Highlights
How to Bridge to Optimism (TL;DR)
- Choose a bridge and connect your EVM crypto wallet (MetaMask, Coinbase Wallet, etc).
- Choose the network you want to transfer tokens from (Ethereum, Arbitrum, Polygon, etc).
- Select the token you want to bridge to Optimism, and enter the amount.
- Review and confirm the transaction.
What Are The Fees?
When bridging funds to Optimism or any blockchain, you will incur network fees. Bridging from Ethereum Mainnet can cost around $10, depending how busy the network is. You can use this gas tracker to see the rates in real-time. If you use a Layer 2 scaling solution like Arbitrum or Optimism, the fees can be under a dollar or two.
List Of Optimism Bridges
Here are just a few cross-chain bridges that support Optimism:
1. Official Optimism Bridge
If you want to use the native bridge provided from the Optimism team, this is the way to go. However, it will have the highest fees because it only supports the Ethereum blockchain. Gas fees for me were $7.65 but can range anywhere between $5 to $30, depending on how busy the network is. You can wait until the network is less busy or consider the alternatives below.
How To Use It
- Go to https://app.optimism.io/bridge/deposit
- Connect your wallet.
- Enter the amount of ETH you want to bridge.
- Review and confirm the transaction and wait ~1 minute.
2. Orbiter.Finance Bridge
Another option is to use Orbiter Finance, which is a fast and low-cost decentralized layer 2 bridge that supports lots of networks.
You can use it to save on gas fees by bridging funds from cheaper networks like Arbitrum or Binance Chain instead of Ethereum Mainnet. By doing so, you can pay just a couple of bucks or less in gas fees. I've used it many times without any issues.
How To Use It
- Go to https://orbiter.finance and connect your wallet.
- Select the network you want to send from. You will need to have ETH on that network already.
- Select the network you want to send to. In this case, select "Optimism.”
- Enter the amount and click "Send" and confirm it in your wallet.
The funds should arrive on the other side in a couple minutes or less.
3. Across Protocol
Another option is Across Protocol, a growing cross-chain bridge with $66M total value locked (TVL) and $3B in transaction volume so far. While the official Optimism bridge cost $7.65 in gas fees, Across Protocol only charged $0.32 in fees.
It allows you to bridge in and out of Optimism using multiple networks like Arbitrum, zkSync, Base, and more. Bridging is extremely fast, typically under 60 seconds, and you'll save significantly on fees. Plus you can grab an additional 20% off if you find a referral URL.
How To Use It
- Go to https://rankfi.com/go/across-protocol/
- Connect your wallet and select the tokens and networks you want to use.
- Enter the amount then confirm the transaction to bridge funds.
4. Other Cross-Chain Bridges
If you want more options, there are plenty of cross-chain bridges that support the Optimism blockchain:
What Is Optimism?
Optimism is a layer 2 scaling solution for Ethereum, that reduces fees and latency while leveraging the underlying security of Ethereum's network. It's one of the largest layer 2 blockchains with $773M in total value locked and hundreds of projects in its ecosystem.
How to Select the Best Bridge
To select the best bridging protocols, we looked at the following criteria. However, it's key to understand that risks still exist, even with popular protocols.
FAQ
How Do You Bridge Out Of Optimism?
To bridge out of Optimism, you can use the native bridge bridge or third-party bridges. All of the tools above allow you to both deposit and withdraw funds from the Optimism blockchain.