Bridging across chains and swapping tokens between Ethereum and Solana require a cross-chain bridge.
Read on to learn what cross-chain bridges are and how they work, and discover a step-by-step guide on how you can use the Magic Eden cross-chain bridge to swap your ETH for SOL.
Cross-chain bridges are protocols you can use to send tokens between two blockchains, such as Ethereum and Solana. Each blockchain network is like an island that processes transactions within itself. In many cases, cross-chain bridges are the only way to transfer assets across chains.
Ethereum to Solana bridges work through liquidity pools or a lock-and-mint mechanism. These techniques allow users to transfer assets from Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) to Solana's virtual machine and vice versa.
Liquidity pools are the fastest and most flexible method to bridge between blockchains. Liquidity pools execute transactions in the same way a DEX does.
Let's illustrate with an example of transfering an Etherum token to Solana. You will make two transactions. First, you will sell your Ethereum token to the liquidity pool. In exchange, the pool will send you an equivalent amount of the token on Solana as determined by an Automated Market Maker (AMM).
While two transactions, you usually only see a token swap transaction.
Token lock and mint is another method to send assets from one chain to another. Using the same example, you would lock your Ethereum asset in a smart contract. A new token would then be minted on Solana. The new tokens are referred to as wrapped. For example, ETH becomes soETH, or wrapped ETH on Solana. When you want to transfer back to Ethereum, you send the wrapped token to the smart contract. It burns the wrapped version and returns the locked assets on Ethereum.
Magic Eden has a built-in bridge called Swap that lets you quickly exchange tokens between Ethereum and Solana (and other chains) with minimal fees.
Here’s how you can use the bridge step-by-step.
Before starting the swap, you need to connect a wallet. Magic Eden has its own Magic Eden Wallet and also supports several other wallets, including MetaMask and Phantom. In this guide, we’ll use the Magic Eden Wallet that you can find and install here.
If the wallet is already installed, go to the Magic Eden website, click “Log In” in the top right corner and select Magic Eden Wallet from the list. Since the bridge is from Ethereum, you will use your EVM address.
The system will then prompt you to connect your wallet to the marketplace.
Click “Continue with Magic Eden,” then “Connect,” then “Sign” to proceed. Your ETH balance will appear in the top right corner.
After connecting your wallet, open the Swap tab from the menu at the top right of the Magic Eden marketplace. This is where the cross-chain bridge is located.
The interface is simple, with one column for the token you’re sending and another for the token you want to receive.
Select the network and tokens. In our case, we’re swapping ETH on Ethereum for SOL on Solana. The top of the interface shows the supported networks and below are the available tokens for swap.
Each network requires payment of gas fees in its native currency. On Ethereum, that's ETH. So if you hold USDC, for example, you won’t be able to send a transaction without ETH.
Fees can only be paid in the blockchain’s native currency. Therefore, before starting any swap, be sure you have enough ETH in your wallet to pay the fees.
Now, enter the amount of ETH you want to swap. The system will automatically calculate the amount of SOL you’ll receive. It also takes into account the fees you need to pay.
Since the exchange involves two different networks, the platform can’t automatically detect the destination address. You’ll need to manually enter your Solana wallet address to receive the SOL.
To get this address, open Magic Eden Wallet. In the wallet interface, go to your profile in the upper left corner. Click the pencil icon, select Solana in the list and copy the address.
In the Swap interface, go to the “Receive To” field, select “Custom Wallet,” and paste your Solana wallet address there. In some cases, the address may fill in automatically.
Be sure the Solana address is correct before taking the next step.
With all the fields neatly filled, click the “Swap Now” button. The interface will prompt you to approve the transaction. This approval allows the smart contract to access the specified amount of tokens.
The process usually takes 1 to 3 minutes. It may take longer if the network is busy. You’ll see the swap status, which will update to “Swap complete” when finished.
Once the ETH to SOL transfer is complete, you can view the transaction details on the blockchain explorer. For Ethereum, use Etherscan.io, and for Solana, use Solscan.io.
These tools allow you to check whether the transaction was successful and the tokens were sent to your address. This might be especially important when bridging funds to another wallet or handling large amounts of crypto.
And that’s it, you’ve successfully completed a cross-chain swap, bridging tokens between Ethereum and Solana!
When you want to bridge tokens from Solana to Ethereum, the process is the same, you just need to choose different tokens.
In addition to bridging ETH to SOL, on Magic Eden, you can swap assets between other networks such as Ethereum, Base, Solana, Polygon, Bitcoin and ApeChain.
Everything goes through the same interface. You don’t need to visit multiple sites, switch wallets, or learn the mechanics of different bridges.
Visit Magic Eden and move tokens between networks using the built-in Swap!
Yes, you can. Token swaps between Ethereum and Solana happen through a cross-chain bridge, which transfers assets between different networks. Magic Eden is one of the platforms that offer this feature via the Swap interface. Simply select your tokens, enter the wallet address, and confirm the transfer. We've also written guides on other swaps, including ETH to ETH on Base.
On average, bridging takes one to three minutes. The exact time depends on the route and blockchain load. Sometimes the transaction is nearly instant; other times it takes a little longer. The interface you are using may display the status in real time and notify you when the swap is complete.
Find a platform that finds you the best bridge route based on fees, speed and liquidity. This removes the need for manual selection and reduces costs, so you don’t overpay for inefficient paths. Magic Eden will help you with exactly that.
If you want a simple, secure and fast way to bridge tokens, you should consider Magic Eden. The Swap interface combines multiple networks and routes. You can bridge tokens between Ethereum, Solana, Base, Polygon, Apechain, and more. Magic Eden suits both beginners and experienced Web3 users.
Swap can be used for swapping assets on the same chain as well as for bridging assets across chains. Some of the most popular use cases include buying meme coins or making swaps on Solana.
After you bridge funds you can interact with any protcol that exists on that blockchain. Magic Eden's NFT marketplace is one of the most popular protocols on both Ethereum and Solana.
Some of the most popular NFTs by trading volume (at time of writing) on Ethereum include Milady Maker, Bored Ape Yacht Club, Pudgy Penguins, Crypto Punks, Good Vibe Club, Doodles, and Azuki.
The information provided on this website is provided for general educational purposes only and is in no way financial or investment advice. Certain information may have also been provided to us or prepared by third parties; these materials are provided for convenience and are not an endorsement by Magic Eden. Magic Eden is not liable for any errors, changes or amendments to such information, including any actions taken in reliance on such information.
