How Does the Concept of ‘Hash Time-Locked Contracts’ (HTLCs) Facilitate Atomic Swaps?
HTLCs are the foundational technology for atomic swaps. They use a cryptographic hashlock to ensure that the recipient can only claim the funds if they know a secret (pre-image) within a set time limit (timelock).
This mechanism forces the simultaneous exchange: if one party reveals the secret to claim their funds, the other party can use the same secret to claim theirs, ensuring DVP.