Academy

How to Bridge ETH to Arbitrum?

22 Oct, 2025

2 minutes

Bradley Pierce

Crypto Niche Expert

The Ethereum network remains the foundation of decentralized finance (DeFi), but higher gas fees and slower speeds are a turn-off. That is where Arbitrum, a Layer 2 scaling solution, comes in - providing cheaper and faster transactions without compromising on Ethereum's security.

If you've ever wondered how to bridge ETH to Arbitrum, the process involves transferring your Ethereum-based assets from the Ethereum mainnet to the Arbitrum One network through a specialized bridge. This bridge Arbitrum ensures your funds remain secure while enabling access to lower fees and high-speed decentralized applications.

Knowing how to bridge to Arbitrum functions - and which platforms are the optimal bridge Arbitrum - is essential for anyone wanting to maximize DeFi activity, trade effectively, or engage with dApps that exclusively operate on Arbitrum. A novice or advanced user, this tutorial covers it all: from the mechanics of the bridge to the precise steps needed to transfer ETH between networks.

What Is Arbitrum?

Arbitrum is a leading Layer 2 solution to expand the Ethereum network to operate in the mode to increase the transaction rate and decrease the gas fees without reducing the same security level as on the parent Ethereum chain. It does this by aggregating most of the transactions off-chain and sending them to Ethereum in batches at a much-reduced price.

In short, Arbitrum allows for the use of decentralized applications (dApps) faster and more inexpensively than on Ethereum to begin with. Arbitrum One chain is the main public chain upon which most DeFi protocols are based, and it has the same ERC-20 tokens, smart contracts, and wallet addresses supported.

By bridge Arbitrum or bridging into arbitrum, people refer to the action of transferring funds - usually ETH or ERC-20 tokens - from the Ethereum mainnet onto the arbitrum network. Bridging enables traders, investors, and DeFi consumers to benefit from lower transaction fees and faster settlements.

Arbitrum Meaning in Blockchain Jargon

The name "Arbitrum" is a pun on the term "arbitration" because of the system's capability to authenticate trades off-chain and complete them securely on Ethereum. Hybrid architecture enables Arbitrum to scale without decentralization compromises.

So the ETH bridging isn't so much that you're trading your tokens - you're just transferring them to a more streamlined blockchain layer that's still under the security blanket of Ethereum.

What is an Arbitrum Bridge and How Does It Work

Bridge to Arbitrum is a bridge between the Arbitrum One chain and Ethereum mainnet to facilitate assets like ETH or ERC-20 tokens to move from one level to another. The bridge basically freezes Ethereum tokens and mints exactly the same tokens on Arbitrum. When one withdraws, the bridge reverses - burning tokens on Arbitrum and freeing tokens on Ethereum.

It is what customers utilize when referring to Ethereum to Arbitrum bridge or bridging ETH onto Arbitrum. It is utilized for customers who want to take advantage of the reduced fees from Arbitrum but lose not the same assets and wallet compatibility.

Step-by-Step on How Arbitrum Bridge Works

Asset Deposit (Ethereum to Arbitrum)

When you bridge from the official Arbitrum One Bridge, your ETH or ERC-20 tokens are tokenized in an Ethereum smart contract, and the same number of tokens is minted at the Arbitrum layer.

Transaction Confirmation

The transaction is confirmed by Ethereum's consensus rules. Arbitrum as a Layer 2 on Ethereum also leverages the security properties and verification model of Ethereum.

Asset Availability on Arbitrum

Your balance will appear on Arbitrum One blockchain after it is settled in the transaction. You can now view them on decentralized applications (dApps) like Uniswap, GMX, or SushiSwap on Arbitrum.

Withdrawal (Arbitrum to Ethereum)

When you withdraw from the Arbitrum bridge to Ethereum, your tokens are being burnt on Arbitrum and your matched holdings are released on Ethereum. The withdrawals via the official bridge, however, take seven days due to fraud-proof verification.

Arbitrum bridge is the main onramp to join the Arbitrum network. It allows seamless asset transfer without giving up Ethereum's trust model. The scalability benefit of Arbitrum would be cut off from Ethereum's liquidity and users without the bridge.

How to Bridge ETH to Arbitrum: Step-by-Step Guide

Moving your capital from Ethereum to Arbitrum is an easy process that requires only a Web3 wallet such as MetaMask and familiarity with a well-known and familiar Arbitrum bridge. The most widely used one is the Arbitrum One Bridge, which is the official bridge created by Offchain Labs - the masterminds of Arbitrum.

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to bridge ETH to Arbitrum efficiently and safely.

Step 1: Your Wallet is Waiting:

Get and install a Web3-compatible wallet such as MetaMask and top it with ETH. The ETH would be used to actually bridge and to pay the minimal Ethereum gas fee.
Open MetaMask and make sure you've set it to be connected to the Ethereum Mainnet.
Make sure you have enough ETH to bridge the amount you're attempting to bridge and pay for gas fees.

Step 2: Go to the Official Arbitrum Bridge

Go to the Arbitrum One Bridge page (bridge.arbitrum.io). It is the safest and most reliable Ethereum to Arbitrum bridge to bridge ETH or ERC-20 tokens.
Double verify that the URL is correct and secure (https).
Use third-party links or imposter bridges to prevent phishing.

Step 3: Connect Your Wallet

Click "Link Wallet" and choose MetaMask (or whichever wallet you wish to use from the list of supported wallets).
Accept the connection request to authorize the Arbitrum One Bridge interface to spend from the balance of your Ethereum wallet.

Step 4: Asset and Amount

Choose ETH from the token dropdown and add the quantity you want to send. You can also bridge other ERC-20 tokens if they are supported.
Make sure the receiving network is Arbitrum One.

The website will indicate to you the estimated gas price and transaction time.

Step 5: Confirm and Send

Press "Move Funds to Arbitrum One." Your MetaMask wallet will prompt you to confirm the transaction.
Double-check everything extremely carefully in advance.
Approve the transaction and transfer the gas fee.
Confirmed, your ETH is bonded on Ethereum and transferred an equal amount on Arbitrum One.

Step 6: Wait for Confirmation

Bridging will happen within 10--15 minutes depending on traffic from the Ethereum network.
Once done, you will then have your ETH balance on the Arbitrum network in your wallet.

Step 7: Switch to Arbitrum in MetaMask

In case MetaMask will not change networks automatically, you can manually add the Arbitrum One network:

Network Name: Arbitrum One
RPC URL: https://arb1.arbitrum.io/rpc
Chain ID: 42161
Currency Symbol: ETH
Block Explorer: https://arbiscan.io

After flipping, your ETH will be showing on Arbitrum - ready for use in trading, yield farming, or calling dApps.

Step 8: Bridging Using the Best Arbitrum Bridge Alternatives

While the official Arbitrum bridge is secure, there are third-party bridges which are cheaper and quicker to send transactions on, namely Synapse, Hop Protocol, and Across. These are liquidity networks and support bridging into Arbitrum with zero or zero waiting time.

However, for important amounts of money, always one should use the Arbitrum One Bridge since it talks to the network's native smart contracts directly and does not rely on the external liquidity providers.

How to Bridge from Arbitrum Back to Ethereum

Having spent some time just relaxing in Arbitrum low-fee and lightning-fast network, you can move your assets to Ethereum for long-term storage, staking, or trading on mainnet DeFi protocols. Simple enough to do but ever so slightly less than bridging money to Arbitrum. This action is also called "bridge from Arbitrum to Ethereum" and is constructing the same secure bridging technology.

Open the Official Arbitrum Bridge. Visit bridge.arbitrum.io, the same gateway where you bridged ETH into Arbitrum. Sign in via your wallet (for example, MetaMask) and confirm that it is attached to the Arbitrum One network. This allows the bridge to obtain your Arbitrum balance and initiate the withdrawal transaction.
Choose the Direction of Withdrawal. Reverse the withdrawal direction by selecting "Arbitrum → Ethereum." The reverse of what you just did. You are now withdrawing from Layer 2 (Arbitrum) to Layer 1 (Ethereum).
Select ETH or Tokens to Withdraw. Choose ETH or the ERC-20 token you're withdrawing. Enter the units you wish to send back to Ethereum. Always check the gas fee estimate - since withdrawals are expressed in the Arbitrum gas token (ETH), ensure your wallet balance has enough ETH on Arbitrum to cover the transaction.
Confirm the Withdrawal. Click "Move Funds to Ethereum." Your wallet will open a dialog box to confirm the transaction. Double-check carefully details - destination network, amount, and fees - and confirm.

Confirmed, withdrawal request is routed to the Arbitrum bridge smart contract, where a seven-day challenge period begins. All part of Arbitrum's fraud-proof system, ensuring all withdrawals are fully vetted and secure before settlement on Ethereum.

Let the Challenge Period Pass. Withdrawals in the official Arbitrum One Bridge procedure in approximately seven days. The time is given to the network to ensure nothing illegal was carried out on the Layer 2 transaction.

If a week's wait is not an option, you can utilize quick bridge solutions like Synapse or Hop Protocol that provide instant liquidity in exchange for a minimal fee. They wire money directly to you on Ethereum instantly as they do the real withdrawal behind the scenes.

Claim Funds on Ethereum. Wait for 7 days to pass, and then return to the Arbitrum One Bridge and hit "Claim" to complete the transfer. Your ETH or ERC-20 tokens would now be in your Ethereum mainnet wallet.
MetaMask Confirm. Return to using the Ethereum Mainnet network on MetaMask. The withdrawn amount would now be available and can be used in full, traded, staked, or kept.

Interoperable assets from Arbitrum back to Ethereum gives you freedom of choice - you are able to send money between layers whenever and whenever you want, trading cost savings for liquidity and security of the base chain of Ethereum.

Top Arbitrum Bridges: Alternatives and When to Use Them

While the official Arbitrum One Bridge is the fastest and most secure way to bridge assets from Ethereum to Arbitrum, there are several third-party bridges that offer faster transfers, lower fees, or compatibility with more chains. The decision of which Arbitrum bridge to use is left to your needs - speed, saving money, or cross-chain use.

Official Arbitrum One Bridge

The Arbitrum bridge at bridge.arbitrum.io remains the safest and most secure way to bridge between ETH and ERC-20 tokens. It bridges directly onto Arbitrum One, is as safe as Ethereum itself, and is run by Offchain Labs. It does have a seven-day waiting period for withdrawal when bridging out of Arbitrum to Ethereum, as a result of its optimistic rollup verification process.

Best for: High-value transactions and those that prefer maximum security.

Synapse Bridge

Synapse Protocol is among the most popular multi-chain bridges to enable transfers to Ethereum, Arbitrum, Optimism, Avalanche, BNB Chain, and more. Synapse employs pooled liquidity to offer near-instant exchanges. You can bridge out of ETH or withdraw to Ethereum without sitting out the full challenge period.

Best for: Traders who want convenience and speed over waiting for the slow official bridge.

Hop Protocol

Hop Protocol provides fast Ethereum-to-Layer 2 chain exchanges such as Arbitrum, Optimism, and Polygon. It makes use of bonded liquidity pools and smart contract market makers to provide near-instant Arbitrum to Ethereum withdrawals.

Best for: High-volume DeFi users that shift capital between many rollups.

Across Bridge

Cross is another good option that minimizes slippage and gas fees for moving ETH or stablecoins between chains. It utilizes relayers that offer liquidity to customers upfront, and cross-chain exchanges settle in minutes.

Best for: Inexpensive transfers of ETH from Arbitrum to Ethereum or vice versa.

Stargate Finance

Stargate is designed for bridging stablecoins such as USDC, USDT, and DAI. It's a part of LayerZero's omnichain protocol facilitating quick and secure transfer of liquidity between a series of blockchains, one of which is Arbitrum.

When to Use What Bridge

Use the official Arbitrum One Bridge for large transfers and permanent asset relocations.
Use Synapse or Hop for high-speed two-way transfers between Arbitrum and Ethereum when speed matters.
Use Across for cheap ETH transfers and Stargate for stablecoin liquidity management.

All the above bridges are possible using the Arbitrum gas token (ETH) and deposited into your Arbitrum One network wallet. Using the right bridge to meet your requirements, you can optimize speed and security while you engage in the burgeoning Arbitrum ecosystem.

Why Bridging ETH to Arbitrum Is Worth It

One of the most shining answers to gaining access to Ethereum's network without Ethereum's rather exorbitant gas keeping so many out of the game is bridging assets via an Arbitrum bridge. The ETH to Arbitrum bridge provides investors and DeFi participants with a less expensive and faster environment with the added advantages of Ethereum's solid security and fungibility.

If your ETH is in the Arbitrum One chain, any transaction - staking or swaps - only costs a portion of what it would cost on the Ethereum mainnet. That makes it ideal for high-frequency traders and long-term investors who can participate in DeFi, games, or NFT markets without compromise on performance.

Arbitrum's ETH bridge is not just an asset transport vehicle, but the fundamental building block of Ethereum scalability. Arbitrum is at the same standard as EVM and natively has support for all ERC-20 tokens, so users can directly use existing Ethereum dApps without any problem. The ecosystem is growing, with other mechanisms to earn yields, contribute liquidity, and decentralized trading.