Cross-Chain Bridging Optimization for Minimal Gas Fees in 2025

When you’re trying to access as many opportunities in crypto as possible, you would likely not stick with just one chain, right?

Nowadays, numerous cross-chain bridges and solutions are available for you to maximize DeFi earnings. However, there is one problem: Bridging is expensive. If you were to bridge often from one chain to another, it would seriously cut into your earnings, and we don’t want any of that.

That’s exactly why in this article we will have a look at strategies and tips for optimizing gas fees during bridging. We learn about cross-chain aggregators, gas minimization strategies, and much more!

Understanding Bridging Gas Fees

Cross-chain bridging makes it easy to move assets between different blockchains. It’s a key part of keeping decentralized networks connected, but it often comes with gas fees that can add up. Knowing how these fees work can help you save money when making transfers.

What Are Gas Fees?

Think of gas fees as transaction costs paid to blockchain validators who keep the network running smoothly. Each blockchain has its own pricing system based on things like how busy the network is, how complex your transaction is, and how much space is available in a block. On networks like Ethereum, fees can get pretty high when traffic spikes.

When you bridge assets, you’ll likely pay fees on both the starting and ending blockchains. On top of that, the bridge service itself may charge additional fees. Here’s how it typically breaks down:

1. Source Chain Fee: The cost to start the transaction and lock your assets on the original blockchain.
2. Bridge Fee: The fee the bridge provider charges to process the transfer.
3. Destination Chain Fee: The gas fee to release your assets on the receiving blockchain.

What Affects Bridging Gas Fees?

Several factors influence how much you’ll end up paying in bridging gas fees. One major factor is network congestion. When a blockchain is busy and more users are trying to get their transactions through, fees tend to skyrocket. It’s a simple matter of supply and demand, the more people compete for block space, the higher the price.

The design of the bridge itself also plays a role. Some cross-chain bridges are built with efficiency in mind, using mechanisms that require less gas. Others might not be as optimized, leading to unnecessarily high costs.

Then there’s the complexity of the asset you’re transferring. Sending a simple token is generally cheaper, but if your transaction involves a more intricate smart contract interaction, the gas fees can rise quickly.

Finally, the blockchain you choose matters. Layer 1 blockchains, like Ethereum, often have higher fees due to their decentralized security and widespread use. On the other hand, Layer 2 solutions and sidechains tend to offer more affordable fees, making them a popular choice for cost-conscious users.

Strategies for Minimizing Bridging Gas Fees

First and foremost, the bridging process will depend heavily on the chains that you are accessing. Generally, it is easy and cheap to bridge across different EVM chains like for example Ethereum mainnet to Arbitrum or from Optimism to ZkSync Era.

The problem gets more serious when we attempt to bridge across different Layer 1 ecosystems, like an EVM chain to Solana or Sui to Cosmos. These transfers are a little more technologically complicated and tend to be more expensive.

We will look at these categories and discuss the best approach for each one.

Bridging Across EVM Chains

Let’s start with a simple example: say you bought some $ETH on a centralized exchange (CEX) like Binance but now you find that participating in DeFi on Layer 1 Ethereum is too expensive. What to do now?

Well, you are in luck, because in a single transaction, all your $ETH can be converted into its equivalent on a Layer 2 network like Arbitrum.

The easiest (and safest/cheapest) way to send your Mainnet $ETH to an L2 like Arbitrum is to use the official bridge. In this bridge, you simply input the amount and direction you wish to transfer and click “Move funds”. Generally, you will pay transaction fees on both Ethereum mainnet and Arbitrum. At the time of writing, the cost of bridging is $0.37, which is pretty accessible. There might be some operational fees associated with running the bridge platform, but these are usually negligible.

Alternatively, you can use browser extensions like Blocknative, which monitor and report gas data live from the blockchain. When you prepare a transaction in your wallet, use these tools to set your “Max Fee” so you don’t end up overpaying for your transactions.

Transferring from one layer 2 to another or from alternative EVM layer 1 to layer 2 is even more straightforward and cheap. All you have to do is choose an appropriate bridging platform (more on that later), select the source chain, and destination chain, and the transactions will be completed very fast.

For example, you can use the Symbiosis swap to conduct cross-chain swap in a single transaction. You can even choose a different wallet to receive your tokens on the destination chain.

Bridging Different Layer 1s - Solana, EVMs, Cosmos, Sui, TON and More

Now we are getting into the interesting stuff! Cross-chain transfers from completely different Layer 1s (such as Ethereum and Solana) are much more complicated and costly but don’t worry, with a few simple tricks you will be able to cut the transaction costs like a pro.

To find the best bridging route for your case, it is best to use a routing aggregator such as Find My Bridge. These services find and fetch you the platform that is best suited, they also provide tools for fee optimization and other useful features (although most features are paid). Purchasing the premium ties might come in handy if you make a lot of cross-chain transfers.

After you find the bridging platform that supports your source and destination chain, it is only a matter of filling in the details. Be extra careful to check that the platform is legit and does not contain any malicious code.

By using a browser extension such as Blocknative you can check the gas fees beforehand and time your transactions accordingly.

What will you need for a cross-chain transfer:

• Active wallets on both source and destination chain
• Some funds for fees on both source and destination chain
• Bridging platform
• Patience (cross-chain transfers take some time)

When transferring to a new chain, these often is a problem with acquiring that chain’s native currency to pay for the initial fees.

To solve this problem you can either:

1. Use a centralized exchange to withdraw funds onto the destination chain (then conduct the transfer).
2. Use a “crypto gas station” like gas.zip to send gas fees onto the destination chain without using a CEX (recommended option)

Best Bridging Aggregators with Lowest Fees

As mentioned before, the amount of fees that you pay will depend on how congested the network is, however, in most cases, you also pay some portion to the bridging platform provider. The portion usually charges a certain percentage of your transaction, so the larger your transaction, the more expensive it will be.

We looked for aggregators that offer the most affordable transfers and at the same time keep security high. Here are the best ones so far:

Stargate Finance

Stargate Finance is a cross-chain bridge protocol built on LayerZero, enabling direct native asset transfers across blockchains. It offers instant, reliable asset transfers via its Omnichain protocol. 

Fees: Stargate Finance charges a flat 0.06% fee, along with a dynamic rebalancing fee. 

Unique Features: Stargate Finance resolves the ‘bridging trilemma’ with three key features: rapid transaction confirmation, native asset swapping, and a cohesive cross-chain liquidity pool.

Maya Protocol

Maya Protocol is a decentralized liquidity protocol facilitating cross-chain swaps and asset transfers without intermediaries. It emphasizes interoperability and security, allowing users to exchange assets across different blockchains seamlessly.

Unique Features: Maya Protocol focuses on decentralization and security, enabling trustless cross-chain transactions without relying on centralized entities.

Phantom Crosschain Swapper

Phantom’s Crosschain Swapper is an in-wallet feature that simplifies bridging tokens across Solana, Ethereum, Base, and Polygon. It allows users to transfer tokens across chains without using centralized exchanges or complex bridges.

Fees: The Crosschain Swapper charges a 0.85% Phantom fee, along with transaction fees paid in the native token of the origination chain and bridge provider fees, typically around 0.3% of the transfer amount. 

Unique Features: The Swapper offers optimized performance, providing users with the best bridge route options, such as “Best Return” or “Fastest” transfer. It keeps users informed with estimated transaction times and costs, ensuring transparency and confidence in bridging operations.

Portal Bridge

Portal Bridge, based on the Wormhole protocol, facilitates seamless transfers of tokens and NFTs across multiple blockchains, including both EVM and non-EVM chains like Solana, Sui, Sei, Aptos, and NEAR. 

Fees: Portal Bridge charges minimal fees, typically less than one cent per transaction. 

Unique Features: Portal Bridge supports a wide array of blockchains, including smaller ecosystems, and offers an NFT bridge that supports transfers of NFTs based on the ERC-721 and SPL standards.

Symbiosis Finance

Symbiosis Finance is a cross-chain liquidity protocol that aggregates decentralized exchange liquidity across multiple blockchains, enabling users to swap assets between different networks seamlessly.

Unique Features: Symbiosis Finance focuses on aggregating liquidity from various decentralized exchanges, ensuring users receive optimal rates for cross-chain swaps.

Synapse Protocol

Synapse Protocol is a cross-chain bridge that enables secure and adaptable cross-chain communication, supporting the transfer of tokens, NFTs, and contract calls across over 16 different EVM and non-EVM blockchains. 

Fees: Synapse Protocol charges dynamic fees for the underlying relayer network. 

Unique Features: Synapse Protocol supports a wide variety of blockchains, including both EVM and non-EVM chains, and offers cross-chain staking and yield farming opportunities.

Across Bridge

Across Protocol is a cross-chain bridge enabling fast and efficient token transfers across networks like Ethereum, Arbitrum, Polygon, Base, and zkSync. It utilizes UMA’s optimistic oracle to ensure secure transactions. 

Fees: Across Protocol charges fixed bridge fees, typically ranging from 0.06% to 0.12%, along with a dynamic fee to the relayers. 

Unique Features: Across Protocol emphasizes security and speed, with an optimistic mechanism requiring just one honest actor to refute incorrect claims. Third-party relayers compete to provide rapid services, with deposit requests usually completed in less than a minute.

Best Practices for Cross-Chain Transfers

To wrap up, here are a few best practices to follow when bridging cross-chain:

Batch Your Transfers - Instead of making multiple small transfers, consider batching them into a single larger transaction.

Time Your Transactions - Use gas trackers to identify periods of lower network activity. Typically, weekends and late nights/early mornings (UTC time) tend to have lower gas prices due to reduced user activity.

Keep Some Native Tokens on Each Chain - Always maintain a small balance of native tokens on each chain you regularly use.

Use Gas Tokens When Possible - Some platforms offer gas tokens that can be used to offset transaction costs. For instance, Arbitrum’s ARB or Optimism’s OP tokens.

Check Multiple Bridges Before Transferring - Don’t settle for the first bridge you find. Use aggregators like Find My Bridge to compare fees across different platforms.

Factor in Slippage - Set appropriate slippage tolerances based on the liquidity of the assets you’re swapping.

Conclusion and Future Outlook

Cross-chain bridging is an essential component of the evolving multi-chain crypto ecosystem. While gas fees remain a challenge, the strategies and platforms we’ve discussed can help you minimize costs and maximize efficiency when moving assets across different blockchains.

The future of crypto is undoubtedly multi-chain, and mastering the art of efficient cross-chain transfers will be a valuable skill for any crypto enthusiast. By staying informed about the latest bridging solutions and implementing the strategies we’ve discussed, you can navigate the multi-chain landscape without letting excessive fees eat into your profits.

Remember, the optimal bridging strategy will depend on your specific needs, including the chains you’re working with, the assets you’re transferring, and your priorities regarding speed, cost, and security. Stay flexible, keep learning, and always do your research before making significant cross-chain transfers.