How to Bridge Tokens From Arbitrum Nova

Bridge From Arbitrum Nova to Ethereum

You can bridge funds from Arbitrum Nova to Ethereum by using third-party bridges like Orbiter Finance, Symbiosis Finance, Rhino.fi and Hop Protocol. Alternatively, you can use the official Arbitrum bridge that promises better security at the cost of an 8 day challenge period.

Key Takeaways

• Arbitrum Nova is the second Layer 2 solution developed by Arbitrum. Like Arbitrum One, it handles transactions in its execution layer so that more transactions are executed in a shorter time and for a cheaper fee. To speed up the process, Arbitrum Nova also utilizes a data availability committee to expedite the process of posting transaction data to Ethereum.

• Like any other blockchain network, crypto assets can be created on Arbitrum Nova. These assets can be moved through bridges between Arbitrum Nova, Ethereum mainnet, and other EVM or non-EVM networks.

• To move assets to and from Arbitrum Nova, users can opt for either third-party bridges that offer faster resolution, or the official Arbitrum bridge that offers better security at the cost of an 8 day challenge period.

Arbitrum Nova was developed for applications seeking higher throughput execution layers and willing to sacrifice some level of decentralization and security for this. Instead of the normal rollup technology used by Arbitrum One, Arbitrum Nova uses the AnyTrust protocol which adds an extra trust assumption in the form of a data availability committee that expedites the process of storing, batching, and posting Layer 2 transaction data to Ethereum.

This lets Arbitrum Nova offer faster transaction processing speed, compared to Arbitrum One. In essence, Arbitrum Nova is a higher-throughput and more trust-based variant of Arbitrum One. Like Arbitrum One, decentralized applications can be deployed on Arbitrum Nova. Fungible tokens and NFTs can also be minted on the network. Notable cryptocurrency projects that operate on Arbitrum Nova include Reddit Moons (MOON) from the r/cryptocurrency Reddit community.

Despite being relatively less popular, the Arbitrum Nova network executes over 300,000 transactions daily, and tens of new contracts are deployed on the network daily. Verified addresses on the network exceed two million, growing by at least 2,000 wallets every day. Defilama reports a TVL of $2.43 million for Arbitrum Nova, with most of the protocols being DEXs and bridges.

Arbitrum Nova users can move their assets between the network and other networks through bridges. Here are some independent bridges that support Arbitrum Nova, offering asset inter-network transfer services for cryptocurrency enthusiasts on the Arbitrum Nova network. The bridges below are listed in order of popularity based on their social media following.

Orbiter Finance

Orbiter Finance supports asset transfer between Ethereum and Layer 2 rollup networks like Linea, Arbitrum and Arbitrum Nova, Optimism, and zkSync Era. It charges a withholding fee that ranges from <$1 to >$3, and normal network charges could also apply.

Major role players in Orbiter Bridge’s technology include a Maker, the Sender, and a set of smart contracts. The Maker deposits and locks funds on the target (or destination) network, the Sender sends funds to the Maker on the source network, and the Maker proceeds to transfer an exact amount to the sender on the target network. 

This process is controlled by three smart contracts. The Maker Deposits Contract (MDC) oversees the custody of the Maker’s locked assets and the transfer of funds to the Sender. The Event Binding Contract (EBC) defines and controls these rules while the Simple Payment Verification (SPV) contract stores the proof of transactions on Orbiter. In this way, Orbiter hopes to support cheap and fast cross-rollup transactions.

How To Bridge Between Arbitrum Nova And Other Networks Using Orbiter Finance

1. Visit the Orbiter Finance bridge.

2. Connect your wallet to the platform.

3. Select the asset you wish to bridge.

4. Set the direction of your bridge.

5. Enter the amount you wish to bridge.

6. Click Send to continue.

7. Review the details of the transaction and click Confirm and Send if satisfied.

8. Approve the transaction from your wallet to complete.

The bridged asset will be received on the destination network once the transaction is completed.

Symbiosis Finance

Symbiosis serves inter-network asset transfer requests using pooled liquidity from EVM and non-EVM networks. Symbiosis uses smart contracts to implement asset transfer logic, creating a connection between blockchain networks of varying architecture. This process is also aided by the Symbiosis relayers that ensure successful communication between the concerned networks. 

Symbiosis claims that this procedure is completely decentralized and secure. Symbiosis Finance bridge supports several networks including Arbitrum One and Arbitrum Nova, Ethereum, Avalanche, Polygon, along with other networks. A fee of about $0.50 applies to bridging transactions on Symbiosis Finance, along with normal network fees.

How To Bridge Between Arbitrum Nova And Other Networks Using Symbiosis Finance

1. Visit Symbiosis Finance bridge.

2. Click Connect Wallet to connect your wallet to the platform.

3. From the Transfer From dropdown, select the source network and the asset you wish to bridge.

4. From the Transfer To dropdown, select the destination network and the asset you wish to receive.

5. Enter the amount of the asset you wish to bridge.

6. Review the details of the Swap and click Approve to allow the platform to use the asset (if needed).

7. Click Swap after the asset has been approved.

8. Approve the final transaction from your wallet to complete.

The bridged asset will be received on the destination network once the transaction is completed.

Rhino.fi

Rhino.fi bridge supports over 500 crypto assets and 6 major chains including Arbitrum Nova. Rhino Finance claims to have transacted over $1.5 billion worth of assets. It claims to be a self-custody platform that lets users move assets between chains without complex bridges or network switches. Depending on the asset and direction, the bridging fee on Rhino.fi is up to $3. Normal network transaction fees still apply.

By design, Rhino Finance is built on StarkEx Validium Layer 2 technology. It utilizes smart contract technology in a fashion similar to that described for the official zkSync bridge. Smart contracts deployed on the target chain and StarkEx work in synergy to retain and release funds on supported networks as required by users. The platform is governed by a DAO that votes on improvement proposals using DVF, the project’s native token which also doubles as a reward token for users of the platform.

How To Bridge Between Arbitrum Nova And Other Networks Using Rhino.fi Bridge

1. Visit Rhino.fi

2. Click Connect Wallet to connect your wallet to the platform

3. Select the asset you wish to bridge (note that some assets might not be available for the direction you wish to bridge).

4. Set your source and destination network.

5. Enter the amount of the asset you wish to bridge.

6. Approve assets where needed.

7. Click Bridge and approve the final transaction from your wallet.

The bridged asset will be received on the destination network once the transaction is completed.

Hop Exchange

Hop Protocol’s bridge currently supports Ethereum, Optimism, Arbitrum, Arbitrum Nova, Polygon, Gnosis, and XDai. It utilizes liquidity technologies, decentralized pools, and token minting strategies to create a communication path between Ethereum Layer 2 networks, sidechains, and the Ethereum mainnet. 

Hop uses smart contract tokens known as Hop protocol bridge tokens (hTokens), which are issued at a ratio of 1:1 with the locked asset. hTokens are flexible tokens that can be transferred and redeemed across chains, and they serve as a reflection of true assets locked on supported chains. The transfer command triggers a burning and minting function, where hTokens are burnt on the source network and the same variant and number of hTokens are minted on the destination chain and account.

How To Bridge Between Arbitrum Nova And Other Networks Using Hop Exchange

1. Visit Hop Exchange.

2. Connect your wallet to the platform.

3. Select the asset you wish to bridge and the direction of your bridge.

4. Enter the amount of the asset you are bridging.

5. Click Send to continue.

6. Review the details of the transaction in the popup window and click Send.

7. Approve the transaction from your wallet to complete.

The bridged asset will be received on the destination network once the transaction is completed.

Bridge From Arbitrum Nova To Ethereum Through Centralized Exchanges

Arbitrum One is supported by a large number of centralized exchanges, unfortunately, this is not the same for Arbitrum Nova. However, some centralized exchanges also support asset deposits and withdrawals through the Arbitrum Nova network. These centralized exchanges can be used as an improvised bridge. To use this feature, you can deposit your asset to the exchanges from the source chain and withdraw it to your wallet using the target network.

To bridge from Arbitrum Nova to Ethereum using a centralized exchange, send your Arbitrum Nova network asset from your wallet to the exchange and withdraw it to your wallet via the Ethereum network. Follow the reverse route to bridge from Ethereum to Arbitrum Nova via the CEX. In any case, ensure to select the right network and copy the right wallet address.

Official Arbitrum Bridge

The official Arbitrum bridge is operated by the Arbitrum team and only supports the bridging of assets between any of the Arbitrum networks (Arbitrum One or Arbitrum Nova) and the Ethereum network. It uses a mint-and-burn mechanism to move assets between supported networks. When bridging from the Ethereum network, the tokens are locked on the Ethereum blockchain and an equivalent amount is minted on the destination chain. To withdraw, the asset is burnt on the Arbitrum chain and the locked asset on the Ethereum blockchain is released.

However, as Arbitrum is an optimistic rollup, withdrawals from the official Arbitrum bridge will take 8 days to complete, as the challenge period has to end before funds are released.

How To Bridge Assets From Arbitrum Nova Through The Official Arbitrum Bridge

1. Visit the Official Arbitrum Bridge.

2. Connect your wallet to the platform.

3. Set the direction of your bridge (ensure you select Arbitrum Nova instead of Arbitrum One).

4. Select the asset you wish to bridge.

5. Enter the amount you wish to bridge.

6. Click Move Funds to Ethereum to continue (or Move Funds to Ethereum if you are withdrawing from Arbitrum Nova. You will need a third-party bridge to move assets between Arbitrum One and Arbitrum Nova).

8. From the next dialog, select a provider for your bridge. To use the official Arbitrum bridge, click Use Arbitrum’s Bridge from the top.

9. Review the terms and check the boxes if you agree with them. Again, note that it will take around 8 days.

10. Click Continue and approve the transaction from your wallet to complete

Assets bridged using the official Arbitrum bridge could take up to 8 days to arrive at the destination network.

 Final Thoughts

Bridging fees and the time taken to complete the asset transfer are some of the major points to consider while selecting a bridge. The official Arbitrum bridge could take up to 8 days to complete the bridging process. For third-party bridges, the process is usually faster and only takes a few hours at most. 

However, when using third-party bridges, ensure that you do your own research around the authenticity and reliability of each platform before you connect your wallet.

Also, note that this article only serves as a tutorial for bridging between Arbitrum Nova and other blockchain networks and should not be taken as financial advice. Always do your own research on the bridge you are intending to use before connecting your wallet, and ensure that all links are correct.

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Joel Agbo

Joel is deeply interested in the technologies behind cryptocurrencies and blockchain networks. In his over 7 years of involvement in the space, he helps startups build a stronger internet presence through written content. Follow the author on Twitter @agboifesinachi