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Wrap & Unwrap Tokens

Wrapping converts regular tokens into confidential ones. Unwrapping does the reverse. Here's how to use both.

Wrapping Tokens​

Wrapping takes your regular USDC and gives you encrypted confidential USDC.

Step-by-Step​

  1. Go to Wrap: Click the Wrap section in the navigation

  2. Check your balance: You'll see your regular USDC balance. Need more? There's a faucet link.

  3. Enter amount: Type how much you want to wrap. You can do partial amounts.

  4. Approve (first time): If this is your first wrap, you need to approve the contract:

    • Click "Approve"
    • MetaMask asks to allow the contract to access your USDC
    • Confirm it
    • Wait for confirmation

  5. Wrap: Now click "Wrap" and confirm in MetaMask

  6. Wait: Transaction gets mined, your confidential balance updates

What Happens​

Your USDC wallet: 1000 USDC
                    ↓ [Wrap 500]
Your USDC wallet: 500 USDC
Your Confidential wallet: 500 cUSDC (encrypted)

The USDC goes into the wrapper contract. You receive an encrypted balance.

Unwrapping Tokens​

Unwrapping converts confidential tokens back to regular USDC.

Step-by-Step​

  1. Go to Unwrap: Usually a tab in the Wrap section

  2. Check confidential balance: Shows how much you can unwrap

  3. Enter amount: How much to convert back

  4. Unwrap: Click and confirm

  5. Receive USDC: Regular USDC arrives in your wallet

What Happens​

Your Confidential wallet: 500 cUSDC
                            ↓ [Unwrap 200]
Your Confidential wallet: 300 cUSDC
Your USDC wallet: 200 USDC (added to existing)

Approvals Explained​

Before wrapping, you need to "approve" the contract. This is standard ERC20 behavior.

Why? Smart contracts can't just take your tokens. You have to explicitly allow them to move specific amounts.

Types of approval:

TypeProsCons
Exact amountMost secureApprove each time
UnlimitedOne-time setupContract can move all tokens

Aruvi requests exact amount approvals for better security.

Revoking approval: If you want to remove permission later, use a tool like Revoke.cash.

Fees​

Wrapping: Gas fee only. No Aruvi fee.

Unwrapping: Gas fee only. No Aruvi fee.

Gas is paid in ETH (Sepolia ETH on testnet). Keep some ETH in your wallet.

When to Wrap​

Wrap when you want to:

  • Send private payments
  • Keep your balance hidden
  • Use any Aruvi feature

You don't need to wrap your entire balance. Keep some regular USDC for:

  • Services that don't support confidential tokens
  • Quick DeFi trades
  • Lower gas costs when privacy isn't needed

When to Unwrap​

Unwrap when you want to:

  • Use regular DeFi protocols
  • Send to an exchange
  • Use USDC somewhere that needs plaintext tokens

Common Questions​

Why can't I unwrap everything?​

There might be tokens locked in pending transactions or subscriptions. Wait for those to complete.

Why is my confidential balance wrong?​

Decryption takes a moment. Refresh the page or wait a few seconds. If it's been a while, there might be a network issue.

Can I wrap other tokens?​

Currently just USDC. More tokens coming soon — check the roadmap.

What if I wrap and immediately unwrap?​

Works fine, but you'll pay gas twice. No value is lost, just gas fees.

Is there a minimum amount?​

Technically no, but gas costs make very small amounts impractical. Wrapping $1 worth when gas costs $0.50 doesn't make much sense.

Advanced: Direct Contract Interaction​

For developers or power users, you can interact directly:

// Approve
await usdc.approve(wrapperAddress, amount);

// Wrap
await wrapper.wrap(amount);

// Unwrap (amount is encrypted)
await wrapper.unwrap(encryptedAmount, inputProof);

See the API Reference for full contract details.