in Bisq =

When setting up cash-by-mail payment account in Bisq, you will be asked to enter the following information:

* Name or nym the package should be addressed to
* Postal address
* Currency
* Additional information

If selling BTC, the name/nym and address fields should be the name you would like to buyer to address the package to. If buying BTC, the name/nym and address fields should be the name the seller or postal service to return the package to in case of any issues.

You can only select one currency for a single cash-by-mail account. If you would like to trade with more than one currency, please create separate accounts for each currency.

Define any special terms, conditions, or details you would like to be displayed with your offers in the 'Additional Information' field. '''Users can see this field ''before'' taking the offer by clicking the info icon of the offer.'''

{{Admonition_Note|Consider setting up separate cash-by-mail accounts for buying and selling so you can specify special instructions for each.}}

= Making a CBM offer =

Make sure to state any special terms or conditions in the 'Additional Information' field of the payment account before making an offer. The person taking the offer will be accepting these terms and conditions by taking the offer.

Please note it is against Bisq rules to use the 'Additional Information' field to include advertising offers with a way to contact you prior to the trade (e.g. website, phone, email, or Matrix/Keybase/Telegram user name). Doing this can result in a penalty, should someone take your offer and request for you to be penalized.

= Taking a CBM offer =

'''Make sure to check the offer maker's terms and conditions before taking a CBM offer.''' If you cannot fulfill the terms, do not take the the offer. If you have specific terms you would prefer, consider making your own offer instead.

= Sending cash in the mail =

Please see the Bisq trade protocol for [[Trading_rules|general trading rules]].

In addition, buyers should:

* Package cash in a tamper-evident cash bag. You can get one at [https://shop.fulmo.org/product/tamper-proof-courier-bags/ the FULMO shop] (the Bisq project gains nothing for providing this link. Fulmo is a friendly member of the Bisq community).
* Place tamper-evident cash bag inside another package.
* Address the package to the name and address in the seller's cash-by-mail payment account.
* Follow any special requirements and conditions set by the seller.
* Film or take high-resolution photos of the cash packaging process with the address and tracking number already affixed to packaging.
* Send the cash package to the BTC seller with a courier service that requires receipt of delivery to be confirmed by the seller.
* Consider using a courier service that has appropriate insurance in place for any issues with delivery.
* Communicate with courier service as required.

'''Please make sure you have all the necessary items arranged ''before'' taking an offer (tamper-evident cash bags, other packaging, courier and insurance picked out, etc).'''

= Receiving cash in the mail =

When receiving cash in the mail, you should:

* Film the opening of the package, making sure that the tracking number provided by the sender is visible in the video.
* Follow any special requirements and conditions set by the buyer.
* Communicate with buyer's courier service as required.

= Dispute resolution =

Cash-by-mail trades are less verifiable than other fiat trades. This makes handling disputes much harder, so the onus to act honestly is squarely on both peers.

It is highly recommended for peers to make use of Bisq's trader chat to communicate directly with one another. This is the most promising way to resolve any issues that may arise during the trade.

Regarding dispute resolution, please note:

* Mediators can consider your case and make a suggestion, but they are NOT guaranteed to help.
* If a mediator is engaged, and if either peer rejects the mediator's suggestion, both peers' funds will be sent to a [https://bisq.wiki/Arbitration#Time-Locked_Payout_Transaction Bisq 'donation' address], and the trade will effectively be completed.
* If a trader rejects a mediation suggestion and opens arbitration, it could lead to lose both trading and deposit funds.
* Arbitrators will make a decision based on the evidence provided to them. Therefore, please follow and document the above processes to have evidence in case of dispute. For cash-by-mail trades, arbitrator decisions are final, meaning reimbursement requests to the Bisq DAO for any funds lost in cash-by-mail trades will NOT be considered.

Face-to-face (payment method)

2022-04-09T20:52:10Z

W000000t: /* Making a F2F offer */

Bisq can help users arrange '''face-to-face''' (F2F) trades to buy and sell bitcoin.

Done correctly, this may be the only payment method that can be both private ''and'' anonymous. But there are a number of things you should consider when doing a F2F trade on Bisq.

F2F trades are ''technically'' very similar to online trades. In fact, to carry out a F2F trade, you follow the exact same process within the Bisq software as you would for any other trade. The difference is in how the buyer pays the seller: instead of paying through a financial intermediary (like a bank or other money transfer service), the buyer meets the seller in real life and pays with cash.

__TOC__

= Setting up a F2F account in Bisq =

When setting up a F2F payment account in Bisq, you will be asked to enter the following information:

* Country
* Currency
* City (this will be displayed with the offer)
* How would you like to be contacted by the trading peer (Please. state the method of contact you would be happy with eg; Telegram, Matrix, Email, Phone. Please do not list your actual contact details)
* Additional information (for example where you would like to complete the trade.)

You can only select one currency for a single cash-by-mail account. If you would like to trade with more than one currency, please create separate accounts for each currency.

Define any special terms, conditions, or details you would like to be displayed with your offers in the 'Additional Information' field. '''Users can see this field ''before'' taking the offer by clicking the info icon of the offer.'''

{{Admonition_Note|Consider setting up separate F2F accounts for buying and selling so you can specify special instructions for each.}}

= Making a F2F offer =

Make sure to state any special terms or conditions in the 'Additional Information' field of the payment account before making an offer. The person taking the offer will be accepting these terms and conditions by taking the offer. For example you could include that you are looking to complete the trade in a Starbucks within the city center.

Please note it is against Bisq rules to use the 'Additional Information' field to include advertising offers with a way to contact you prior to the trade (e.g. website, phone, email, or Matrix/Keybase/Telegram user name). Doing this can result in a penalty, should someone take your offer and request for you to be penalized.

= Taking a F2F offer =

'''Make sure to check the offer maker's terms and conditions before taking a F2F offer.''' If you cannot fulfill the terms, do not take the the offer. If you have specific terms you would prefer, consider making your own offer instead.

== Meeting your trading partner ==

Doing a transaction face-to-face means you’ll be coming within close proximity of a stranger to exchange relatively substantial value.

=== Be safe ===

People do local, in-person commerce all the time, all over the world. Incidents are rare, but they do happen. You should be cognizant of risks and do your part to minimize potential harm.

'''Guard your data.''' When you set up a face-to-face payment account in Bisq, you’ll need to provide contact information so you can arrange a meeting with your trading partner. Make sure this information isn’t traceable back to your property or identity.

'''Meet in a neutral public place.''' Meeting your trading partner in a place with witnesses and security cameras significantly reduces the chance of an incident.

'''Don’t bring more than you need.''' Even in a public place, incidents can still happen, but you can limit the chance even further by limiting valuables on your person that would interest a thief in the first place.

'''Bring backup.''' Consider bringing a friend with you. Also, depending on the laws in your area & your own comfort, consider carrying a concealed tool for self-defense. Even pepper-spray can hobble a criminal just enough to get you out of immediate danger.

=== Validate payment ===

Face-to-face trades are usually settled with cash. Cash is wonderfully anonymous, but it can be counterfeited. Be sure you know the basics of detecting counterfeit currency. For example, there are several characteristics of US dollar bills one can examine to quickly determine fakes with high accuracy.

You could look for tools like counterfeit pens to do the work for you, but make sure you do thorough research before picking one. Counterfeit pens, for example, are often not reliable.

If you’d rather not take the chance of carrying or accepting cash, consider meeting at a bank where you can validate a buyer’s payment on the spot.

=== Ensure you follow Bisq protocol ===

Ultimately, the deal will be completed in Bisq. Buyers must mark payment as sent before sellers can release assets.

'''Buyers''' should bring a laptop with them so they can mark the payment as sent. Otherwise, the buyer will end up paying the seller and have to walk away without the bitcoin they paid for (since the seller won’t be able to acknowledge receipt of payment before the buyer acknowledges they sent payment).

'''Sellers''' should bring a laptop with their Bisq client running no matter what. Once they receive a legitimate payment, they’ll need to mark the payment as received so the assets are released to the buyer. No buyer will want to walk away after paying without proof of a complete deal.

== Disputes ==

The lack of verifiable actions makes handling face-to-face disputes much harder.

This is why we highly recommend that both parties bring laptops and acknowledge their ends of the deal on the spot.

Otherwise, the same dispute process is in place for F2F trades, but be advised that mediators and arbitrators often won’t have a way to settle disputes. In such cases, aggrieved traders can send deposit funds to the donation address and [[Making_a_reimbursement_request|make an appeal to the Bisq DAO]].

Having said that, mediators and arbitrators may attempt different tactics to get a handle on the situation. For example, they may ask a potential scammer for ID verification, which is a request a real scammer probably wouldn’t comply with.

Downloading and installing

2022-03-23T17:35:48Z

W000000t: /* macOS and Linux */

To use Bisq, you must first '''[https://bisq.network/downloads/ download and install]''' it. Most exchanges are centralized exchanges running on servers controlled by the exchange. Bisq is decentralized, running only on the desktops of Bisq users.

Bisq manages offers to trade using a peer-to-peer network. This is a global network made of users who are also running Bisq on their own computers.

Centralized services are easy to monitor, block, and shut down, while peer-to-peer networks like BitTorrent, Bitcoin and Bisq are difficult to surveil, censor, shut down or hack.

All of this means that if you want to use the Bisq network, you must download and run the software on your own machine.

== Download Bisq ==

The most convenient way to install Bisq on your machine is from a pre-built install file from the [https://bisq.network/downloads/ Bisq website] or [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/releases/latest latest GitHub release].

There's also a community-maintained [https://snapcraft.io/bisq-desktop Snap package] for various Linux distributions.

{{Admonition_Note|See [[#OS-specific_install_notes|install notes for various Linux distributions below]].}}

You can download the installer for your operating system and install Bisq right away, but we strongly recommend that you [[ #Verify installer file | verify the integrity ]] of your installer file first.

'''If you have issues, please check the ''Known issues with installation'' section in [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/releases/latest release notes].'''

== Verify installer file ==

Any software that manages funds, signs transactions, and deals with highly sensitive data is a prime target for malware. Bisq does all three. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you verify the integrity of the installer file you use to install Bisq.

This verification is something that you should do for the initial Bisq install. After the initial install, you will be prompted to install updates through Bisq's interface. The Bisq software will verify the integrity of updates for you.

Bisq installer files are currently built and signed by Christoph Atteneder (ripcurlx). His public key ID is <code>29CDFD3B</code> and fingerprint is <code>CB36 D7D2 EBB2 E35D 9B75 500B CD5D C1C5 29CD FD3B</code>, which you can verify through [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/commits?author=ripcurlx commits on GitHub] and [https://keybase.io/ripcurlx on Keybase].

The full public key is available [https://bisq.network/pubkey/29CDFD3B.asc here on the Bisq website].

=== Obtain signature files for installer files ===

To verify your installer file is intact and as the developer intended, you will need the PGP signature file corresponding to the installer file you downloaded.

On the [https://bisq.network/downloads/ Bisq website's download page], download the PGP signature file for the installer file you downloaded before.

If you prefer to download from GitHub, you will see the <code>.asc</code> file for your installer in the assets section [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/releases/latest of the release] along with the installer file itself.

In either case, the filename for the <code>.asc</code> you download should be identical to the filename for the installer file, just with <code>.asc</code> appended (e.g., signature file for <code>Bisq-1.2.7.dmg</code> would be <code>Bisq-1.2.7.dmg.asc</code>).

Once you've got the installer file and its corresponding signature file, proceed to the directions for your operating system below.

=== Windows ===

Once you have downloaded the installer file and corresponding signature file:

'''Download ripcurlx's public key'''

Download ripcurlx's public key [https://bisq.network/pubkey/29CDFD3B.asc here on the Bisq website].

'''Download and install Gpg4win'''

Windows does not come with GPG software installed by default, so you will need to install it in order to verify Bisq's installer files.

You can get Gpg4win [https://www.gpg4win.org/ here].

Double-click the installer file and proceed to install with all default settings.

'''Import ripcurlx's public key'''

In Kleopatra, import ripcurlx's public key file <code>29CDFD3B.asc</code>. Select ''No'' if asked to mark the certificate as valid.

'''Verify the signature of the binary you downloaded'''

With the <code>install-file.exe</code> and <code>signature-file.exe.asc</code> in the same directory, double-click on the <code>.exe.asc</code> file.

You should see a Kleopatra window pop up with a green progress bar that says "Verified .exe with .exe.asc". The program will continue to say "The data could not be verified" in bold but you can disregard that message.

This means the installer file we downloaded is intact and as intended. You can proceed to install Bisq by double-clicking the <code>.exe</code> file.

=== macOS and Linux ===

Once you've downloaded the installer file and corresponding signature file:

'''Import ripcurlx's public key'''

Run:

<nowiki>curl https://bisq.network/pubkey/29CDFD3B.asc | gpg --import</nowiki>

You might see an ominous sounding warning along the lines of "This key is not certified with a trusted signature". This basically means that none of the public keys on your machine have signed the key you just imported. It also means that you have not explicitly indicated you trust this key yourself. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but please see more about what this means [https://serverfault.com/a/569923 here]. In short, you can verify the integrity of this key by [[ #Verify installer file | cross-referencing ripcurlx's Bisq commit signatures and Keybase profile]].

'''Verify the signature of the binary you downloaded'''

If you are not familiar with GPG (a free open source version of PGP) you probably need to install GPG command line tools first.
Following instructions are taken from https://blog.ghostinthemachines.com/2015/03/01/how-to-use-gpg-command-line.

The easiest way to install the GPG command line tools on your Mac is to first install Homebrew, a package management system that makes thousands of software packages available for install on your Mac.

Open a Terminal window (Applications > Utilities menu), then enter the following command.

<nowiki>ruby -e "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install)" </nowiki>

When that’s complete, install the GPG software package with the following command.
<nowiki>brew install gnupg </nowiki>

With the installer file and installer signature file in the same directory, run:

<nowiki>gpg --digest-algo SHA256 --verify SIGNATURE-FILE.asc </nowiki>

Where <code>SIGNATURE-FILE.asc</code> is the filename of the <code>.asc</code> file you just downloaded.

'''Common errors'''

gpg: directory '/Users/bisq/.gnupg' created
gpg: keybox '/Users/bisq/.gnupg/pubring.kbx' created
gpg: can't open 'SIGNATURE-FILE.asc': No such file or directory
gpg: verify signatures failed: No such file or directory

In this case, you haven't replaced <code>SIGNATURE-FILE.asc</code> with the actual signature file you want to use e.g. <code>Bisq-1.6.4.dmg.asc</code>

gpg: can't open 'Bisq-1.6.4.dmg.asc': No such file or directory

In this case, you either haven't downloaded the signature file already or you are not in the correct directory. You can run <code>pwd</code> to see the path you are in.
If you want to switch to the directory, where the downloaded files are you can use the [https://www.git-tower.com/learn/git/ebook/en/command-line/appendix/command-line-101/#:~:text=It%20will%20return%20the%20path,%24%20cd%20.. `cd` command] and switch to the correct directory by typing e.g. <code>cd ~/Downloads</code>(switching to the download directory on macOS). To list all files in the current directory you can enter <code>ls -la</code> in your console.

gpg: assuming signed data in 'Bisq-1.6.4.dmg'
gpg: Signature made Thu May 6 13:32:43 2021 EDT
gpg: using RSA key CB36D7D2EBB2E35D9B75500BCD5DC1C529CDFD3B
gpg: issuer "christoph.atteneder@gmail.com"
gpg: Can't check signature: No public key</nowiki>

In this case, you have not imported the public key successfully. Please follow the guide above on how to import the public key for verification.

'''Successful verification'''

You should see output that looks something like:

gpg: Signature made Thu 13 Feb 2020 01:38:03 PM EST
gpg: using RSA key CB36D7D2EBB2E35D9B75500BCD5DC1C529CDFD3B
gpg: issuer ...
gpg: Good signature from "Christoph Atteneder ..."

Great, this means the installer file we downloaded is intact and as intended.

'''Verify jar file after installation'''

As one last check, you can verify the hash of the jar file after installing Bisq.

On macOS, the default location of the jar file is:

/Applications/Bisq.app/Contents/Java/

On Linux, the default location of the jar file is:

/opt/bisq/bin/Bisq

or also

/opt/bisq/lib/app/

If you cannot find the jar file in the locations above in Linux, you can try finding it by running

find / -name "desktop*.jar"

Get the hash of the jar file with:

shasum -a256 /path/to/jar/file/jar-name.jar

The hash you get should match the hash in the <code>.jar.txt</code> file in the [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/releases/latest release assets].

== Build from source ==

[https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/blob/master/docs/build.md Building Bisq from source] requires only a single command once you have the correct JDK installed on your machine.

Finding and installing the correct JDK can sometimes be frustrating, so Bisq's developers have written scripts to make it easier:
* [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/blob/master/scripts/install_java.sh For Linux and macOS]
* [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/blob/master/scripts/install_java.bat For Windows]

== OS-specific install notes ==

=== Linux (General) ===

Bisq works with a number of Linux distros, but not all desktop environments are supported.

These are all known compatible desktop environments. This is a growing list. If you find another compatible desktop, please inform us so it can be added.

* GNOME
* Mate
* Xfce
* KDE Plasma
* Cinnamon

Bisq might not work properly if you switch from the original desktop environment of your Linux distribution to a different one.

Note: users with discrete GPUs may encounter issues launching Bisq in some desktop environments.

=== Arch Linux ===

The Bisq [https://bisq.network/downloads/ downloads page] includes a link to the Arch User Repository (AUR) page for the [https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/bisq/ bisq package].

# From the command line, clone the repository from AUR.
# Then from the cloned directory, run <code>makepkg -si</code>. This will read the PKGBUILD file to download, verify, build, and install the various tools necessary to install Bisq.

If the version found on AUR is not up to date, you can read [[Fix_Arch_release]].

Please be advised: when you're using AUR, you're responsible for your own safety. Be sure to verify the PKGBUILD file.

=== Gentoo ===

Use <code>eselect repository enable booboo</code> to use the 'booboo' overlay which carries the binaries, and then emerge <code>bisq</code>

=== Tails ===

Please see [[Running Bisq on Tails]] for details on downloading, installing, and configuring Bisq on Tails.

=== Qubes ===

Please see [[Running Bisq on Qubes]] for a detailed Qubes setup guide.

== Update Bisq ==

Installing a new Bisq version will update Bisq. More details at [[Updating Bisq]].

[[Category:Use Cases]]

Bisq Price Indices

2022-03-21T07:10:11Z

W000000t: /* Altcoins: */

The '''Bisq Price Indices''' are the weighted average asset prices calculated by each of the [[Bisq pricenode |Bisq Pricenodes]]. It was implemented in Bisq v1.3.8 as part of [https://github.com/bisq-network/projects/issues/35 Project 35] in order to gain independence from Bitcoin Average as a price oracle, decentralizing data sources from 35+ different data providers around the world.

Bisq Pricenodes fetch the latest price data, once per minute, from various providers for each asset. The price indices are equally weighted, so for example if there's a single provider for a given asset, the weight will be 100%. If there's 2 data providers for an asset, the weights will 50% each, if there are 4, 25% each, etc.

Providers are selected considering for each asset reliability of the data and trading volume. The following tables display which data providers are used to calculate prices for each actively traded asset on Bisq.

In the case of nodes diverging more than 1% for a given asset, the prices will be outside the price tolerance protection, and Bisq will display an error to user preventing them from taking an offer.

= Asset Table =

{| class="wikitable"
! Currency || Bitpay || Coingecko || Binance || Coinpaprika || Kraken || Quoine || BTCmarkets || IndependentReserve || MercadoBitcoin
|-
| '''AED''' || 50% || 50% || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''AFN''' || 100% || || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''ALL''' || 100% || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''AMD''' || 100% || || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''ANG''' || 100% || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''AOA''' || 100% || || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''ARS''' || 33% || 33% || || 33% || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''AUD''' || 14% || 14% || || 14% || 14% || 14% || 14% || 14% ||
|-
| '''AWG''' || 100% || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''AZN''' || 100% || || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''BAM''' || 100% || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''BBD''' || 100% || || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''BDT''' || 50% || 50% || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''BGN''' || 100% || || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''BHD''' || 50% || 50% || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''BIF''' || 100% || || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''BMD''' || 50% || 50% || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''BND''' || 100% || || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''BOB''' || 50% || || || 50% || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''BRL''' || 25% || 25% || || 25% || || || || || 25%
|-
| '''BSD''' || 100% || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''BTN''' || 100% || || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''BWP''' || 100% || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''BYN''' || 100% || || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''BZD''' || 100% || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''CAD''' || 25% || 25% || || 25% || 25% || || || ||
|}


{| class="wikitable"
! Currency || Bittpay || Coingecko || Binance || Coinpaprika || Kraken || Bitstamp || Exmo || Bitfinex || Quoine || Coinmate || Bitbay
|-
| '''CDF''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''CHF''' || 25% || 25% || || 25% || 25% || || || || || ||
|-
| '''CLP''' || 33% || 33% || || || 33% || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''CNY''' || 33% || 33% || || 33% || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''COP''' || 50% || 50% || || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''CRC''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''CUP''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''CVE''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''CZK''' || 25% || 25% || || 25% || || || || || || 25% ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''DJF''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''DKK''' || 33% || 33% || || 33% || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''DOP''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''DZD''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''EGP''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''ETB''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''EUR''' || 9% || 9% || 9% || 9% || 9% || 9% || 9% || 9% || 9% || 9% || 9%
|-
| '''FJD''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''FKP''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''GBP''' || 12% || 12% || 12% || 12% || 12% || 12% || || 12% || || || 12%
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''GEL''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''GHS''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''GIP''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''GMD''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''GNF''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''GTQ''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || ||
|}

{| class="wikitable"
! Currency || Bitpay || Coingecko || Coinpaprika || Bitfinex || Quoine || Bitflyer || Coinone
|-
| '''GYD''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''HKD''' || 25% || 25% || 25% || || 25% || ||
|-
| '''HNL''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''HRK''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|-
| '''HTG''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''HUF''' || 33% || 33% || 33% || || || ||
|-
| '''IDR''' || 25% || 25% || 25% || || 25% || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''ILS''' || 33% || 33% || 33% || || || ||
|-
| '''INR''' || 33% || 33% || 33% || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''IQD''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|-
| '''IRR''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''ISK''' || 50% || || 50% || || || ||
|-
| '''JMD''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''JOD''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|-
| '''JPY''' || 14% || 14% || 14% || 14% || 14% || 14% ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''KES''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|-
| '''KGS''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''KHR''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|-
| '''KMF''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''KPW''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|-
| '''KRW''' || 25% || 25% || 25% || || || || 25%
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''KWD''' || 50% || 50% || || || || ||
|-
| '''KYD''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''KZT''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|-
| '''LAK''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|}


{| class="wikitable"
! Currency || Bitpay || Cingecko || Binance || Coinpaprika || IndependentReserve || Luno
|-
| '''LBP''' || 100% || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''LKR''' || 50% || 50% || || || ||
|-
| '''LRD''' || 100% || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''LSL''' || 100% || || || || ||
|-
| '''LYD''' || 100% || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''MAD''' || 100% || || || || ||
|-
| '''MDL''' || 100% || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''MGA''' || 100% || || || || ||
|-
| '''MKD''' || 100% || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''MMK''' || 50% || 50% || || || ||
|-
| '''MNT''' || 100% || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''MOP''' || 100% || || || || ||
|-
| '''MRU''' || 100% || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''MUR''' || 100% || || || || ||
|-
| '''MVR''' || 100% || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''MWK''' || 100% || || || || ||
|-
| '''MXN''' || 33% || 33% || || 33% || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''MYR''' || 25% || 25% || || 25% || || 25%
|-
| '''MZN''' || 100% || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''NAD''' || 100% || || || || ||
|-
| '''NGN''' || 25% || 25% || || 25% || || 25%
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''NIO''' || 100% || || || || ||
|-
| '''NOK''' || 33% || 33% || || 33% || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''NPR''' || 100% || || || || ||
|-
| '''NZD''' || 25% || 25% || || 25% || 25% ||
|}

{| class="wikitable"
! Currency || Bitpay || Coingecko || Binance || Coinpaprika || Exmo || Quoine || Bitbay
|-
| '''OMR''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''PAB''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|-
| '''PEN''' || 50% || || || 50% || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''PGK''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|-
| '''PHP''' || 33% || 33% || || 33% || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''PKR''' || 33% || 33% || || 33% || || ||
|-
| '''PLN''' || 20% || 20% || || 20% || 20% || || 20%
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''PYG''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|-
| '''QAR''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''RON''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|-
| '''RSD''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''RUB''' || 25% || 25% || 25 || 25% || 25% || ||
|-
| '''RWF''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''SAR''' || 50% || 50% || || || || ||
|-
| '''SBD''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''SCR''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|-
| '''SDG''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''SEK''' || 33% || 33% || || 33% || || ||
|-
| '''SGD''' || 25% || 25% || || 25% || || 25% ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''SHP''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|-
| '''SLL''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''SOS''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|-
| '''SRD''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''STN''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|-
| '''SVC''' || 100% || || || || || ||
|}


{| class="wikitable"
! Currency || Bitpay || Coingecko || Binance || Coinpaprika || Kraken || Bitstamp || Exmo || Bitfinex || IndependentReserve || Bitbay || Luno || Paribu || Hit
|-
| '''SYP''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''SZL''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''THB''' || 33% || 33% || || 33% || || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''TJS''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''TMT''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''TND''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''TOP''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''TRY''' || 20% || 2% || 20% || 20% || || || || || || || || 20% ||
|-
| TTD || 100% || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''TWD''' || 33% || 33% || || 33% || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''TZS''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''UAH''' || 20% || 20% || 20% || 20% || || || 20% || || || || || ||
|-
| '''UGX''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''USD''' || 10% || 10% || || 10% || 10% || 10% || 10% || 10% || 10% || 10% || || || 10%
|-
| '''UYU''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''UZS''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''VES''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''VND''' || 33% || 33% || || 33% || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''VUV''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''WST''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| XAF || 100% || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''XCD''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''XOF''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''XPF''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| '''YER''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''ZAR''' || 20% || 20% || 20% || 20% || || || || || || || 20% || ||
|-
| '''ZMW''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| '''ZWL''' || 100% || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|}

=== Altcoins: ===

A:Binance B:Huobi C:Kraken D:Poloniex E:Exmo F:Bitstamp G:Bitfinex H:Bitpay I:BTCmarkets J:Coingecko K:Bitbay LːBitflyer M:Quobi
{| class="wikitable"
| || A || B || C || D || E || F || G || H || I || J || K || L || M
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| BEAM || 100% || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| BTM || || 100% || || || || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| DAI || 50% || || || || || || 50% || || || || || ||
|-
| DASH || 14% || 14% || 14% || 14% || 14% || || || 14% || 14% || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| DCR || 33% || 33% || || 33 || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| DOGE || 20 % || 20 % || 20 % || 20 % || 20 % || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| ETC || || || 20% || 20% || 20% || 20% || || 20% || || || || ||
|-
| ETH || 7% || 7% || 7% || 7% || 7% || 7% || 7% || 7% || 7% || 7% || 7% || 7% || 7%
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| FAIR || || 100% || || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| LTC || 10% || 10% || 10% || 10% || 10% || 10% || 10% || || 10% || 10% || 10% || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| NAV || 100% || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| PIVX || 100% || || || || || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| USDC || || || || || || || || 100% || || || || ||
|-
| XMR || 16% || 16% || 16% || 16% || 16% || || 16% || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| XZC || 50% || 50% || || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| ZEC || 20% || 20% || 20% || 20% || 20% || || || || || || || ||
|- style="background-color: #ECECF0"
| ZEN || 50% || 50% || || || || || || || || || || ||
|-
| || A || B || C || D || E || F || G || H || I || J || K || L || M
|}
A:Binance B:Huobi C:Kraken D:Poloniex E:Exmo F:Bitstamp G:Bitfinex H:Bitpay I:BTCmarkets J:Coingecko K:Bitbay LːBitflyer M:Quobi

Running Bisq on Tails

2022-03-19T19:33:52Z

W000000t: add persistent storage instructions by https://github.com/amosgroth

To '''run Bisq on the Tails OS''', a few manual steps are required.

__TOC__

== Preparations ==

* Configure a [https://tails.boum.org/doc/first_steps/welcome_screen/administration_password/ administration password] when installing Bisq
* Configure persistence [https://tails.boum.org/doc/first_steps/persistence/index.en.html]
* Configure dotfiles [https://tails.boum.org/doc/first_steps/persistence/index.en.html#index13h2]

{{Admonition_Warn|Tails does not persist data by default, so while following these directions will allow you to run Bisq on Tails, '''all data will be erased as soon as you reboot'''. This means you will lose your Bisq keys, wallet data, and everything else in the [[data directory]].

Make sure to set up persistent storage and dotfiles to have your Bisq data persisted across sessions.}}

== Install ==

After restarting Tails, go to https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/releases using your Tor Browser and download the <code>Bisq-64bit-[version].deb</code> and <code>.asc</code> files.

You may have to use <code>wget</code>, because <code>curl</code> may not use Tor and could be blocked from using the internet.

=== Verify your download ===

* <code>wget <nowiki>https://bisq.network/pubkey/[keyid].asc</nowiki></code> should result in a file <code>[keyid].asc</code> in your working directory. See "Verification" section of [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/releases/latest release notes] for the exact key ID you should use (it's <code>29CDFD3B</code> as of this writing) to verify your download.
* Import the key to gpg by <code>gpg --import [keyid].asc</code>
* Check the signature with <code>gpg --digest-algo SHA256 --verify [yourbinaryhere]{.asc*,}</code> which should give you something like this
<pre>
[snip]
gpg: Good signature from "Christoph Atteneder...
[snip]
</pre>

=== Install Bisq ===

Do a simple <code>sudo dpkg -i [yourbinaryhere]</code>.

== Configure ==

* Make authcookie readable:
<pre>sudo chmod o+r /var/run/tor/control.authcookie</pre>

* Configure <code>onion-grater</code>.

Create a file <code>/etc/onion-grater.d/bisq.yml</code> with contents:

<pre>
---
- apparmor-profiles:
- '/opt/bisq/bin/Bisq'
users:
- 'amnesia'
commands:
AUTHCHALLENGE:
- 'SAFECOOKIE .*'
SETEVENTS:
- 'CIRC WARN ERR'
- 'CIRC ORCONN INFO NOTICE WARN ERR HS_DESC HS_DESC_CONTENT'
GETINFO:
- 'net/listeners/socks'
ADD_ONION:
- pattern: 'NEW:(\S+) Port=9999,(\S+)'
replacement: 'NEW:{} Port=9999,{client-address}:{}'
- pattern: '(\S+):(\S+) Port=9999,(\S+)'
replacement: '{}:{} Port=9999,{client-address}:{}'
DEL_ONION:
- '.+'
HSFETCH:
- '.+'
events:
CIRC:
suppress: true
ORCONN:
suppress: true
INFO:
suppress: true
NOTICE:
suppress: true
WARN:
suppress: true
ERR:
suppress: true
HS_DESC:
response:
- pattern: '650 HS_DESC CREATED (\S+) (\S+) (\S+) \S+ (.+)'
replacement: '650 HS_DESC CREATED {} {} {} redacted {}'
- pattern: '650 HS_DESC UPLOAD (\S+) (\S+) .*'
replacement: '650 HS_DESC UPLOAD {} {} redacted redacted'
- pattern: '650 HS_DESC UPLOADED (\S+) (\S+) .+'
replacement: '650 HS_DESC UPLOADED {} {} redacted'
- pattern: '650 HS_DESC REQUESTED (\S+) NO_AUTH'
replacement: '650 HS_DESC REQUESTED {} NO_AUTH'
- pattern: '650 HS_DESC REQUESTED (\S+) NO_AUTH \S+ \S+'
replacement: '650 HS_DESC REQUESTED {} NO_AUTH redacted redacted'
- pattern: '650 HS_DESC RECEIVED (\S+) NO_AUTH \S+ \S+'
replacement: '650 HS_DESC RECEIVED {} NO_AUTH redacted redacted'
- pattern: '.*'
replacement: ''
HS_DESC_CONTENT:
suppress: true
</pre>

Then restart the <code>onion-grater</code> service with <code>service onion-grater restart</code>.

* In <code>/usr/share/applications/bisq-Bisq.desktop</code>, replace:

<pre>Exec=/opt/bisq/bin/Bisq</pre>

with:

<pre>Exec=/opt/bisq/bin/Bisq --torControlPort 9051 --torControlCookieFile=/var/run/tor/control.authcookie --torControlUseSafeCookieAuth</pre>

== Run Bisq ==

Click <code>Applications</code> > <code>Other</code> > <code>Bisq</code>.

Or via terminal:

<pre>
/opt/bisq/bin/Bisq --torControlPort 9051 --torControlCookieFile=/var/run/tor/control.authcookie --torControlUseSafeCookieAuth
</pre>

== Persistent Data Directory ==

Either you want a fresh install or you had Bisq installed somewhere else and would like to keep your Bisq user identity and data. In both cases, you need to make sure that the Bisq [[data directory]] doesn't get lost after restarting Tails.

After the first start, Bisq has automatically created its [[data directory]] in the <code>~/.local/share/Bisq</code> directory and from there it gets deleted after a Tails restart.

=== New User ===

* Quit Bisq after the first start, once synchronisation and setup are completed
* Move the [[data directory]] to the dotfiles [https://tails.boum.org/doc/first_steps/persistence/index.en.html#index13h2]
<code>mv ~/.local/share/Bisq/* /live/persistence/TailsData_unlocked/dotfiles/.local/share/Bisq</code>
* Restart Tails

=== Existing User ===

* Copy your backup of the Bisq [[data directory]] to the dotfiles [https://tails.boum.org/doc/first_steps/persistence/index.en.html#index13h2]
<code>cp -r /[yourdirectoryhere]/Bisq /live/persistence/TailsData_unlocked/dotfiles/.local/share/Bisq</code>
* Restart Tails

== Installation Script ==

Because Tails doesn't persist the Bisq for the next session, you have to repeat the installation [https://bisq.wiki/Running_Bisq_on_Tails#Install_Bisq] and configuration [https://bisq.wiki/Running_Bisq_on_Tails#Configure] after every restart. To make life easier, you can automate this in a bash script. Make sure this script is saved somewhere in the Tails persistent directory.

* Create script file:
<code>touch ~/Persistent/install-bisq.sh</code>
* Make script executable:
<code>chmod +x ~/Persistent/install-bisq.sh</code>
* Edit and save file:
<pre>
#!/bin/bash

dpkg -i [yourbinaryhere]
echo "Change access rights of /var/run/tor/control.authcookie ..."
chmod o+r /var/run/tor/control.authcookie
echo "Create /etc/onion-grater.d/bisq.yml ..."
echo "---
- apparmor-profiles:
- '/opt/bisq/bin/Bisq'
users:
- 'amnesia'
commands:
AUTHCHALLENGE:
- 'SAFECOOKIE .*'
SETEVENTS:
- 'CIRC WARN ERR'
- 'CIRC ORCONN INFO NOTICE WARN ERR HS_DESC HS_DESC_CONTENT'
GETINFO:
- 'net/listeners/socks'
ADD_ONION:
- pattern: 'NEW:(\S+) Port=9999,(\S+)'
replacement: 'NEW:{} Port=9999,{client-address}:{}'
- pattern: '(\S+):(\S+) Port=9999,(\S+)'
replacement: '{}:{} Port=9999,{client-address}:{}'
DEL_ONION:
- '.+'
HSFETCH:
- '.+'
events:
CIRC:
suppress: true
ORCONN:
suppress: true
INFO:
suppress: true
NOTICE:
suppress: true
WARN:
suppress: true
ERR:
suppress: true
HS_DESC:
response:
- pattern: '650 HS_DESC CREATED (\S+) (\S+) (\S+) \S+ (.+)'
replacement: '650 HS_DESC CREATED {} {} {} redacted {}'
- pattern: '650 HS_DESC UPLOAD (\S+) (\S+) .*'
replacement: '650 HS_DESC UPLOAD {} {} redacted redacted'
- pattern: '650 HS_DESC UPLOADED (\S+) (\S+) .+'
replacement: '650 HS_DESC UPLOADED {} {} redacted'
- pattern: '650 HS_DESC REQUESTED (\S+) NO_AUTH'
replacement: '650 HS_DESC REQUESTED {} NO_AUTH'
- pattern: '650 HS_DESC REQUESTED (\S+) NO_AUTH \S+ \S+'
replacement: '650 HS_DESC REQUESTED {} NO_AUTH redacted redacted'
- pattern: '650 HS_DESC RECEIVED (\S+) NO_AUTH \S+ \S+'
replacement: '650 HS_DESC RECEIVED {} NO_AUTH redacted redacted'
- pattern: '.*'
replacement: ''
HS_DESC_CONTENT:
suppress: true" > /etc/onion-grater.d/bisq.yml
echo "Restart onion-grater service ..."
service onion-grater restart
echo "Edit Bisq executable file ..."
sed -i 's+Exec=/opt/bisq/bin/Bisq+Exec=/opt/bisq/bin/Bisq --torControlPort 9051 --torControlCookieFile=/var/run/tor/control.authcookie --torControlUseSafeCookieAuth+' /usr/share/applications/bisq-Bisq.desktop
echo "Bisq installed successfully."
</pre>

Now you might run this script everytime you want to install and run Bisq after a Tails restart:
<code>sudo ./install-bisq.sh<?code>

[[Category:Guides]]

How do I send fiat to Bisq

2022-03-11T17:26:08Z

W000000t: /* You don't. */

== So, how do I send fiat to Bisq, or how do I use my credit card to buy bitcoin? ==
= You don't. =

This guide was made as an attempt to garner attention from such query terms that regularly appear on some of our support venues.

Bisq is a DEX (decentralized exchange), it doesn't directly deal with fiat, so it doesn't have builtin fiat accounts, nor credit card payment endpoints; it only manages a BTC wallet (and a special [[BSQ]] wallet).

To trade, you need to find another user who agrees with you (selling BTC while you want to buy, or buying BTC while you want to sell, using same currency and same [[Payment_methods|payment method]]); Bisq will manage the Bitcoin side of the transaction with its battle-tested escrow, and trading peers will manage the fiat/altcoin side on their end, by dealing directly between themselves.

=== There might be a way to buy BTC with credit card on Bisq though ===

Technically, you could say you can buy BTC with your credit card on Bisq, even if that's a little more convoluted than what you normally see on e-commerce websites: you would need to setup a payment method that supports receiving deposits from cards, like [[Revolut]], [[TransferWise|Wise]] (ex TransferWise), [[Amazon_eGift_card|Amazon eGift card]] to say a few, send money from your credit card to those accounts, and then make, or take, an offer that uses one of those methods.

How do I send fiat to Bisq

2022-03-11T09:57:23Z

W000000t: Created page with "== So, how do I send fiat to Bisq, or how do I use my credit card to buy bitcoin? == = You don't. = This guide was made as an attempt to garner attention from such questions..."

== So, how do I send fiat to Bisq, or how do I use my credit card to buy bitcoin? ==
= You don't. =

This guide was made as an attempt to garner attention from such questions that get regularly asked on some of our support venues.

Bisq is a DEX (decentralized exchange), it doesn't directly deal with fiat, so it doesn't have builtin fiat accounts, nor credit card payment endpoints; it only manages a BTC wallet (and a special [[BSQ]] wallet).

To trade, you need to find another user who agrees with you (selling BTC while you want to buy, or buying BTC while you want to sell, using same currency and same [[Payment_methods|payment method]]); Bisq will manage the Bitcoin side of the transaction with its battle-tested escrow, and trading peers will manage the fiat/altcoin side on their end, by dealing directly between themselves.

=== There might be a way to buy BTC with credit card on Bisq though ===

Technically, you could say you can buy BTC with your credit card on Bisq, even if that's a little more convoluted than what you normally see on e-commerce websites: you would need to setup a payment method that supports receiving deposits from cards, like [[Revolut]], [[TransferWise|Wise]] (ex TransferWise), [[Amazon_eGift_card|Amazon eGift card]] to say a few, send money from your credit card to those accounts, and then make, or take, an offer that uses one of those methods.

Downloading and installing

2022-03-08T22:10:19Z

W000000t: /* Gentoo */

To use Bisq, you must first '''[https://bisq.network/downloads/ download and install]''' it. Most exchanges are centralized exchanges running on servers controlled by the exchange. Bisq is decentralized, running only on the desktops of Bisq users.

Bisq manages offers to trade using a peer-to-peer network. This is a global network made of users who are also running Bisq on their own computers.

Centralized services are easy to monitor, block, and shut down, while peer-to-peer networks like BitTorrent, Bitcoin and Bisq are difficult to surveil, censor, shut down or hack.

All of this means that if you want to use the Bisq network, you must download and run the software on your own machine.

== Download Bisq ==

The most convenient way to install Bisq on your machine is from a pre-built install file from the [https://bisq.network/downloads/ Bisq website] or [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/releases/latest latest GitHub release].

There's also a community-maintained [https://snapcraft.io/bisq-desktop Snap package] for various Linux distributions.

{{Admonition_Note|See [[#OS-specific_install_notes|install notes for various Linux distributions below]].}}

You can download the installer for your operating system and install Bisq right away, but we strongly recommend that you [[ #Verify installer file | verify the integrity ]] of your installer file first.

'''If you have issues, please check the ''Known issues with installation'' section in [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/releases/latest release notes].'''

== Verify installer file ==

Any software that manages funds, signs transactions, and deals with highly sensitive data is a prime target for malware. Bisq does all three. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you verify the integrity of the installer file you use to install Bisq.

This verification is something that you should do for the initial Bisq install. After the initial install, you will be prompted to install updates through Bisq's interface. The Bisq software will verify the integrity of updates for you.

Bisq installer files are currently built and signed by Christoph Atteneder (ripcurlx). His public key ID is <code>29CDFD3B</code> and fingerprint is <code>CB36 D7D2 EBB2 E35D 9B75 500B CD5D C1C5 29CD FD3B</code>, which you can verify through [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/commits?author=ripcurlx commits on GitHub] and [https://keybase.io/ripcurlx on Keybase].

The full public key is available [https://bisq.network/pubkey/29CDFD3B.asc here on the Bisq website].

=== Obtain signature files for installer files ===

To verify your installer file is intact and as the developer intended, you will need the PGP signature file corresponding to the installer file you downloaded.

On the [https://bisq.network/downloads/ Bisq website's download page], download the PGP signature file for the installer file you downloaded before.

If you prefer to download from GitHub, you will see the <code>.asc</code> file for your installer in the assets section [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/releases/latest of the release] along with the installer file itself.

In either case, the filename for the <code>.asc</code> you download should be identical to the filename for the installer file, just with <code>.asc</code> appended (e.g., signature file for <code>Bisq-1.2.7.dmg</code> would be <code>Bisq-1.2.7.dmg.asc</code>).

Once you've got the installer file and its corresponding signature file, proceed to the directions for your operating system below.

=== Windows ===

Once you have downloaded the installer file and corresponding signature file:

'''Download ripcurlx's public key'''

Download ripcurlx's public key [https://bisq.network/pubkey/29CDFD3B.asc here on the Bisq website].

'''Download and install Gpg4win'''

Windows does not come with GPG software installed by default, so you will need to install it in order to verify Bisq's installer files.

You can get Gpg4win [https://www.gpg4win.org/ here].

Double-click the installer file and proceed to install with all default settings.

'''Import ripcurlx's public key'''

In Kleopatra, import ripcurlx's public key file <code>29CDFD3B.asc</code>. Select ''No'' if asked to mark the certificate as valid.

'''Verify the signature of the binary you downloaded'''

With the <code>install-file.exe</code> and <code>signature-file.exe.asc</code> in the same directory, double-click on the <code>.exe.asc</code> file.

You should see a Kleopatra window pop up with a green progress bar that says "Verified .exe with .exe.asc". The program will continue to say "The data could not be verified" in bold but you can disregard that message.

This means the installer file we downloaded is intact and as intended. You can proceed to install Bisq by double-clicking the <code>.exe</code> file.

=== macOS and Linux ===

Once you've downloaded the installer file and corresponding signature file:

'''Import ripcurlx's public key'''

Run:

<nowiki>curl https://bisq.network/pubkey/29CDFD3B.asc | gpg --import</nowiki>

You might see an ominous sounding warning along the lines of "This key is not certified with a trusted signature". This basically means that none of the public keys on your machine have signed the key you just imported. It also means that you have not explicitly indicated you trust this key yourself. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but please see more about what this means [https://serverfault.com/a/569923 here]. In short, you can verify the integrity of this key by [[ #Verify installer file | cross-referencing ripcurlx's Bisq commit signatures and Keybase profile]].

'''Verify the signature of the binary you downloaded'''

If you are not familiar with GPG (a free open source version of PGP) you probably need to install GPG command line tools first.
Following instructions are taken from https://blog.ghostinthemachines.com/2015/03/01/how-to-use-gpg-command-line.

The easiest way to install the GPG command line tools on your Mac is to first install Homebrew, a package management system that makes thousands of software packages available for install on your Mac.

Open a Terminal window (Applications > Utilities menu), then enter the following command.

<nowiki>ruby -e "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install)" </nowiki>

When that’s complete, install the GPG software package with the following command.
<nowiki>brew install gnupg </nowiki>

With the installer file and installer signature file in the same directory, run:

<nowiki>gpg --digest-algo SHA256 --verify SIGNATURE-FILE.asc </nowiki>

Where <code>SIGNATURE-FILE.asc</code> is the filename of the <code>.asc</code> file you just downloaded.

'''Common errors'''

gpg: directory '/Users/bisq/.gnupg' created
gpg: keybox '/Users/bisq/.gnupg/pubring.kbx' created
gpg: can't open 'SIGNATURE-FILE.asc': No such file or directory
gpg: verify signatures failed: No such file or directory

In this case, you haven't replaced <code>SIGNATURE-FILE.asc</code> with the actual signature file you want to use e.g. <code>Bisq-1.6.4.dmg.asc</code>

gpg: can't open 'Bisq-1.6.4.dmg.asc': No such file or directory

In this case, you either haven't downloaded the signature file already or you are not in the correct directory. You can run <code>pwd</code> to see the path you are in.
If you want to switch to the directory, where the downloaded files are you can use the [https://www.git-tower.com/learn/git/ebook/en/command-line/appendix/command-line-101/#:~:text=It%20will%20return%20the%20path,%24%20cd%20.. `cd` command] and switch to the correct directory by typing e.g. <code>cd ~/Downloads</code>(switching to the download directory on macOS). To list all files in the current directory you can enter <code>ls -la</code> in your console.

gpg: assuming signed data in 'Bisq-1.6.4.dmg'
gpg: Signature made Thu May 6 13:32:43 2021 EDT
gpg: using RSA key CB36D7D2EBB2E35D9B75500BCD5DC1C529CDFD3B
gpg: issuer "christoph.atteneder@gmail.com"
gpg: Can't check signature: No public key</nowiki>

In this case, you have not imported the public key successfully. Please follow the guide above on how to import the public key for verification.

'''Successful verification'''

You should see output that looks something like:

gpg: Signature made Thu 13 Feb 2020 01:38:03 PM EST
gpg: using RSA key CB36D7D2EBB2E35D9B75500BCD5DC1C529CDFD3B
gpg: issuer ...
gpg: Good signature from "Christoph Atteneder ..."

Great, this means the installer file we downloaded is intact and as intended.

'''Verify jar file after installation'''

As one last check, you can verify the hash of the jar file after installing Bisq.

On macOS, the default location of the jar file is:

/Applications/Bisq.app/Contents/Java/

On Linux, the default location of the jar file is:

/opt/bisq/bin/Bisq

Get the hash of the jar file with:

shasum -a256 /path/to/jar/file/jar-name.jar

The hash you get should match the hash in the <code>.jar.txt</code> file in the [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/releases/latest release assets].

== Build from source ==

[https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/blob/master/docs/build.md Building Bisq from source] requires only a single command once you have the correct JDK installed on your machine.

Finding and installing the correct JDK can sometimes be frustrating, so Bisq's developers have written scripts to make it easier:
* [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/blob/master/scripts/install_java.sh For Linux and macOS]
* [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/blob/master/scripts/install_java.bat For Windows]

== OS-specific install notes ==

=== Linux (General) ===

Bisq works with a number of Linux distros, but not all desktop environments are supported.

These are all known compatible desktop environments. This is a growing list. If you find another compatible desktop, please inform us so it can be added.

* GNOME
* Mate
* Xfce
* KDE Plasma
* Cinnamon

Bisq might not work properly if you switch from the original desktop environment of your Linux distribution to a different one.

Note: users with discrete GPUs may encounter issues launching Bisq in some desktop environments.

=== Arch Linux ===

The Bisq [https://bisq.network/downloads/ downloads page] includes a link to the Arch User Repository (AUR) page for the [https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/bisq/ bisq package].

# From the command line, clone the repository from AUR.
# Then from the cloned directory, run <code>makepkg -si</code>. This will read the PKGBUILD file to download, verify, build, and install the various tools necessary to install Bisq.

If the version found on AUR is not up to date, you can read [[Fix_Arch_release]].

Please be advised: when you're using AUR, you're responsible for your own safety. Be sure to verify the PKGBUILD file.

=== Gentoo ===

Use <code>eselect repository enable booboo</code> to use the 'booboo' overlay which carries the binaries, and then emerge <code>bisq</code>

=== Tails ===

Please see [[Running Bisq on Tails]] for details on downloading, installing, and configuring Bisq on Tails.

=== Qubes ===

Please see [[Running Bisq on Qubes]] for a detailed Qubes setup guide.

[[Category:Use Cases]]

Downloading and installing

2022-03-08T22:08:49Z

W000000t: /* OS-specific install notes */

To use Bisq, you must first '''[https://bisq.network/downloads/ download and install]''' it. Most exchanges are centralized exchanges running on servers controlled by the exchange. Bisq is decentralized, running only on the desktops of Bisq users.

Bisq manages offers to trade using a peer-to-peer network. This is a global network made of users who are also running Bisq on their own computers.

Centralized services are easy to monitor, block, and shut down, while peer-to-peer networks like BitTorrent, Bitcoin and Bisq are difficult to surveil, censor, shut down or hack.

All of this means that if you want to use the Bisq network, you must download and run the software on your own machine.

== Download Bisq ==

The most convenient way to install Bisq on your machine is from a pre-built install file from the [https://bisq.network/downloads/ Bisq website] or [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/releases/latest latest GitHub release].

There's also a community-maintained [https://snapcraft.io/bisq-desktop Snap package] for various Linux distributions.

{{Admonition_Note|See [[#OS-specific_install_notes|install notes for various Linux distributions below]].}}

You can download the installer for your operating system and install Bisq right away, but we strongly recommend that you [[ #Verify installer file | verify the integrity ]] of your installer file first.

'''If you have issues, please check the ''Known issues with installation'' section in [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/releases/latest release notes].'''

== Verify installer file ==

Any software that manages funds, signs transactions, and deals with highly sensitive data is a prime target for malware. Bisq does all three. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you verify the integrity of the installer file you use to install Bisq.

This verification is something that you should do for the initial Bisq install. After the initial install, you will be prompted to install updates through Bisq's interface. The Bisq software will verify the integrity of updates for you.

Bisq installer files are currently built and signed by Christoph Atteneder (ripcurlx). His public key ID is <code>29CDFD3B</code> and fingerprint is <code>CB36 D7D2 EBB2 E35D 9B75 500B CD5D C1C5 29CD FD3B</code>, which you can verify through [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/commits?author=ripcurlx commits on GitHub] and [https://keybase.io/ripcurlx on Keybase].

The full public key is available [https://bisq.network/pubkey/29CDFD3B.asc here on the Bisq website].

=== Obtain signature files for installer files ===

To verify your installer file is intact and as the developer intended, you will need the PGP signature file corresponding to the installer file you downloaded.

On the [https://bisq.network/downloads/ Bisq website's download page], download the PGP signature file for the installer file you downloaded before.

If you prefer to download from GitHub, you will see the <code>.asc</code> file for your installer in the assets section [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/releases/latest of the release] along with the installer file itself.

In either case, the filename for the <code>.asc</code> you download should be identical to the filename for the installer file, just with <code>.asc</code> appended (e.g., signature file for <code>Bisq-1.2.7.dmg</code> would be <code>Bisq-1.2.7.dmg.asc</code>).

Once you've got the installer file and its corresponding signature file, proceed to the directions for your operating system below.

=== Windows ===

Once you have downloaded the installer file and corresponding signature file:

'''Download ripcurlx's public key'''

Download ripcurlx's public key [https://bisq.network/pubkey/29CDFD3B.asc here on the Bisq website].

'''Download and install Gpg4win'''

Windows does not come with GPG software installed by default, so you will need to install it in order to verify Bisq's installer files.

You can get Gpg4win [https://www.gpg4win.org/ here].

Double-click the installer file and proceed to install with all default settings.

'''Import ripcurlx's public key'''

In Kleopatra, import ripcurlx's public key file <code>29CDFD3B.asc</code>. Select ''No'' if asked to mark the certificate as valid.

'''Verify the signature of the binary you downloaded'''

With the <code>install-file.exe</code> and <code>signature-file.exe.asc</code> in the same directory, double-click on the <code>.exe.asc</code> file.

You should see a Kleopatra window pop up with a green progress bar that says "Verified .exe with .exe.asc". The program will continue to say "The data could not be verified" in bold but you can disregard that message.

This means the installer file we downloaded is intact and as intended. You can proceed to install Bisq by double-clicking the <code>.exe</code> file.

=== macOS and Linux ===

Once you've downloaded the installer file and corresponding signature file:

'''Import ripcurlx's public key'''

Run:

<nowiki>curl https://bisq.network/pubkey/29CDFD3B.asc | gpg --import</nowiki>

You might see an ominous sounding warning along the lines of "This key is not certified with a trusted signature". This basically means that none of the public keys on your machine have signed the key you just imported. It also means that you have not explicitly indicated you trust this key yourself. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but please see more about what this means [https://serverfault.com/a/569923 here]. In short, you can verify the integrity of this key by [[ #Verify installer file | cross-referencing ripcurlx's Bisq commit signatures and Keybase profile]].

'''Verify the signature of the binary you downloaded'''

If you are not familiar with GPG (a free open source version of PGP) you probably need to install GPG command line tools first.
Following instructions are taken from https://blog.ghostinthemachines.com/2015/03/01/how-to-use-gpg-command-line.

The easiest way to install the GPG command line tools on your Mac is to first install Homebrew, a package management system that makes thousands of software packages available for install on your Mac.

Open a Terminal window (Applications > Utilities menu), then enter the following command.

<nowiki>ruby -e "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install)" </nowiki>

When that’s complete, install the GPG software package with the following command.
<nowiki>brew install gnupg </nowiki>

With the installer file and installer signature file in the same directory, run:

<nowiki>gpg --digest-algo SHA256 --verify SIGNATURE-FILE.asc </nowiki>

Where <code>SIGNATURE-FILE.asc</code> is the filename of the <code>.asc</code> file you just downloaded.

'''Common errors'''

gpg: directory '/Users/bisq/.gnupg' created
gpg: keybox '/Users/bisq/.gnupg/pubring.kbx' created
gpg: can't open 'SIGNATURE-FILE.asc': No such file or directory
gpg: verify signatures failed: No such file or directory

In this case, you haven't replaced <code>SIGNATURE-FILE.asc</code> with the actual signature file you want to use e.g. <code>Bisq-1.6.4.dmg.asc</code>

gpg: can't open 'Bisq-1.6.4.dmg.asc': No such file or directory

In this case, you either haven't downloaded the signature file already or you are not in the correct directory. You can run <code>pwd</code> to see the path you are in.
If you want to switch to the directory, where the downloaded files are you can use the [https://www.git-tower.com/learn/git/ebook/en/command-line/appendix/command-line-101/#:~:text=It%20will%20return%20the%20path,%24%20cd%20.. `cd` command] and switch to the correct directory by typing e.g. <code>cd ~/Downloads</code>(switching to the download directory on macOS). To list all files in the current directory you can enter <code>ls -la</code> in your console.

gpg: assuming signed data in 'Bisq-1.6.4.dmg'
gpg: Signature made Thu May 6 13:32:43 2021 EDT
gpg: using RSA key CB36D7D2EBB2E35D9B75500BCD5DC1C529CDFD3B
gpg: issuer "christoph.atteneder@gmail.com"
gpg: Can't check signature: No public key</nowiki>

In this case, you have not imported the public key successfully. Please follow the guide above on how to import the public key for verification.

'''Successful verification'''

You should see output that looks something like:

gpg: Signature made Thu 13 Feb 2020 01:38:03 PM EST
gpg: using RSA key CB36D7D2EBB2E35D9B75500BCD5DC1C529CDFD3B
gpg: issuer ...
gpg: Good signature from "Christoph Atteneder ..."

Great, this means the installer file we downloaded is intact and as intended.

'''Verify jar file after installation'''

As one last check, you can verify the hash of the jar file after installing Bisq.

On macOS, the default location of the jar file is:

/Applications/Bisq.app/Contents/Java/

On Linux, the default location of the jar file is:

/opt/bisq/bin/Bisq

Get the hash of the jar file with:

shasum -a256 /path/to/jar/file/jar-name.jar

The hash you get should match the hash in the <code>.jar.txt</code> file in the [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/releases/latest release assets].

== Build from source ==

[https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/blob/master/docs/build.md Building Bisq from source] requires only a single command once you have the correct JDK installed on your machine.

Finding and installing the correct JDK can sometimes be frustrating, so Bisq's developers have written scripts to make it easier:
* [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/blob/master/scripts/install_java.sh For Linux and macOS]
* [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/blob/master/scripts/install_java.bat For Windows]

== OS-specific install notes ==

=== Linux (General) ===

Bisq works with a number of Linux distros, but not all desktop environments are supported.

These are all known compatible desktop environments. This is a growing list. If you find another compatible desktop, please inform us so it can be added.

* GNOME
* Mate
* Xfce
* KDE Plasma
* Cinnamon

Bisq might not work properly if you switch from the original desktop environment of your Linux distribution to a different one.

Note: users with discrete GPUs may encounter issues launching Bisq in some desktop environments.

=== Arch Linux ===

The Bisq [https://bisq.network/downloads/ downloads page] includes a link to the Arch User Repository (AUR) page for the [https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/bisq/ bisq package].

# From the command line, clone the repository from AUR.
# Then from the cloned directory, run <code>makepkg -si</code>. This will read the PKGBUILD file to download, verify, build, and install the various tools necessary to install Bisq.

If the version found on AUR is not up to date, you can read [[Fix_Arch_release]].

Please be advised: when you're using AUR, you're responsible for your own safety. Be sure to verify the PKGBUILD file.

=== Gentoo ===

Use `eselect repository enable booboo` to use the `booboo` overlay which carries the binaries, and then emerge `bisq`

=== Tails ===

Please see [[Running Bisq on Tails]] for details on downloading, installing, and configuring Bisq on Tails.

=== Qubes ===

Please see [[Running Bisq on Qubes]] for a detailed Qubes setup guide.

[[Category:Use Cases]]

Table of penalties

2022-03-06T21:19:58Z

W000000t: /* Penalties */

== Penalties ==
Bisq has [[Trading_rules|Rules]] in place to make the trading process as safe and convenient as possible for all parties involved, and it is important those rules are followed by users.

Penalties are a percentage of the trade amount, deducted from the offending peer's security deposit and offered as a compensation to the other peer during the [[Dispute_resolution#Level_2:_Mediation|Dispute resolution process]]
The actual penalty will be '''up to''' the values detailed below, depending on security deposit % and mediator's discretion, ''except'' for 100% penalties, that refer to serious violations and will always imply losing the whole amount (trade + deposit).

Alternatively, if good communication is established, peers can use trader chat to agree on a penalty amount to relay to their mediator.

''' BTC Buyer or Seller issues:'''

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! !! Buyer or Seller
|-
| 100% || Fraud attempt: debiting of peer's account, code tampering
|-
| 25% || Not responding to a mediator within 48h
|-
| 25% || Bitcoin-related payment references (e; BTC, Bisq, Bitcoin...)
|-
| 20% || Cancelling a trade
|-
| 20% || Requesting that payment be made from/to a different account name, without mediator's acknowledgement
|-
| 10% || Requiring personal data: ID, home address, etc. (Bisq should incentivize accounts that do not ask for any more info than necessary)
|}

''' BTC Buyer:'''
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! !! Buyer
|-
| 100% || Payment chargeback
|-
| 25% || Paying from an account with different name (as in "different person", while little variations, where it's clear payment comes for the correct person, are not penalized), seller is allowed to cancel the trade with no penalty
|-
| 20% || Payment is 72+ hours late
|-
| 15% || Payment is 48-72 hours late
|-
| 15% || Paying from an account with same name but different account number, seller is allowed to cancel the trade with no penalty
|-
| 10% || Payment is 24-48 hours late
|-
| 10% || Similar, but wrong, payment method (eg. SWIFT instead of SEPA, SEPA instant instead of Wise...)
|-
| 10% || Wrong payment amount: buyer has the option to correct the amount within the trade window, seller is allowed to cancel the trade with no penalty
|-
| 10% || Using unagreed payment reference. Any unagreed payment reference (also the trade ID) shares the same penalty. "Flowers" could be as bad as "services rendered" depending on every single case
|-
| 10% || Late payment because of low fee for altcoin tx; penalty can be reduced during mediation if buyer uses RBF or similar
|-
| 5% || Payment is up to 24 hours late
|}

''' BTC Seller:'''
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! !! Seller
|-
| 15% || BTC is released outside of trade window
|}

Contributor checklist

2022-03-02T22:07:42Z

W000000t: add link to contributor opsec short guide

If you're interested in contributing to Bisq, welcome! This '''contributor checklist''' will get you plugged in and productive as quickly as possible.

Bisq is free and open source software, but contributing is not just about writing code. A contributor is any individual who works to improve and add value to the Bisq network and its users.

This can mean anything from fixing typos in documentation, to providing support, to testing out new growth strategies, to implementing new Bisq features and everything in between. All such contributions are eligible for [[compensation]] from the Bisq DAO.

__TOC__

== Basics ==

Suggestions below are in no particular order. Disregard developer-oriented items if you're not looking to contribute code.

# Join the [https://bisq.chat Matrix space].
# Introduce yourself in the <code>general</code> room. Say a bit about your skills and interests. This will help others point you in the right direction.
# Explore the other rooms on Matrix, and join the ones that are of interest to you. For a start, consider joining <code>dev</code> (if you’re a developer) and <code>growth</code>.
# Watch the following repositories on GitHub: [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq core software], [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/discussions discussions], [https://github.com/bisq-network/proposals proposals], [https://github.com/bisq-network/growth growth], [https://github.com/bisq-network/roles roles] and [https://github.com/bisq-network/compensation compensation].
# Read the [https://github.com/bisq-network/bisq/blob/master/docs/README.md developer docs] to set up a Bisq development environment.
# Read [https://chris.beams.io/posts/git-commit How to Write a Git Commit Message] and follow its [https://chris.beams.io/posts/git-commit/#7-rules 7 rules] when contributing to Bisq projects.
# Get set up to [https://help.github.com/articles/signing-commits-using-gpg/ Sign your Git Commits] with GPG. Any commits to any Bisq repository must be signed.

== Learn how we work ==

# Read about [[Project_management|Bisq’s project management process]].
# Familiarize yourself with [https://ossec-docs.readthedocs.io/en/latest/docs/development/oRFC/orfc-1.html C4: The Collective Code Construction Contract]. It’s a simple set of collaboration rules based on GitHub’s fork+pull request model, and a foundational part of how we work together.
# For more context on C4 and the principles behind it, read author Pieter Hintjens' short book, [https://www.gitbook.com/?utm_source=legacy&utm_medium=redirect&utm_campaign=close_legacy Social Architecture].
# To understand the fundamentals of Bisq's mission and motivations, read the introductory wiki articles on [[Introduction|Bisq]] and the [[Introduction_to_the_DAO|Bisq DAO]].
# To understand Bisq’s commitment to radical transparency and radical honesty, read Part III of [https://www.amazon.com/Principles-Life-Work-Ray-Dalio/dp/1501124021/ Ray Dalio’s Principles].
# To get inspired about what building software in a non-hierarchical organization can be like (and what it requires of everyone involved), read the [https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/apps/valve/Valve_NewEmployeeHandbook.pdf Valve Employee Handbook].
# Finally, a few words on [[Contributor_privacy_and_opsec|safeguarding your privacy]]

== Get connected ==

# Browse and subscribe to the [https://www.youtube.com/c/bisq-network Bisq YouTube channel] to catch up on meetings we hold, tutorials we publish, technical sessions, and more.
# Follow [https://twitter.com/bisq_network @bisq_network] on Twitter, or on any of the other channels listed [https://bisq.network/#community on the bottom of the website]: forum, Telegram, Matrix, Mastodon, etc.
# Subscribe to the [https://lists.bisq.network/listinfo/bisq-contrib bisq-contrib] mailing list for low-frequency, high-priority contributor communications.

If you decide to proceed and start contributing, you'll want to join Bisq's GitHub organization so you can be assigned to issues:

# Request an invite to the [https://github.com/bisq-network @bisq-network GitHub organization] on Matrix. An admin will get you set up. Doing this makes it possible to add you to the [https://github.com/orgs/bisq-network/teams @bisq-network/contributors] team and to assign you to GitHub issues.
# After accepting your GitHub invitation, consider changing your [https://github.com/orgs/bisq-network/people membership visibility] from <code>private</code> to <code>public</code>. This helps others know at a glance roughly how many contributors are involved with Bisq.

== Do valuable work and get compensated ==

After browsing GitHub repositories and Matrix discussions, you will start to develop a sense for what's happening, what's needed, and where you can help:

# '''Find a problem somewhere in Bisq-land''' that (a) needs fixing and (b) is a match for your skills and interests. Browse critical bugs, open bounties, follow chats on Matrix and the forums, and ask around about what other contributors think needs fixing.
# '''Get assigned to an issue''' or have your initiative acknowledged in some other way. While you don’t strictly need anybody’s permission to do anything for Bisq, you’ll want to make sure there's buy-in from other contributors so your work is received well. Otherwise, there are no guarantees that your work will be merged, reviewed, or eligible for compensation.
# '''Do work to fix that problem'''. Submit your fix for review with a pull request (for code and documentation changes) or with a GitHub issue (for everything else).
# '''Request that others review your work'''. The best way to do this is by writing good commit comments and pull request/issue descriptions that clearly explain the problem your work is intended to solve, why it’s important, and why you fixed it the way you did. Make it as easy as possible for others to review your work. Make it a pleasure for others to review your work.
# '''Incorporate review feedback''' you get until your fix gets merged or is otherwise accepted.
# '''Repeat''' steps 1–5.
# [[compensation|Submit a compensation request]] toward the end of the cycle.

{{Admonition Note|As you'll see from browsing the various repositories on GitHub, changes to Bisq are almost always discussed publicly. This helps maintain Bisq's commitment to transparency, invites feedback to improve the quality of contributions, and it helps keep compensation honest. '''Always try to make sure your work is documented somewhere so others can follow its progress and offer feedback.'''}}

Ultimately, please remember that all Bisq contributors participate on a voluntary basis, and the more energy and quality you bring to the table, the more existing contributors will be encouraged to pay you attention.

Regarding development, keep in mind that reviewing other contributors' work can be highly valuable as well (both to the project, and also to yourself as a way to learn how Bisq works). Quality code reviews are eligible for compensation just like any other contribution.

Contributor privacy and opsec

2022-03-02T22:04:46Z

W000000t: /* Preserving your privacy while contributing to Bisq */