USD0 is native on every supported chain — not a wrapped or synthetic version. To move USD0 from one chain to another, you have to use a bridge. This article walks through the process and the safety rules.
What bridging means
In simple terms: you lock (or burn) USD0 on the source chain, and the same amount appears on the destination chain. The total USD0 supply remains constant, but your balance moves across chain boundaries.
Because USD0 is natively deployed on each chain, there is no "wrapped USD0" token. Every USD0 is the real thing, with full redeemability on whichever chain it lives.
Option 1 — Usual's bridge (recommended)
The simplest path:
Go to app.usual.money
Open the Bridge page
Pick the source chain
Pick the destination chain
Enter the amount of USD0 to bridge
Confirm the transaction on the source chain
Wait for the destination chain transaction (usually a few minutes)
USD0 appears in your account on the destination chain
Fees: a small gas fee on both chains plus (in some cases) a bridging fee. Total cost is displayed before you confirm.
Option 2 — Third-party bridges
USD0 is supported by several third-party bridging protocols, including standard cross-chain routers. Steps are similar: connect, pick chains, confirm.
Use a third-party bridge only if:
Usual's bridge is temporarily unavailable
You want to leverage a specific routing optimization
You are integrating bridging into an automated workflow
Always use bridges listed in the official docs. Phishing bridges are a common attack vector.
A worked example
Suppose you hold 10,000 USD0 on Ethereum and want to move it to Arbitrum:
Connect your account, open the Bridge page
Source: Ethereum. Destination: Arbitrum. Amount: 10,000 USD0
The app shows: gas on Ethereum ~X USD, bridging fee ~Y USD, estimated arrival ~5 minutes
Confirm the transaction on Ethereum
Wait for the bridge to finalize on Arbitrum
10,000 USD0 appears in your account on Arbitrum (minus the fees)
You can now use the USD0 in any Arbitrum-compatible app.
Typical timings
Corridor | Typical time |
Ethereum → Arbitrum | 5–10 minutes |
Ethereum → Base | 5–10 minutes |
Ethereum → BNB Chain | 5–15 minutes |
Arbitrum → Ethereum | 15 minutes to 1 hour (L2 withdrawal) |
Base → Ethereum | 15 minutes to 1 hour (L2 withdrawal) |
BNB Chain → Ethereum | 5–15 minutes |
Fast bridges exist for some corridors. Slower withdrawals typically apply from L2s back to Ethereum mainnet.
Safety rules
Verify the destination chain before confirming. Sending USD0 to a chain where your account does not exist, or where the contract address is different, can lead to permanent loss.
Verify the destination address. If you are bridging to a different account, double-check the address character by character.
Start with a small test amount if it is your first bridging operation.
Use official URLs. Bookmark app.usual.money and docs.usual.money.
Check the contract address on the destination chain. Addresses are listed in Which chains does Usual support?.
Have gas on both chains. You need ETH on Ethereum/Arbitrum/Base, BNB on BNB Chain. A failed transaction from missing gas is the most common error.
What happens if a bridge stalls
Occasionally, cross-chain messages take longer than expected due to network congestion or relayer issues. If your USD0 does not appear after 30 minutes:
Check the transaction on the source chain — is it confirmed?
Check the bridge's status page if available
Look for announcements on Usual's official channels (X, Discord) for ongoing incidents
If nothing is happening, contact support at [email protected] with your transaction hash
Usual funds are not lost during delays — they are in transit. Patience plus verification usually resolves the situation.
Fees
Bridging costs depend on three things:
Gas on the source chain — highest on Ethereum, low on L2s and BNB Chain
Bridge fee — a small percentage, typically under 0.1%
Gas on the destination chain — usually low
Total cost for a typical USD0 bridge from Ethereum to Arbitrum is usually under $5–10 during normal network conditions.
Note: Never send USD0 directly to an exchange address on a chain where Usual is not deployed. The exchange will not credit the deposit if the token is not recognized. Always verify chain compatibility before any transfer.
Technical note (for DeFi users): Usual's bridge uses a combination of Chainlink CCIP and LayerZero for cross-chain messaging. The canonical USD0 contract on each chain is the receiving endpoint. For L2 withdrawals (Arbitrum/Base → Ethereum), the standard L2 withdrawal delay applies unless using a liquidity-bridge like Across or Stargate. See the docs for the full bridge specification.
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