With thousands of different cryptocurrency networks available, you don’t want to limit yourself to only one, right? Each network is unique and is focused on different things; some networks focus on lighting fast transaction speeds, and others want to offer nearly free transactions.
Moonbeam is very different and focuses on cross-chain dApps. You will probably encounter many different decentralized applications you want to use, but how to? You have to bridge to Moonbeam from another network, most commonly Ethereum.
In this article, we’ll focus on how to bridge to Moonbeam from Ethereum and other networks with ease!
How to Bridge to Moonbeam Network
Before we start, let’s run a quick checklist of things you will need.
To bridge any two networks, you’ll usually need to use a third-party app that allows you to move assets between the two networks you want.
The second option is bridging with the help of centralized exchange. This is usually cheaper because you are not paying any extra fees to bridge the tokens, but not every exchange has your selected token on both networks.
To bridge to Moonbeam, you also need to own a token available on both networks. To date, there’s only a handful of tokens you can bridge; these include ETH, USDC, BTC, and BUSD.
Once you fund your MetaMask or other wallet of choice with those tokens, you can bridge them over to Moonbeam with the help of a bridge provider. Let’s take a look.
1. Fund your Wallet
First, use any exchange to buy the tokens you want to bridge. Then, send them over to your MetaMask wallet.
Two things you should know:
You can bridge to Moonbeam from Ethereum or from the Binance Smart Chain. So make sure you are truly withdrawing tokens to that network.
For instance, you can also have USDC on the Polygon network. However, since the bridge provider doesn’t support Polygon, having USDC on that network instead of on Ethereum or BSC would be pointless.
The second thing you should keep in mind is gas fees. You will pay fees multiple times during the process; withdrawing from the exchange costs some fees, and bridging itself too. Make sure you have a bigger balance that is your intended outcome.
2. Go Over to StellaSwap and Connect your Wallet
Next, visit the StellaSwap website and connect your wallet using the button in the top right corner.
One thing to keep in mind is that StellaSwap supports MetaMask, SubWallet, Unstoppable Domains, Talisman, and WalletConnect. With WalletConnect, you can connect other wallets that are solely mobile, like TrustWallet (see our guide on How to use TrustWallet on a computer here).
Thus, during the first step, ensure you send your assets to one of these wallets.
Once you select to connect a wallet and choose your wallet provider, you must also confirm the connection.
3. Configure the Bridging Route
Now configure the bridge itself by selecting from and to networks and the token you want to bridge.
StellaSwap won’t let you select the network without actually switching the network in your wallet. To see your balance below, you actually need to do that first.
In our example, we are bridging ETH from the Ethereum network to Moonbeam.
4. Enter the Number of Tokens to Bridge and Confirm the Transaction
Once you configured the route, enter the number of tokens you want to bridge.
The number isn’t the final amount you will get. From that, the gas fee will be subtracted first. You will be able to see the final amount on the confirmation screen – although it’s only an estimate.
Then tap the “Bridge” button. Your wallet will show up waiting for confirmation. Once you confirm the transaction, your tokens will be on their way.
5. Wait for the Transaction to Complete
The transaction will take a few minutes depending on the network load and also on liquidy on StellaSwap.
It could take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes. And you are all set!
Don’t Forget to Import the Token on Moonbeam
MetaMask won’t show your newly obtained balance on its own. When you bridge, let’s say, BTC, you need to first add BTC as a custom token to Moonbeam.
Don’t worry, the balance is still there even if you did not do that.
The simplest way to import custom tokens to MetaMask is by using CoinMarketCap. Simply visit the token’s page on CMC, and you should see a contract section. Copy the contract address on Moonbeam and paste it in the “Import tokens” window.
What are the Fees to Bridge to Moonbeam
The fees for bridging to Moonbeam will depend on the source network and on Moonbeam gas fees as well (which are very cheap).
Especially Ethereum is not considered the cheapest on the market. However, since it shifted to the POS protocol, the fees are very manageable (around $0.5 to $1 per transaction).
On top of that, you should also reckon with the service fee of the bridge provider. Most bridges stand around 0.3 to 1%. However, if you opt for StellaSwap, they currently do not charge any fees.