BridgeRadar
Bitcoin to Ethereum Bridge
The busiest and best supported way to move Bitcoin to another network. You can keep BTC on Ethereum as a wrapped token (WBTC, cbBTC or tBTC), or sell your BTC for ETH or stablecoins in one swap.
Reviewed October 14, 2026 ยท 7 solutions checked
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Short answer
First decide what you want to hold at the end. If you want ETH or USDC, swap your BTC directly through THORChain or Chainflip. BTC to ETH is the most traded pair on THORChain, so prices are good. You also avoid wrapped tokens completely.
If you want to keep BTC and use it in Ethereum apps (lending, trading), you need a wrapped token, an IOU backed by real BTC. The main question is who holds the real coins. WBTC is the oldest and accepted almost everywhere. cbBTC is the easiest if you already use Coinbase. tBTC suits you if you prefer a group of independent signers over a company.
Small amounts are tricky. The Bitcoin fee plus the Ethereum fee can take a big bite out of a few hundred dollars. For small transfers, Arbitrum or Base are often better. The same tokens exist there and fees are much lower.
| Trustless option | No |
|---|---|
| Usual time | 20-60 min |
| BTC tokens on Ethereum | WBTC, cbBTC, tBTC |
| Direct swap services | THORChain, Chainflip, NEAR Intents, Garden |
| Most widely used | WBTC and cbBTC |
| What you pay | Bitcoin fee, Ethereum fee, swap fee |
Why this route is difficult
Ethereum cannot hold or move coins on the Bitcoin network. So any bridge needs someone who controls the real BTC on Bitcoin. That can be a company, a group of signers or a set of validators.
Wrapped BTC on Ethereum is a claim on BTC held somewhere else. It is only as safe as whoever holds that BTC. WBTC is held by BitGo together with BiT Global. That setup changed in 2024, which made some apps cut back on WBTC and helped cbBTC grow. tBTC splits control across groups of signers that change over time, so no single party can move the coins.
Getting in and out also differs. Only approved partners can create or redeem WBTC, so regular people buy it on a DEX or get it through a swap. cbBTC is converted inside a Coinbase account. Anyone can create tBTC by depositing BTC, but it is slower and needs an Ethereum transaction.
A direct swap avoids all this. You get ETH or stablecoins, not a claim on BTC. The catch: for the few minutes of the swap, your coins sit in a vault run by validators. And afterwards you no longer own BTC.
Possible approaches
1Custodial wrapped BTC
A company holds the BTC and issues one token on Ethereum for each coin. WBTC (BitGo and BiT Global) and cbBTC (Coinbase) are the biggest.
Trade-offAccepted almost everywhere, but you fully depend on the company staying honest and solvent.
2Threshold-signer BTC
tBTC is created when you deposit BTC to addresses controlled by a changing group of signers. They must cooperate to move the coins.
Trade-offNo single company in charge, but fewer apps and less trading volume.
3Native cross-chain swap
Sell your BTC for real ETH or stablecoins on Ethereum through THORChain or Chainflip.
Trade-offNo wrapped token to worry about afterwards, but you no longer hold BTC.
4Atomic swap
You trade your BTC with a solver for wrapped BTC or another token on Ethereum. A smart lock makes sure both sides pay or nobody does.
Trade-offNo shared vault during the swap, but if you pick wrapped BTC you still hold a wrapped token.
Options compared
| Option | You get | Typical time | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Native cross-chain swap | ETH, USDC, USDT (or WBTC on THORChain) | 15-45 min | Both network fees + swap fee | Turning BTC into ETH or dollars, no account |
| Custodial wrapped BTC (WBTC, cbBTC) | A token worth 1 BTC each | Minutes to hours | Ethereum fee, plus exchange terms | Lending and trading while keeping BTC |
| Threshold-signer wrapped BTC (tBTC) | tBTC | Often 1-3 hours | Bitcoin fee + Ethereum fee | BTC on Ethereum without one company |
| Atomic swap (Garden) | WBTC, cbBTC or other tokens | 10-30 min | Both network fees + solver margin | Wrapped BTC with no account |
Working solutions
| Solution | You receive | Custody / verification | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| WBTC | WBTC | BitGo and BiT Global | The oldest wrapped BTC. Only approved partners create it, so most people buy it on a DEX. |
| cbBTC (Coinbase) | cbBTC | Coinbase | Converted 1:1 from BTC in a Coinbase account. Also on Base, Arbitrum and Solana. |
| tBTC (Threshold Network) | tBTC | Threshold signer group | Anyone can create and redeem it, no permission needed. |
| THORChain | ETH, USDC, USDT, WBTC | Validator vaults | Real BTC in, real Ethereum tokens out. BTC to ETH is its busiest pair. |
| Chainflip | ETH, USDC, USDT | Validator vaults | Can also pay out on Arbitrum. Waits for 3 Bitcoin confirmations. |
| NEAR Intents | ETH, USDC, USDT | Solver pays, NEAR settles | You send real BTC, a solver pays you on Ethereum. |
| Garden Finance | WBTC, cbBTC and more | Atomic swap | You keep control. If no one fills the swap, you can take your BTC back after a set time. |
How to move Bitcoin to Ethereum
These steps show how to swap BTC for ETH through THORChain. You can use an app such as THORSwap, or a wallet that has THORChain built in. This is the most popular option on this route and needs no account.
- 1
Get an Ethereum address ready
Use a wallet you control, such as MetaMask, Rabby or a hardware wallet. Ethereum addresses start with 0x and are 42 characters long. If you will receive USDC instead of ETH, keep a little ETH in that wallet to pay network fees later.
- 2
Get a quote
Pick BTC as what you send and ETH on Ethereum as what you get. Check how much you will receive, the fees and the expected time. For big amounts the app may offer a "streaming swap". It splits your trade into small parts over time so you get a better price.
- 3
Let the app prepare the transaction
THORChain needs swap instructions attached to your payment (a memo), or a special deposit address made just for your swap. Never copy a THORChain address and send to it from an exchange. Exchanges cannot attach the memo. Send from a Bitcoin wallet you control that works with the app.
- 4
Pick a fee that confirms quickly
Check mempool.space and choose a fee that should confirm in the next block or two. THORChain waits for more Bitcoin confirmations on bigger amounts. So a large swap takes longer, even after the first confirmation.
- 5
Track your swap
Paste your Bitcoin transaction ID into Runescan or THORChain Tracker. You will see when the deposit is spotted, swapped and paid out. The ETH payment then appears on Etherscan under your address.
- 6
If it is refunded or slow
If the price moves more than the limit you set, THORChain sends your BTC back to the sending address, minus fees. Large payouts are sometimes held back on purpose for a while. If your Bitcoin transaction is stuck unconfirmed, speed it up from your wallet with RBF (replace-by-fee).
Fees and timing
You pay three things. First, the Bitcoin network fee. It depends on how busy Bitcoin is and on the size of your transaction. Second, the swap fee: the service fee, any extra fee the app adds, and the spread. Third, the Ethereum network fee. On a direct swap it is taken from the amount you receive. With a wrapped token, you pay it yourself each time you move or use the token.
On large amounts, slippage (getting a worse price than quoted) is what makes a quote good or bad. THORChain streaming swaps reduce it by spreading the trade out, but you wait longer. Wrapped tokens carry less price risk. WBTC and cbBTC trade very close to BTC, though they can slip a little away from it when markets panic.
Timing depends mostly on Bitcoin confirmations and each service's rules. Chainflip waits for 3 confirmations, about 30 minutes on average. THORChain waits longer for bigger amounts. Minting tBTC is the slowest: the deposit must confirm, the signers collect it, and then the token is created. Ethereum adds almost no delay, with a new block about every 12 seconds.
Common mistakes
- Sending BTC from an exchange straight to a THORChain address. The exchange cannot add the memo, and you may not get the coins back.
- Moving a small amount to Ethereum when the same token exists on Arbitrum or Base, where fees are a small fraction.
- Receiving stablecoins or wrapped BTC in a new wallet with no ETH. You cannot move the tokens until you add ETH for fees.
- Thinking WBTC, cbBTC and tBTC are the same thing. Each has a different holder, and an app that accepts WBTC may not accept tBTC.
- Choosing the cheapest Bitcoin fee for a swap. While you wait, the price can move and your swap may be refunded.
Before you transfer
- Holding WBTC, cbBTC or tBTC means holding a claim on whoever holds the BTC, not BTC itself.
- Before you pick a wrapped BTC, check which one the app you want to use accepts.
- Direct swaps can lose value to slippage on big amounts. Compare quotes and consider a streaming swap.
- You pay Ethereum fees on arrival, so keep some ETH in the receiving wallet.
- For small amounts, look at Arbitrum or Base instead of Ethereum.
- When a service needs a memo, send from your own Bitcoin wallet, never from an exchange.
Frequently asked questions
Every option asks you to trust someone. WBTC and cbBTC depend on a company, tBTC on a group of signers, and direct swaps on validators only while the swap runs. If you do not need to keep BTC, a direct swap into ETH keeps that risky window shortest.
Use THORChain or Chainflip. They swap real BTC for real ETH straight from your own wallet, with no account. NEAR Intents and aggregators such as LI.FI offer the same route.
Direct swaps usually take 15 to 45 minutes, mostly waiting for Bitcoin confirmations. Bigger THORChain swaps wait for more confirmations. Creating tBTC yourself can take a few hours.
No. WBTC is an Ethereum token you can redeem 1:1 for BTC held by BitGo and BiT Global. Its price follows BTC closely, but you depend on those companies.
Neither is clearly better. cbBTC depends on Coinbase alone and is easy to get from a Coinbase account. WBTC has a longer history and more apps accept it. Check which one your lending app or DEX supports.
If you already have money on Ethereum, buying WBTC or cbBTC on a DEX there is often cheapest. If you start with real BTC, compare a THORChain swap into WBTC with a Garden swap, and send when Bitcoin is not busy.
Yes. Swap it back to real BTC through THORChain or Garden, or sell it on an exchange that lists it. Only approved partners can redeem it directly with the holders.
