Bridging Tokens

bridge_tokens moves tokens between chains: Solana ↔ EVM, or EVM ↔ EVM. Two bridge providers are supported: Wormhole and LayerZero. Bridging is asynchronous — the transaction is initiated on the source chain, and tokens arrive on the destination chain after confirmation.

Policy evaluation applies: bridging is a write operation with the same tiered approval as sends.

How Bridging Works

You call bridge_tokens with source chain (chain), destination chain (to_chain), token, and amount
Seashail executes the bridge transaction on the source chain
The bridge provider relays the transaction to the destination chain
If redeem: true (default), Seashail attempts to auto-redeem on the destination chain (requires destination chain gas)
You receive tokens on the destination chain

Bridging is NOT instant. Confirmation times vary by chain (minutes to hours).

Supported Routes

Solana → EVM: Wormhole or LayerZero
EVM → Solana: Wormhole or LayerZero
EVM → EVM: Wormhole or LayerZero (e.g., Ethereum → Arbitrum)

Not all token/chain combinations have routes — check get_capabilities for available routes.

Bridge Providers

Wormhole (Default)

Broad token support, guardian-based security. Use bridge_provider: "wormhole" or let auto-select.

LayerZero

Ultra-light nodes, fast finality on supported routes. Use bridge_provider: "layerzero" explicitly.

If no provider is specified, Seashail defaults to Wormhole.

Checking Bridge Status

Bridging is NOT instant — confirmation times vary by chain.

Use get_bridge_status to track your bridge transfer. Provide the transaction signature as bridge_id along with the bridge_provider.

Status Flow

Initiated: Transaction submitted on source chain
Confirmed on source: Source chain finality reached
Relayed: Bridge provider relayed to destination chain
Completed: Tokens arrived on destination chain

See Read Tools Reference for details.

Typical Workflow

Check balances on source chain: get_balance
Bridge: bridge_tokens with chain, to_chain, token, amount
Note the bridge transaction ID from the response
Check status: get_bridge_status with the transaction ID
Once complete, verify balance on destination chain: get_balance

Example

{
  "chain": "solana",
  "to_chain": "ethereum",
  "token": "EPjFWdd5AufqSSqeM2qN1xzybapC8G4wEGGkZwyTDt1v",
  "amount": "100",
  "amount_units": "ui",
  "bridge_provider": "wormhole",
  "redeem": true
}

This bridges 100 USDC from Solana to Ethereum via Wormhole with auto-redeem enabled.

Timing And Costs

Bridge times depend on source chain finality + bridge provider relay speed:

Solana → EVM: Typically 5-20 minutes (Wormhole guardian consensus)
EVM → Solana: Varies by EVM chain finality (Ethereum ~15 min, L2s faster)

Bridge fees are typically small but add to gas costs on both source and destination. Seashail handles gas on the source chain; destination chain gas is handled by the bridge relayer (or by Seashail if redeem: true).

When to Bridge vs Swap

Bridge when you want to move the same token (or its wrapped equivalent) to a different chain
Swap when you want a different token on the same chain

You can combine: bridge USDC from Solana to Ethereum, then swap USDC to ETH.

See also: Swapping Guide for same-chain token exchanges.

Notes

For exact parameter details: bridge_tokens reference
Bridge provider-specific parameters (Wormhole receiver address, LayerZero config) are documented in the reference
redeem: true (default) requires the destination wallet to have gas for the redeem transaction
amount=max is NOT supported for Wormhole native path
Policy: Bridging must be enabled in your policy configuration (enable_bridge field)