Bridge fees are not just the advertised percentage
Wrap steps, destination gas, and waiting time — the extras we add when an altcoin route leaves its home chain.
Bridges advertise a clean percentage. Audits rarely end there.
Extra lines we add
- Gas on the source chain to enter the bridge
- Gas or fees on the destination to claim or receive
- Any wrap or unwrap step required by the bridge design
- Opportunity cost of waiting — qualitative, but noted when settlement is slow
When to avoid bridges in the comparison
If the client’s policy already forbids a bridge, we still calculate it once for the memo, then discard it. Seeing the number helps partners understand why the “cheapest” public route was refused.
Next reading
Our fee guide walks the full layer order. For a live pass on your pairs, contact the desk.