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Arbitrum OptimismEstablished

Arbitrum to Optimism bridge

Arbitrum One and OP Mainnet have no direct official bridge. Fast bridges such as Across, Relay and Stargate move ETH and USDC between them, usually in seconds to minutes. For native USDC, Circle CCTP burns it on Arbitrum and mints it on OP Mainnet. The official route goes through Ethereum and takes about a week.

Reviewed October 25, 2026 ยท 6 solutions checked

On this page
  1. Short answer
  2. Why this route is difficult
  3. Possible approaches
  4. Options compared
  5. Working solutions
  6. How to move Arbitrum to Optimism
  7. Fees and timing
  8. Common mistakes
  9. Before you transfer
  10. FAQ
  11. Related routes

Short answer

Optimism's main network is called OP Mainnet. It and Arbitrum One are both Ethereum that use ETH for , and your wallet address is the same on both. A normal send on Arbitrum still does not reach OP Mainnet. You need a .

Most people use a fast bridge or an . The official rollup bridges also work, but they route through Ethereum: you withdraw from Arbitrum, wait out the , claim on Ethereum and then deposit into OP Mainnet.

Key facts
Direct official bridgeNone
Official route via EthereumAbout a week
Fastest optionIntent bridges or CCTP fast mode, seconds
CCTP fast fee from Arbitrum0.014%
Gas on both chainsETH

Why this route is difficult

Arbitrum and OP Mainnet are separate rollups that both settle on Ethereum. Neither has an to the other, so the official path is a withdrawal to Ethereum followed by a deposit.

Withdrawals from Arbitrum to Ethereum wait for a challenge period of about 6.4 days. Fast bridges avoid this by paying you on OP Mainnet from their own and settling later.

Possible approaches

1Intent bridge

A or pays you on OP Mainnet from its own funds, then is repaid from your deposit on Arbitrum.

Trade-offFast and cheap for common tokens, but you rely on the bridge's contracts and repayment system.

2Circle CCTP

Native USDC is burned on Arbitrum, Circle attests to the burn, and the same amount is minted on OP Mainnet.

Trade-offYou receive native USDC, but it only works for USDC and relies on Circle.

3Official bridges via Ethereum

Withdraw from Arbitrum to Ethereum, claim after the challenge period, then deposit into OP Mainnet through the Standard Bridge.

Trade-offRelies only on the rollup contracts, but takes about a week and costs Ethereum gas twice.

Options compared

OptionYou getTypical timeCostBest for
Across, Relay or StargateETH, USDC and other common tokensSeconds to minutesFee built into the quoteMost transfers
Circle CCTPNative USDC on OP MainnetAbout 8 seconds (fast) or 15 to 19 minutes (standard)0.014% in fast mode, no Circle fee in standard modeMoving USDC
Official bridges via EthereumETH or official tokensAbout a week, plus a depositArbitrum fee plus two Ethereum feesAvoiding third-party bridges

Working solutions

SolutionYou receiveCustody / verificationNotes
AcrossETH, USDC and others based relayersUsually done in seconds.
RelayETH, USDC and othersSolver pays youFast for common tokens.
Circle CCTPNative USDCCircle Fast mode costs 0.014% from Arbitrum. Standard mode has no Circle fee.
StargateETH, USDCLayerZero verifiers (DVNs)Pool based. Prices depend on pool balances.
LI.FIDepends on the routeSame as the bridge usedAggregator that compares several bridges.
Arbitrum bridge + OP Standard BridgeETH or official tokensEthereum (bridge contracts)About a week, with a claim on Ethereum.

How to move Arbitrum to Optimism

Bridge ETH or USDC with a fast bridge

  1. 1

    Check gas and token

    Keep a little ETH on Arbitrum One for the fee. If you hold USDC, check whether it is native USDC or USDC.e, because some routes accept only one of them.

  2. 2

    Open a bridge or aggregator

    Go to the official site of Across, Relay or an aggregator such as LI.FI. Choose Arbitrum One as the source and OP Mainnet as the destination.

  3. 3

    Compare the quote

    Enter the amount and look at what you will receive and the estimated time. The recipient is your own address unless you change it.

  4. 4

    Confirm and check the balance

    Sign the transaction on Arbitrum. When the bridge shows the transfer as complete, add OP Mainnet to your wallet if needed and check the balance.

Fees and timing

Network fees on Arbitrum and OP Mainnet are paid in ETH and are usually small. The main difference between options is the bridge's own fee.

Circle lists a fast transfer fee of 0.014% for USDC leaving Arbitrum, deducted when USDC is minted on OP Mainnet. Standard transfers have no Circle fee, but the app you use may add its own.

The official route has no bridge fee, but it includes a claim on Ethereum and a deposit from Ethereum, so you pay Ethereum gas twice and wait about a week.

Common mistakes

  • Sending tokens to your own address on Arbitrum and expecting them to appear on OP Mainnet. Only a bridge moves funds between the two chains.
  • Bridging USDC.e and expecting native USDC on OP Mainnet without checking the quote. CCTP only works with native USDC.
  • Picking Base or another OP Stack chain as the destination by mistake, or Arbitrum Nova instead of Arbitrum One as the source.

Before you transfer

  • Test with a small amount first, especially on a route you have not used before.
  • If you bridge only USDC, you will need some ETH on OP Mainnet for your next transaction.
  • Use the official address of each bridge. Fake bridge sites often appear in search ads.

Frequently asked questions

Use a CCTP route in a bridge app or aggregator. It burns native USDC on Arbitrum and mints native USDC on OP Mainnet. Fast mode takes seconds, standard mode about 15 to 19 minutes.

Not a direct one. The official path is the Arbitrum bridge to Ethereum, a wait of about 6.4 days, a claim on Ethereum, and then a deposit into OP Mainnet.

ETH, the same as Arbitrum. If you bridge ETH, you have gas as soon as it arrives. If you bridge only USDC, get a little ETH on OP Mainnet too.

Not through CCTP, which only accepts native USDC. Some other bridges accept USDC.e, so check the quote. Swapping USDC.e to USDC on Arbitrum first is often simpler.