How To Swap Bridging Tokens on Non-EVM Chains Safely

This post will provide practical and straightforward instructions for bridging non-EVM chain tokens like Solana and Cosmos.

Other non-EVM chains function differently from Ethereum-based chains, so bridging them is more intricate. I will provide instructions, tools, and techniques to help you cross-chain bridge tokens with the utmost safety.

What Are Bridging Tokens on non-EVM Chains?

On non-EVM chains, bridging tokens are wrapped or pegged representations of assets that have been moved from another blockchain.

Tokens cannot move directly between non-EVM chains like Solana, Cosmos, or Polkadot because they use different infrastructures.

Rather, a bridge creates an equivalent token on the destination chain and locks the original asset on the source chain.

By enabling cross-chain liquidity and interoperability between ecosystems that aren’t natively compatible, these bridged tokens can subsequently be traded, swapped, or used in DeFi apps.

How To Swap Bridging Tokens On Non-Evm Chains

Example: Swapping Bridging Tokens on Solana (Non-EVM Chain)

Step 1: Prepare Your Wallet

• Download and set up the Phantom Wallet (popular Solana wallet).
• Fund it with a small amount of SOL to cover gas fees.

Step 2: Bridge Tokens to Solana

• Visit the Wormhole/Portal Bridge (official site).
• Connect your source chain wallet (e.g., Ethereum via MetaMask).
• Connect your Solana wallet (Phantom).
• Select the token you want to bridge (e.g., USDC from Ethereum).
• Approve the transaction, and wait for confirmation.
• Once completed, the wrapped version (e.g., USDCet) will appear in Phantom.

Step 3: Swap Bridged Token on Solana

• Go to a Solana DEX aggregator like Jupiter or Raydium.
• Connect Phantom Wallet.
• Select your bridged token (e.g., USDCet) as the input.
• Choose your target token (e.g., SOL, USDT, or another SPL token).
• Confirm and execute the swap.

Step 4: Verify Transaction

• Open Phantom and check your new token balance.
• Ensure you still have some SOL left for future transactions.

Why Swapping Bridging Tokens on non-EVM chains Can be more Complex than on EVM Chains

Various Wallet Ecosystems

Non-EVM chains need wallets like Phantom (Solana), Keplr (Cosmos), or Polkadot.js (Polkadot), in contrast to EVM chains that support MetaMask universally. Users now have additional setup steps and learning curves.

Unique Consensus and Standards

Ethereum’s ERC-20 token standards are not followed by non-EVM chains. Every chain has a unique architecture that calls for specific bridges and DEXs (for example, Solana’s SPL tokens, Cosmos’ IBC tokens, and Polkadot’s XCMP assets).

Bridge Compatibility

EVM chains are the ideal fit for the majority of cross-chain bridges. Dedicated solutions like Wormhole, Axelar, or IBC are frequently required for non-EVM chains; these solutions may have less extensive token and network support.

Liquidity Fragmentation

On non-EVM chains, DEX liquidity is frequently chain-specific. For example, Cosmos uses osmosis, whereas Solana uses raydium/jupiter. Users must choose the appropriate platform for swaps because of this fragmentation.

Gas and Fees Management

For transaction fees, every non-EVM chain needs its own native token (SOL, ATOM, DOT, or NEAR). Before bridging and swapping, users must make sure they have an adequate supply of these tokens.

In summary, non-EVM chains require more technical expertise, multiple wallets, and chain-specific bridges, which makes the process less smooth than EVM chains, which provide a more cohesive experience.

What’s the Safest Way To Swap Bridging Tokens on Non-EVM Chains?

To swap bridging tokens on non-EVM chains safely, follow these steps.

• Only use official bridges and DEXs – Do not visit any sites that can be categorized as 3rd party or suspicious.
• Make sure the URLs are correct – Always check for the correct domain as phishing sites are common.
• Never lose your seed phrases – Store a backup offline and under no circumstance, share it.
• Hold native tokens – Keep some SOL, ATOM, DOT or NEAR for gas fees.
• Start with small test transfers – Do not initiate large transfers without testing the process first.

Best Practices & Safety Tips Swap Bridging Tokens On Non-Evm Chains

Use official bridge websites 

To avoid phishing, only use verified websites.

Check liquidity on the destination DEX 

Confirm that you are able to swap your bridged tokens.

Keep native tokens for gas 

Always keep some SOL, ATOM, DOT, or NEAR for gas.

Test with a small transfer first 

Ensure that a small amount can be moved before attempting to transfer larger amounts.

Watch slippage and price impact 

Be cautious of slippage, it can lead to losing more tokens than necessary.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

Transaction time due to validator confirmation

Some Non-EVM chains require several validator approvals which may significantly increase transfer times, be patient and track your transaction on the bridge’s explorer.

Unsupported tokens not appearing in wallet

If you do not see the bridged tokens in your wallet, you may have to add them manually, along with needing to enable the tokens in settings.

Lack of gas fees on the receiving chain

You must always have requirement balances of the native tokens such as SOL, ATOM, DOT and NEAR to be able to carry out transactions. Otherwise your bridged tokens will remain dormant.

Handling failed or stuck transfers

Most bridges have support portals or explorers to resolve stuck or failed transfers. Send them the transaction IDs to assist with recovery and contact the official support of the bridge.

Future of Cross-Chain Swaps on Non-EVM Chains

The swapping of bridging tokens over non EVM chains is becoming more straightforward and seamless cross-chain bridging:

• Increased adoption of inter-operability technologies – Solutions like IBC Layer Zero and Axelar help integrate otherwise siloed chains.
• Converged wallets and simplified cross chain switches – Future wallets may help users bridge multiple chains concurrently with no manual switching between different bridges.
• Cross chain liquidity networks – These protocols could simplify cross chain token swaps by eliminating DEX fragmentation for seamless liquidity sharing across multiple chains.

Conclusion

In conclusion, bridging tokens on non-EVM chains requires specific wallets, trusted bridges, and DEXs for each respective chain.

Though the process takes more steps than for EVM networks, the recommended practices—testing small transfers, conserving tokens, and checking liquidity—provide a safe experience.

As protocols for interoperability improve, cross-chain swaps will become easier and more user-friendly for everyone.

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