BridgeRadar
Arbitrum to Base Bridge
Arbitrum and Base have no direct official bridge. Fast bridges like Across and Relay, or Circle CCTP for USDC, move funds from Arbitrum to Base in seconds. The official route through Ethereum waits about 6.4 days before you can even claim on Ethereum.
Reviewed October 24, 2026 ยท 7 solutions checked
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Short answer
Arbitrum One and Base are both Ethereum layer 2 networks. They use the same addresses and both charge fees in ETH. What they do not share is a bridge. Arbitrum's official bridge connects to Ethereum, and so does the Base standard bridge. Nothing official links the two directly.
Using only the official bridges, the trip goes Arbitrum to Ethereum to Base. The Arbitrum leg is the slow part: a withdrawal waits out a challenge period of about 6.4 days, then you claim it on Ethereum and deposit into Base. That is about a week, plus several Ethereum fees.
Most people use a fast bridge instead. This page uses USDC as the main example. It shows how to move real USDC from Arbitrum to Base with Circle CCTP and what to check before you send.
| Direct official bridge | None |
|---|---|
| Official route via Ethereum | About a week |
| Fastest option | Intent bridges or CCTP fast mode, seconds |
| CCTP fast fee from Arbitrum | 0.014% |
| Fees on both chains paid in | ETH |
| Watch out for | USDC.e on Arbitrum |
Why this route is difficult
Arbitrum One and Base are separate optimistic rollups. Each one's official bridge holds funds in contracts on Ethereum, and neither can verify the other's state. So a direct move needs either a third party or a trip through Ethereum.
The trip through Ethereum is slow because of Arbitrum's challenge period. Results posted by Arbitrum can be disputed for about 6.4 days. Only after that can you claim your withdrawal on Ethereum with a second transaction. Then you deposit into Base through the standard bridge, using Superbridge or Brid.gg, which the Base docs link to.
Fast options skip the wait in two ways. Intent-based bridges pay you on Base from their own funds and get repaid later. CCTP burns USDC on Arbitrum and Circle mints new USDC on Base. In fast mode Circle signs off after about 8 seconds and covers the risk from its Fast Transfer allowance. In standard mode it waits for Ethereum finality.
Possible approaches
1Issuer burn-and-mint
Circle CCTP burns USDC on Arbitrum and mints real USDC on Base.
Trade-offReal USDC and no pool limits, but USDC only, and fast mode has a small fee.
2Intent-based bridge
A relayer or solver pays you on Base right away and is repaid later.
Trade-offSeconds for ETH and many tokens, but you rely on the bridge's contracts.
3Two official bridges via Ethereum
Withdraw from Arbitrum, claim on Ethereum, then deposit into Base.
Trade-offNo third party, but about a week and several Ethereum fees.
Options compared
| Option | You get | Typical time | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Circle CCTP fast mode | Real USDC on Base | Seconds | 0.014% + network fees | USDC when speed matters |
| Circle CCTP standard mode | Real USDC on Base | About 15-19 min | Network fees only (apps may add a fee) | Large USDC amounts, no rush |
| Intent-based bridge (Across, Relay) | ETH, USDC and other common tokens | Usually seconds | Network fee + small bridge fee | ETH and mixed tokens |
| Official bridges through Ethereum | ETH or official tokens on Base | About 6.4 days + claim, then a few minutes | Arbitrum fee + Ethereum claim + Ethereum deposit | Almost never worth it for this route |
Working solutions
| Solution | You receive | Custody / verification | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circle CCTP | Real USDC | Circle attestation | Fast mode costs 0.014% from Arbitrum. Standard mode is free. |
| Across | ETH, USDC and others | Oracle-checked payback | Usually done in seconds. |
| Relay | ETH, USDC and others | Solver pays you | Fast for common coins. |
| Stargate | ETH, USDC | LayerZero checkers (DVNs) | Pool-based. Base has ETH and USDC pools. |
| deBridge | ETH, USDC and others | Solver pays you | Flat fee of 0.001 ETH on Arbitrum plus 0.04%. |
| LI.FI | Depends on the route | Same as the bridge used | Compares Across, Relay, CCTP-based routes and others. |
| Arbitrum bridge + Base standard bridge | ETH or official tokens | Ethereum (bridge contracts) | About a week, with a claim on Ethereum. |
How to move Arbitrum to Base
These steps show how to move real USDC from Arbitrum One to Base with Circle CCTP, through any app or aggregator that offers a CCTP route. Steps for ETH through a fast bridge are shorter: there is no token approval, and the ETH you receive already covers gas on Base.
- 1
Check which USDC you hold
Arbitrum has real USDC issued by Circle and an older bridged version called USDC.e. CCTP only works with real USDC. If your wallet shows USDC.e, swap it to USDC on Arbitrum first or use a bridge that accepts it.
- 2
Keep ETH on both networks
You pay the Arbitrum fee in ETH. Some CCTP apps also ask you to send a second transaction on Base to receive the USDC, and that needs a little ETH on Base. Fees there are usually cents.
- 3
Choose Arbitrum One to Base
Connect your wallet, pick Arbitrum One as the source and Base as the destination, and select USDC on both sides.
- 4
Pick fast or standard mode
If the app gives you the choice, fast mode takes seconds and Circle charges 0.014% on transfers from Arbitrum, about $0.14 per $1,000. Standard mode has no Circle fee but waits about 15 to 19 minutes for Ethereum finality.
- 5
Approve and send
The first time, you approve USDC for the CCTP contract. Then you sign the transfer. Your USDC is burned on Arbitrum.
- 6
Receive on Base
Once Circle signs the attestation, the same amount of real USDC is minted on Base, minus the fast fee if you used it. Some apps do this for you. Others show a button to finish the transfer on Base.
- 7
Confirm the balance
Look up your address on Basescan. The token should be USDC issued by Circle, not USDbC, the older bridged version on Base.
Fees and timing
Network fees on Arbitrum and Base are paid in ETH and are usually cents. That keeps L2 to L2 transfers cheap compared with anything that touches Ethereum. What changes between options is the service fee.
Circle lists a fast transfer fee of 0.014% for USDC leaving Arbitrum, taken from the amount when it is minted on Base. Standard transfers have no Circle fee. Apps that use CCTP can add their own fee, so read the final amount. deBridge lists a flat fee of 0.001 ETH on Arbitrum plus 0.04%. Across and Relay show their fee inside the quote. Stargate prices depend on its pool balances.
The official route has no bridge fee, but it is not cheap. You pay to start the withdrawal on Arbitrum, to claim it on Ethereum after about 6.4 days, and to deposit into Base. Two of those are Ethereum transactions. For this route, the official path mostly makes sense for people who want to avoid third-party bridges at any cost.
Common mistakes
- Trying to bridge USDC.e with a CCTP app. CCTP only burns real USDC.
- Bridging only USDC and having no ETH on Base for the next transaction.
- Starting an official Arbitrum withdrawal without knowing it locks the funds for about a week.
- Forgetting the claim on Ethereum after an official Arbitrum withdrawal ends.
- Withdrawing from an exchange on Arbitrum when you meant Base, or picking the wrong network on the exchange deposit page.
Before you transfer
- For USDC, check that you hold real USDC and not USDC.e before you pick a CCTP route.
- For ETH, an intent-based bridge is usually the simplest option.
- If you only bridge USDC, make sure you have some ETH on Base for fees.
- Arbitrum One is the network you want. Arbitrum Nova is a different chain.
- Exchanges can work too, but check that your coin is supported on both networks.
Frequently asked questions
Use a CCTP route in a bridge app or aggregator. It burns your USDC on Arbitrum and mints real USDC on Base. Fast mode takes seconds, standard mode about 15 to 19 minutes.
Circle lists 0.014% for fast transfers from Arbitrum, about $0.14 per $1,000, plus network fees. Standard transfers have no Circle fee. The app you use may add its own fee.
Arbitrum is an optimistic rollup. Withdrawals wait for a challenge period of about 6.4 days so anyone can dispute a wrong result. After that you claim on Ethereum and still need to deposit into Base.
Not through CCTP, which only works with real USDC. Some other bridges accept USDC.e, so check the quote. Swapping USDC.e to USDC on Arbitrum first is often the simplest fix.
ETH, the same as Arbitrum. If you bridge ETH, you have gas as soon as it arrives. If you bridge only USDC, you need some ETH on Base for your next transaction.
Each one adds its own risk. Intent bridges rely on their contracts and repayment system, Stargate relies on LayerZero checkers, CCTP relies on Circle. Use the official site and test with a small amount first.
Yes, if the exchange supports your coin on both networks. Deposit on Arbitrum One, then withdraw and pick Base as the network. The exchange holds your coins until it sends them.
