BridgeRadar
Bitcoin to Arbitrum Bridge
BTC on Arbitrum usually means WBTC, by far the largest Bitcoin token there. You can get it from your own Bitcoin wallet with Garden, or mint tBTC straight to Arbitrum through Threshold. If you do not need to keep BTC, Chainflip and NEAR Intents can swap it for ETH or USDC on Arbitrum.
Reviewed October 24, 2026 ยท 6 solutions checked
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Short answer
First decide what you want on Arbitrum. If you want to keep Bitcoin exposure and use it in Arbitrum apps for lending or trading, you need a token backed by real BTC. WBTC is the main one. If you would rather hold ETH or USDC, a cross-chain swap can sell your BTC and pay you on Arbitrum in one step.
There are three BTC tokens on Arbitrum. WBTC is held by BitGo and BiT Global and has the most supply by a wide margin. tBTC is backed by a rotating group of signers, and anyone can mint it straight to Arbitrum. cbBTC from Coinbase also exists on Arbitrum, but its supply there is small next to WBTC. Before you choose, check which token the app you want to use accepts.
THORChain is not an option here. It has no Arbitrum pools, so for a direct swap use Chainflip or NEAR Intents instead. Whatever you pick, fees on Arbitrum are paid in ETH. They are low, but a new wallet needs a little ETH before you can move anything.
| Main BTC token on Arbitrum | WBTC |
|---|---|
| Other BTC tokens | tBTC, cbBTC |
| Trustless option | No |
| Direct swap services | Garden, Chainflip, NEAR Intents |
| tBTC mint fee | 0.2% (since 15 Apr 2026) |
| Fees on Arbitrum paid in | ETH |
| Main wait | Bitcoin confirmations |
Why this route is difficult
Arbitrum cannot hold or move coins on the Bitcoin network. Any BTC token on Arbitrum needs someone who controls the real BTC on Bitcoin. On this route that is a company, a group of signers, or the validators of a swap network.
WBTC on Arbitrum adds a second layer. It is WBTC from Ethereum, held by BitGo and BiT Global, moved to Arbitrum through the Arbitrum bridge. So you rely on the custodians and on the bridge contracts. tBTC reaches Arbitrum through a Wormhole gateway, according to Threshold's contract list. Its BTC is held by a rotating group of signers, so no single company holds it.
A direct swap avoids the wrapped token question. Chainflip and NEAR Intents take your real BTC and pay you ETH or stablecoins on Arbitrum. For the short time of the swap, your coins sit with the service. Afterwards you no longer hold BTC. In October 2026 an exploit hit NEAR Intents, which shows that this short window still carries risk.
Possible approaches
1Atomic swap
Garden matches your BTC with a solver who pays WBTC on Arbitrum. A time lock lets you reclaim BTC if the swap is not filled.
Trade-offNo shared vault during the swap, but you end up holding custodial WBTC.
2Threshold-signer minting
Deposit BTC with Threshold and receive tBTC directly on Arbitrum.
Trade-offNo single company, but a 0.2% mint fee, a 0.01 BTC minimum and slower minting.
3Native cross-chain swap
Send real BTC to Chainflip and receive ETH, USDC or USDT on Arbitrum.
Trade-offNo account and no wrapped token, but validators hold the coins during the swap and you no longer hold BTC.
4Intent swap
You send BTC to a deposit address and a solver pays you an Arbitrum token through NEAR Intents.
Trade-offSimple, but you rely on the service and its solvers. It was hit by an exploit in October 2026.
Options compared
| Option | You get | Typical time | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atomic swap (Garden) | WBTC | Bitcoin confirmations | Bitcoin fee + solver margin | WBTC with no account |
| Mint tBTC to Arbitrum | tBTC | Minutes to several hours | Bitcoin fee + 0.2% mint fee | BTC on Arbitrum without one company, 0.01 BTC or more |
| Native cross-chain swap (Chainflip) | ETH, USDC, USDT | 3 Bitcoin confirmations, about 30 min | Bitcoin fee + swap fees | Selling BTC for ETH or dollars |
| Intent swap (NEAR Intents) | ETH, USDC, USDT0 and more | Bitcoin confirmations | Fee and spread built into the quote | Selling BTC for Arbitrum tokens |
Working solutions
| Solution | You receive | Custody / verification | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Garden Finance | WBTC | Atomic swap | Pays WBTC on Arbitrum. You can reclaim BTC if the swap is not filled. |
| tBTC (Threshold Network) | tBTC | Threshold signer group | Mints straight to Arbitrum. 0.2% mint fee since April 2026, at least 0.01 BTC. |
| Chainflip | ETH, USDC, USDT | Validator vaults | Supports Arbitrum as a destination. Waits for 3 Bitcoin confirmations. |
| NEAR Intents | ETH, USDC, USDT0 and other Arbitrum tokens | Solvers, settled on NEAR | An exploit of about $3.8 million on 1 Oct 2026 led to a pause on 11 networks. The bug was patched and full refunds were promised. |
| LI.FI | Depends on route | Same as chosen route | Compares Bitcoin to Arbitrum routes from several providers. |
| DEX on Arbitrum | WBTC, tBTC or cbBTC | Your own wallet | If you already have ETH or USDC on Arbitrum, buying a BTC token on a DEX skips Bitcoin fees entirely. |
How to move Bitcoin to Arbitrum
These steps show how to swap BTC for WBTC on Arbitrum with Garden. It needs no account and you send from your own Bitcoin wallet. If you only want ETH or USDC, Chainflip is simpler.
- 1
Get an Arbitrum address ready
Use a wallet you control that supports Arbitrum One, such as MetaMask, Rabby or a hardware wallet. The address starts with 0x. It is the same address you use on Ethereum.
- 2
Get a quote
In the Garden app, pick BTC on Bitcoin as what you send and WBTC on Arbitrum as what you get. Paste your 0x address. Check the amount you will receive and the minimum and maximum the app shows.
- 3
Send from your own Bitcoin wallet
Follow the app to send BTC into the swap. Your BTC is locked in a time-locked contract on Bitcoin until a solver pays you WBTC on Arbitrum. Double check the amount before you sign.
- 4
Pick a fee that confirms quickly
Check current Bitcoin fees on mempool.space and choose one that should confirm soon. The swap only moves forward after your Bitcoin payment confirms.
- 5
Track the swap
The Garden app shows each stage. When it finishes, the WBTC shows on Arbiscan under your 0x address. If no solver fills the swap, you can take your BTC back after the time lock runs out.
- 6
Get some ETH on Arbitrum
You need ETH on Arbitrum to move or use WBTC. If your wallet has none, withdraw a little ETH to Arbitrum One from an exchange, or bridge some from another network.
Fees and timing
The Bitcoin network fee comes first. It depends on how busy Bitcoin is and on the size of your transaction. You pay it on every route, because every route starts with a Bitcoin payment.
Then comes the service cost. Garden and NEAR Intents build their margin into the quote. Chainflip charges swap fees and shows the amount you will receive before you send. Threshold reinstated its tBTC mint fee on 15 April 2026. Minting and redeeming now cost 0.2% each, though T stakers can get the fee reduced or waived. On 1 BTC, 0.2% is 0.002 BTC, so for small amounts compare that with a swap quote.
Fees on Arbitrum are paid in ETH and are usually very low. Timing is mostly about Bitcoin. Chainflip waits for 3 confirmations, about 30 minutes on average. Threshold says minting tBTC can take from a few minutes to several hours depending on the amount. Arbitrum itself adds almost no delay.
Common mistakes
- Arriving on Arbitrum with WBTC or USDC and no ETH. You cannot move the tokens until you add ETH for fees.
- Looking for THORChain routes to Arbitrum. THORChain has no Arbitrum pools, so it cannot pay you there.
- Thinking WBTC, tBTC and cbBTC are the same. Each has a different backer, and an app that accepts WBTC may not accept the others.
- Trying to mint tBTC with less than 0.01 BTC, the minimum in Threshold's minting guide.
- Pasting a Bitcoin address where an Arbitrum 0x address is needed, or the other way round.
- Choosing Arbitrum Nova instead of Arbitrum One when sending from an exchange or wallet.
Before you transfer
- Holding WBTC, tBTC or cbBTC means holding a claim on whoever holds the BTC, not BTC itself.
- Check which BTC token your Arbitrum app accepts before you choose a route.
- Keep some ETH in your Arbitrum wallet for fees.
- For small amounts, compare the 0.2% tBTC mint fee with a swap quote.
- Send a small test first if the route is new to you.
Frequently asked questions
Swap BTC for WBTC on Arbitrum with Garden, or mint tBTC straight to Arbitrum through Threshold. If you want ETH or USDC instead, Chainflip and NEAR Intents can pay those on Arbitrum.
It is WBTC from Ethereum moved to Arbitrum through the Arbitrum bridge. The BTC behind it is held by BitGo and BiT Global. It is the largest BTC token on Arbitrum.
No. THORChain has no Arbitrum pools, so it cannot pay out there. It does support Ethereum and Base. For Arbitrum, use Chainflip or NEAR Intents for a direct swap.
Mostly as long as Bitcoin confirmations take. Chainflip waits for 3, about 30 minutes on average. Minting tBTC can take from a few minutes to several hours. Arbitrum itself adds almost no delay.
Yes. Threshold reinstated the mint fee on 15 April 2026. Minting and redeeming tBTC each cost 0.2%. T stakers can get the fee reduced or waived.
Yes, cbBTC exists on Arbitrum. But its supply there is small next to WBTC, so fewer apps and pools support it. Check that your app accepts it.
Yes. Chainflip takes BTC on Bitcoin and pays ETH, USDC or USDT on Arbitrum. NEAR Intents offers ETH, USDC, USDT0 and other Arbitrum tokens. You end up holding those, not BTC.
