BridgeRadar
Bitcoin to Base Bridge
BTC on Base usually means cbBTC, a token issued by Coinbase and backed 1:1 by BTC it holds. You can get it by sending BTC from a Coinbase account to Base, or from your own Bitcoin wallet with Garden. If you do not need to keep BTC, swap it for ETH or USDC on Base instead.
Reviewed October 14, 2026 ยท 6 solutions checked
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Short answer
First decide what you want on Base. If you want to keep Bitcoin exposure and use it in Base apps such as Aave, Morpho or Aerodrome, the standard token is cbBTC. Coinbase issues it and holds the real BTC behind it. If you want ETH or USDC, a cross-chain swap can sell your BTC and pay you on Base in one step.
There are two main ways to get cbBTC. The custodial way is Coinbase: hold BTC in your account and send it to an address on Base. Coinbase turns it into cbBTC 1:1 on the way out. The self-custody way is Garden, which the Base docs list for BTC to cbBTC. It takes real BTC from your own wallet and pays cbBTC on Base without an exchange account.
Whatever you pick, cbBTC is a claim on Coinbase. Its value depends on Coinbase holding the BTC and letting holders redeem it. Fees on Base are paid in ETH. They are low, but if your Base wallet is new, get a little ETH too, or you cannot move your cbBTC.
| Main BTC token on Base | cbBTC (Coinbase) |
|---|---|
| Who holds the BTC | Coinbase |
| Trustless option | No |
| Direct swap services | Garden, THORChain, NEAR Intents |
| Fees on Base paid in | ETH |
| Main wait | Bitcoin confirmations |
Why this route is difficult
Base cannot hold or move coins on the Bitcoin network. Any way of having BTC on Base needs someone who controls the real BTC on Bitcoin. On this route, that someone is mostly Coinbase.
cbBTC is the main form of Bitcoin in Base apps. Coinbase holds the BTC and issues cbBTC on Base, Ethereum, Arbitrum and Solana. Coinbase customers can redeem it 1:1 by sending it back to their account. Its value depends on Coinbase keeping the coins.
Swap services change how you get cbBTC, not what backs it. Garden takes your real BTC and pays you cbBTC that already exists on Base. You skip the exchange account, but you still end up holding a Coinbase-backed token.
If you do not need Bitcoin exposure, a swap into ETH or USDC avoids the wrapped token question. During the swap your coins sit with the service for a short time, and afterwards you no longer hold BTC.
Possible approaches
1Exchange-issued token
Hold BTC on Coinbase and send it to an address on Base. It converts to cbBTC 1:1.
Trade-offSimple and widely used, but Coinbase holds the BTC and it is only offered in some countries.
2Atomic swap
Garden matches your BTC with a solver who pays cbBTC on Base. A time lock lets you reclaim BTC if the swap is not filled.
Trade-offNo shared vault during the swap, but you still end up holding Coinbase-backed cbBTC.
3Native cross-chain swap
Send real BTC to THORChain and receive ETH or USDC on Base.
Trade-offNo account needed. 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 a Base token through NEAR Intents.
Trade-offSimple, but you rely on the service and its solvers. It paused for about half a day after an exploit in October 2026.
Options compared
| Option | You get | Typical time | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coinbase send to Base | cbBTC | Depends on Coinbase deposit rules | Bitcoin fee to deposit + any send fee | People who already use Coinbase |
| Atomic swap (Garden) | cbBTC | Bitcoin confirmations | Bitcoin fee + solver margin | cbBTC with no account |
| Native cross-chain swap (THORChain) | ETH, USDC | Bitcoin confirmations, longer for big amounts | Bitcoin fee + swap fee + outbound fee | Selling BTC for ETH or USDC on Base |
| Intent swap (NEAR Intents) | Supported Base tokens | Bitcoin confirmations | Fee and spread built into the quote | Selling BTC for Base tokens |
Working solutions
| Solution | You receive | Custody / verification | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coinbase (cbBTC) | cbBTC | Coinbase | Send BTC from your account to a Base address and it converts 1:1. Send it back to redeem. |
| Garden Finance | cbBTC | Atomic swap | Listed in the Base docs for BTC to cbBTC. You can reclaim BTC if the swap is not filled. |
| THORChain | ETH, USDC | Validator vaults | Real BTC in. Lists ETH and USDC among its Base assets. |
| NEAR Intents | Supported Base tokens | Solvers, settled on NEAR | Paused for about half a day after an exploit on 1 Oct 2026, then resumed. Affected users were promised refunds. |
| LI.FI | Depends on route | Same as chosen route | Compares Bitcoin routes from several providers. |
| DEX on Base | cbBTC | Your own wallet | If you already have ETH or USDC on Base, buying cbBTC on a DEX such as Aerodrome or Uniswap skips Bitcoin fees entirely. |
How to move Bitcoin to Base
These steps show how to swap BTC for cbBTC on Base with Garden. It needs no account. If you already keep BTC on Coinbase, sending it to your Base address is simpler.
- 1
Get a Base address ready
Use a wallet you control that supports Base, such as MetaMask, Rabby, Coinbase Wallet or a hardware wallet. The address starts with 0x. Add Base (chain ID 8453) if it is not there yet.
- 2
Get a quote
In the Garden app, pick BTC on Bitcoin as what you send and cbBTC on Base as what you get. Paste your 0x address. Check the amount you will receive and the expected time.
- 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 cbBTC on Base. 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 cbBTC shows on Basescan 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 Base
You need ETH on Base to move or use cbBTC. If your wallet has none, withdraw a little ETH to Base from an exchange, or do a small swap into ETH on Base.
Fees and timing
The Bitcoin network fee comes first. It depends on how busy Bitcoin is and on the size of your transaction. On the Coinbase route you pay it once when you deposit BTC into your account.
Then comes the service cost. Coinbase may charge a fee to send to Base, shown before you confirm. Garden and NEAR Intents build their margin into the quote. THORChain takes a swap fee and an outbound fee, plus any fee the app adds. Compare the amount of cbBTC, ETH or USDC you will actually receive.
Fees on Base are paid in ETH and are usually very low. Timing is mostly about Bitcoin. Each service waits for its own number of Bitcoin confirmations, and Coinbase sets its own deposit rules. Base adds almost no delay.
Common mistakes
- Arriving on Base with cbBTC and no ETH. You cannot move it until you add ETH for fees.
- Sending BTC from an exchange to a THORChain address. The exchange cannot add the memo.
- Thinking cbBTC is real Bitcoin. It is a token backed by BTC that Coinbase holds.
- Picking the wrong network when sending from Coinbase. Base and Bitcoin are different options.
- Pasting a Bitcoin address where a Base 0x address is needed, or the other way round.
- Expecting THORChain to pay cbBTC on Base. It pays ETH or USDC there.
Before you transfer
- Holding cbBTC means holding a claim on Coinbase, not BTC itself.
- Keep some ETH in your Base wallet for fees.
- When a service needs a memo, send from your own Bitcoin wallet, never from an exchange.
- If you want cbBTC with no account, use Garden. THORChain pays ETH or USDC on Base.
- Check the network name on every Coinbase send. Base and Bitcoin are different options.
- Send a small test first if the route is new to you.
Frequently asked questions
Send BTC from a Coinbase account to your Base address to receive cbBTC, or swap from your own Bitcoin wallet with Garden. If you want ETH or USDC instead, THORChain can pay those on Base, and NEAR Intents offers other Base tokens.
cbBTC, or Coinbase Wrapped BTC, is a token backed 1:1 by BTC that Coinbase holds. It exists on Base, Ethereum, Arbitrum and Solana, and is the main form of Bitcoin in Base apps.
Yes. Garden takes real BTC from your own wallet and pays cbBTC on Base. You can also buy cbBTC on a Base DEX if you already have funds there. The token is still backed by Coinbase.
Mostly as long as Bitcoin confirmations take. Each service waits for its own number of confirmations, and Coinbase sets its own deposit rules. Base itself adds almost no delay.
Yes. THORChain can take BTC on Bitcoin and pay ETH or USDC on Base. You end up holding ETH or USDC, not BTC.
No. cbBTC is issued by Coinbase. WBTC is a different token with different custodians, mostly used on Ethereum. They are not interchangeable without a swap.
Yes. Send cbBTC to your Coinbase account and it converts 1:1 to BTC. Without an account, swap it back to BTC through a service that supports cbBTC on Base, such as Garden.
