Once upon a blockchain, all roads led to Ethereum.
But times have changed—and now apps such as Jupiter, Raydium, Kamino, and Sanctum are turning Solana into the new hotspot for crypto explorers.
The catch? If you're still on Ethereum, you'll need to “bridge” over to join the party.
Bridging sounds futuristic, but often feels more like assembling Ikea furniture without instructions—clunky, slow, and just confusing enough to make you question your life choices.
That’s where we come in. In this guide, we’ll demystify the process and walk you through how to bridge your crypto from Ethereum to Solana without losing your mind (or your funds).
What are crypto bridges?
Crypto bridges are solutions designed to facilitate the transfer of digital assets and information between different blockchain networks.
As such, crypto bridges address the inherent siloed nature of blockchains, allowing assets, such as tokens, NFTs, or data, to move seamlessly across various networks.
By doing so, crypto bridges enhance liquidity, usability, and accessibility of digital assets across the blockchain ecosystem.
Why should you use crypto bridges?
Using crypto bridges offers several significant advantages.
First, they enable greater liquidity by allowing assets to be used across multiple blockchain networks. This interoperability ensures that assets aren’t confined to a single blockchain, increasing their utility and market reach. For example, you can move tokens from Ethereum to Solana to take advantage of lower transaction fees and innovative apps such as Jupiter, Raydium, Kamino, or Sanctum.
Second, crypto bridges provide enhanced flexibility and accessibility. They allow you to engage with various blockchain ecosystems without needing to convert assets through centralized exchanges, which can be time-consuming and costly. This direct transfer capability promotes a more seamless user experience and supports decentralized finance (DeFi) principles by reducing reliance on centralized intermediaries.
Third, using crypto bridges can potentially lead to better investment opportunities. By accessing multiple blockchain platforms, you can diversify your investments, participate in a wider range of DeFi projects, and optimize your returns by taking advantage of varying interest rates, yield farming opportunities, and staking rewards across different networks.
The most popular crypto bridges
Portal by Wormhole, deBridge, and Allbridge are all among the leading crypto bridges—each offering unique features that cater to different user needs and security requirements.
Portal by Wormhole
Portal by Wormhole is a prominent cross-chain bridge that facilitates the transfer of assets and information between multiple blockchain networks, including Ethereum and Solana. The bridge is widely used for its speed and efficiency, making it a popular choice for DeFi applications and NFT transfers.
deBridge
Just like other crypto bridges, deBridge enables you to bridge assets between Ethereum and Solana. But what’s more interesting is that deBridge also supports various use cases—such as cross-chain swaps, lending, and yield farming—by facilitating seamless interactions between crypto apps on different blockchains.
Allbridge
Similar to Portal by Wormhole, Allbridge is a user-friendly and efficient cross-chain bridge that supports the transfer of assets across a wide range of blockchain networks—including Ethereum and Solana. Allbridge is known for its intuitive interface and broad network support, making it accessible to both novice and experienced users looking to engage with multiple blockchain environments.
Crosschain Swapper: The best ETH to SOL bridge
Portal by Wormhole, deBridge, and Allbridge are all fantastic solutions if you'd like to swap assets across different blockchains.
But even though they try to make the bridging experience as seamless as possible, transferring assets across crypto bridges is still complex, slow, and clunky—leading to a lot of frustration.
In order to abstract away the intricacies of crypto bridges, we've introduced our very own Crosschain Swapper.
This solution enables you to bridge tokens across Solana, Ethereum, Base, Sui, and Polygon right in your Phantom wallet.
Here's everything to love:
- Bridge with ease: Transfer tokens across chains without going to centralized exchanges or using complex bridges.
- Get the best deal every time: With optimized performance features, you get the best bridge route every time. Choose "Best Return" or "Fastest" transfer based on your needs.
- Stay informed: See estimated transaction time and cost, for every bridge option, so you always know the status of your funds.
- Enjoy peace of mind: With our set of trusted providers, you can bridge with confidence and without worry.
What to consider before bridging from Ethereum to Solana
Although bridging assets from Ethereum to Solana can unlock new opportunities, it's crucial to consider several factors before initiating such a transfer to ensure a secure and efficient experience.
- Security risks: Cross-chain bridges have been frequent targets for cyberattacks. Notably, bridge exploits have accounted for a significant portion of cryptocurrency thefts in recent years—highlighting the importance of understanding the security measures of the bridge you choose. Always opt for a well-audited and reputable bridge to minimize risks.
- Bridging process: The typical bridging process involves either locking your Ethereum assets in a smart contract and minting equivalent tokens on Solana, or swapping your Ethereum assets through liquidity pools for Solana assets. Familiarize yourself with the steps involved and ensure you're comfortable with the procedure before proceeding.
- Fees & speed: While Solana is known for its low fees and high-speed transactions, the initial bridging process may incur higher costs due to Ethereum's gas fees. Plan your transactions during periods of lower network congestion to minimize expenses. Additionally, be prepared for varying processing times, as network conditions can affect transaction speed.
While bridging from Ethereum to Solana offers access to a vibrant and efficient blockchain ecosystem, it's imperative to approach the process with caution. By understanding the associated risks you can enhance the security and success of your cross-chain transactions.
How to set up a Phantom wallet?
If you’d like a friendly multichain wallet for crypto, NFTs, and DeFi, try us out!
We offer browser extensions for Firefox, Chrome, Brave, and Edge, as well as apps for iOS and Android.
To get started, download the Phantom browser extension or mobile app.
Here’s how you can get set up for mobile:
- Follow the installation steps of the Phantom app on your device
- Open the app—you’ll be greeted by the Phantom onboarding screen
- Select “Create New Wallet”
- Enable biometric security and click “Next”. This secures your wallet using fingerprint or facial recognition to ensure you are the only one that can access it. We strongly recommend turning this feature on!
- You will be presented with your “Secret Recovery Phrase” (seed phrase)
- Be sure to store your Secret Recovery Phrase in a safe and secure location!
- Your Secret Recovery Phrase is the MOST important part of your new wallet:
- Whoever has access to your Secret Recovery Phrase will have access to the wallet’s funds
- If you lose your Secret Recovery Phrase, you will lose access to your wallet and its funds
- We at Phantom never have access to your Secret Recovery Phrase
- Phantom team members will never ask you for your Secret Recovery Phrase
- The Secret Recovery Phrase is the only way to recover your wallet
- After saving your wallet password and securing your Secret Recovery Phrase, select “Continue” to proceed
- You can enable notifications to get instant updates about your wallet activity. These can also be customized in the Phantom app via Settings > Notifications
- To fund your wallet, make sure to check out our Apple Pay and Google Pay guide
Here’s how you can get set up for desktop:
- Follow the steps in your respective extension store to add Phantom to your browser
- Open the Phantom browser extension and select “Create New Wallet”
- Key in a secure password and select “Continue”
- You will be presented with your “Secret Recovery Phrase” (seed phrase)
- Be sure to store your Secret Recovery Phrase in a safe and secure location!
- Your Secret Recovery Phrase is the MOST important part of your new wallet:
- Whoever has access to your Secret Recovery Phrase will have access to the wallet’s funds
- If you lose your Secret Recovery Phrase, you will lose access to your wallet and its funds
- We at Phantom never have access to your Secret Recovery Phrase
- Phantom team members will never ask you for your Secret Recovery Phrase
- The Secret Recovery Phrase is the only way to recover your wallet
- After saving your wallet password and securing your Secret Recovery Phrase, select “Continue” to proceed
- After successfully setting up your Phantom wallet, you can access it on the top right-hand side of your browser's toolbar
- Don’t see Phantom? Click the icon that looks like a puzzle piece to access a list of your browser’s extensions, where you will find Phantom
- Click on the pin icon next to Phantom to make the wallet visible in your browser's toolbar and easier to find in the future
- To fund your wallet, make sure to check out our Apple Pay and Google Pay guide
Disclaimer: This guide is strictly for educational purposes only and doesn’t constitute financial or legal advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.
