Both share at once.
No one blinks first.
You both submit a secret. Neither can read the other's until BOTH have submitted. Then — simultaneous reveal. Cryptographically guaranteed. No trust required. No intermediary. No one gets the first-mover advantage.
Encrypted in your browser · Server only holds ciphertext · Nobody sees either secret until both submit
The first-mover problem is ancient — and still unsolved
Whenever two parties need to exchange sensitive information, whoever goes first is at a structural disadvantage. The second person can adjust their answer based on what they learned. This asymmetry is exploited constantly — in salary negotiations, business deals, romantic confessions, and competitive bids.
Traditional solutions (trusted third parties, contracts, honor systems) all have fundamental vulnerabilities. Cryptography eliminates the problem entirely.
Real scenarios where this changes everything
Salary Comparison
Two colleagues want to know if they're paid fairly. Neither wants to reveal their number first — giving the other leverage. With Simultaneous Reveal, both submit their salary. Both see each other's number at the exact same moment. No one blinks first.
"I used this with my team lead. Turns out I was underpaid by $18K. Had the conversation and got a raise." — Software Engineer
Business Negotiations
Two companies negotiating a deal. Each has a floor price they won't go below. Normally, whoever names a number first is at a disadvantage. Here, both submit their number simultaneously — and they meet in the middle instantly.
"Used this for a partnership deal. Both revealed our budget floors at the same time. Saved three weeks of negotiation theater." — CEO, Consulting Firm
Mutual Feelings
Both people secretly like each other but neither wants to admit it first. With Swap, both write their honest feelings. Both are revealed only if the other submitted too. Complete privacy protection — nobody's embarrassed unless feelings are mutual.
This is the digital equivalent of passing a note that only opens if both people pull at the same time.
Blind Bidding
Two investors bidding on the same startup. Neither wants to overpay. Both submit their valuation — simultaneous reveal. The deal gets done without information asymmetry distorting the price.
"This solved the anchoring problem in our term sheet process." — Partner, VC Firm
How the cryptography works
Why this is mathematically guaranteed — not just promised
Party A writes their secret & creates a room
Your secret is AES-256-GCM encrypted in your browser. The server only receives the ciphertext — it cannot read the secret. You get a Room ID to share.
Party B writes their secret & joins the room
The second person enters their secret (also encrypted in their browser) and joins the room using the Room ID. The server now holds two separate ciphertexts. Neither party has revealed anything yet.
BOTH secrets reveal simultaneously
The moment the second secret is submitted, both ciphertexts are returned and decrypted locally in each browser. The simultaneous nature is mathematically guaranteed — there is no sequencing the server could manipulate.
The cryptographic guarantee: Each secret is encrypted with a unique AES-256-GCM key that lives in the URL fragment ( secret-url#KEY ) — this fragment is never transmitted to our servers per the HTTP specification. The server stores two independent ciphertexts. When both are submitted, both are returned simultaneously. Neither party can access the server-side data without the key that was never shared with us.
Why alternatives fail
| Method | The Problem | Fair? |
|---|---|---|
| Say it first (normal conversation) | First person is at a disadvantage. Second person can adjust their answer based on what they heard. | ✗ |
| Tell a trusted third party | Requires trust in a human intermediary who can lie, gossip, or be pressured. | ✗ |
| Sign a contract to reveal simultaneously | Expensive, slow, requires lawyers, still relies on human compliance. | ✗ |
| CipherEdge Simultaneous Reveal | Cryptographically enforced. No trust in the server required. Both encryptions are independent. Simultaneous release is mathematically guaranteed. |
Security model: what we can and cannot see
What we cannot see (zero-knowledge):
What the server does:
Ready for your first fair exchange?
No account needed. Create a room, share the ID, and let the math do the rest.
Create a swap room now