Bridging ETH (Ether) between Polygon and Arbitrum requires understanding how Ethereum's native token works on each Layer-2 network. This guide explains everything you need to know about transferring ETH across these two popular chains, including important differences in how ETH is represented on each network.
ETH on Polygon vs. Arbitrum: Key Differences
Before bridging ETH, it's important to understand how it works on each network:
- ETH on Arbitrum One: ETH is the native gas token on Arbitrum. You pay all transaction fees in ETH, and it exists as native ETH in your wallet.
- ETH on Polygon: ETH exists as a wrapped ERC-20 token (WETH) on Polygon, since MATIC/POL is the native gas token. When you bridge ETH to Polygon, you receive WETH.
- Implication: If you bridge ETH from Polygon to Arbitrum, you may receive WETH on Arbitrum unless the bridge automatically unwraps it. Always check the output token.
How to Bridge ETH from Polygon to Arbitrum
- Connect your wallet on the Polygon network to the bridge.
- Select WETH (Wrapped ETH on Polygon) as your source token.
- Choose Arbitrum One as the destination network.
- Enter the amount of WETH to bridge.
- Check the output token — some bridges will deliver native ETH on Arbitrum, others will deliver WETH. Choose a bridge that delivers native ETH if you need it for gas.
- Approve the token spend and confirm the bridge transaction.
- Your ETH (or WETH) will arrive on Arbitrum within minutes.
Tip: If you are bridging ETH to Arbitrum for the first time and need gas, make sure the bridge delivers native ETH, not WETH. Without native ETH on Arbitrum, you will be unable to pay for transactions on that network.
Polygon Arbitrum Bridge
How to Bridge ETH from Arbitrum to Polygon
- Switch your wallet to Arbitrum One.
- Select ETH as your source token (native ETH on Arbitrum).
- Choose Polygon as the destination network.
- Enter the amount to transfer.
- Note: You will receive WETH on Polygon, since ETH is not native to Polygon.
- Confirm the transaction. You will also need ETH for the Arbitrum gas fee.
- WETH will arrive in your Polygon wallet within minutes. Swap for MATIC/POL if needed for gas.
ETH Bridge Costs: Polygon ↔ Arbitrum
- Polygon → Arbitrum ETH bridge: Gas in MATIC (< $0.01) + bridge fee (0.05–0.2% of ETH value)
- Arbitrum → Polygon ETH bridge: Gas in ETH ($0.01–$0.05) + bridge fee (0.05–0.2% of ETH value)
- Price impact: ETH bridging may have slight price impact depending on bridge liquidity; check before confirming large transfers
Using ETH After Bridging
Once you have ETH on Arbitrum, you can:
- Pay for gas on all Arbitrum transactions
- Provide ETH/USDC or ETH/USDT liquidity pairs on Arbitrum DEXs
- Supply ETH to Arbitrum lending protocols to earn yield
- Swap ETH for Arbitrum-native tokens using decentralized exchanges
- Use ETH as collateral for borrowing on Arbitrum money markets
If you receive WETH on Polygon after bridging from Arbitrum, you can swap it for MATIC/POL on any Polygon DEX (such as Uniswap or QuickSwap) if you need gas tokens for Polygon transactions. The swap is simple and costs minimal fees.
