Snowbridge Upgrade
We are excited to share that Snowbridge recently underwent a significant upgrade, as approved by Referendum 1468. This upgrade introduces two major enhancements to our bridging capabilities:
- Native Ether Support
- Bridging Polkadot-Native Assets to Ethereum
Read on for more details.
Native Ether Support
Snowbridge now supports the transfer of native Ether from Ethereum to Polkadot. Previously, Ether had to be wrapped into the WETH ERC20 token before it could be bridged. This new functionality offers:
- Simpler UX: Users can send Ether directly without having to perform a wrap/unwrap process.
- Lower Transaction Costs: Eliminating the wrap/unwrap steps reduces fees and potential friction.
We’re also pleased to announce that Hydration will be one of the first projects to leverage this new feature, enabling its users to transfer native Ether directly from Ethereum.
Polkadot-Native Assets on Ethereum
With the recent gateway upgrade, users will soon be able to bridge Polkadot-native assets (e.g., DOT) to Ethereum. This expansion allows Polkadot assets to tap into Ethereum’s DeFi ecosystem, boosting overall liquidity and utility across both networks.
The referendum to register Polkadot-native assets on Ethereum is now open.
Parachain Integrations
Other major news is that Snowbridge is now seamlessly integrated into Hydration, Moonbeam and Bifrost. Transfers to these parachains can be completed in a single click from Ethereum to the respective parachain. These integrations have been months in the works with close collaboration with parachain teams. We thank each team for their effort into getting these key integrations completed.
To test out these integrations, use:
Polkadot to Ethereum Improvements
We’ve been working diligently to enhance the Polkadot-to-Ethereum transfer experience based on community feedback, resulting in two major improvements:
- Faster transfers: Down from roughly four hours to about 35–60 minutes.
- Cheaper fees: Polkadot-to-Ethereum transfer fees have decreased from ~6 DOT to 1.5 DOT.
Ethereum to Polkadot fees are also lower (now ~0.66 USD), thanks to current market conditions.
Electra Upgrade
With the imminent Electra upgrade taking place on Ethereum, the Snowbridge Ethereum light client has been updated to support the new hard-fork. We conducted a successful live switchover test on March 5 on our Sepolia–Westend bridge, ensuring a smooth transition when Electra goes live.
Our referendum to upgrade Polkadot with the Electra-compatible Ethereum client will be out soon. Electra is planned for 30 April on Ethereum mainnet.
Revamped UI
While we encourage using Turtle’s official interface and integrations with various parachains, we’ve also improved Snowbridge’s own user interface to deliver a more user-friendly experience. These updates aim to make the bridging process simpler and more intuitive.
Snowbridge V2
Looking ahead, our development efforts continue with Snowbridge V2, which will offer:
- Significantly lower Fees: Significantly reduced transaction costs for bridging.
- Enhanced UX: A more seamless process, making cross-chain transfers faster and easier.
Snowbridge V2 is currently undergoing a thorough audit by Oak Security. Meanwhile, the code changes to the Polkadot SDK have passed review and was merged last week.
Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to enhance Snowbridge and expand the cross-chain capabilities within the Polkadot and Ethereum ecosystems.