Check a Bridge Quote’s Expiry Before You Sign

A bridge quote can stop being usable before you sign or confirm the transfer, so check its deadline and details again before you approve it. A bridge moves tokens between blockchains, often through a route that swaps or passes assets across one or more networks. The quote is an estimate of what that route should deliver, not a guarantee that the same terms will remain available.

What does a bridge quote’s expiry mean?

Expiry marks how long a route or its quoted terms are meant to remain valid. The bridge service may refresh or withdraw the route when prices, liquidity or network conditions change. Some quotes also include a transaction deadline that a contract checks when the transaction runs. The exact effect depends on the route and the app: an expired quote may need to be refreshed, or a transaction using an expired deadline may fail.

Expiry is different from slippage, the gap between an expected price and the price a trade can accept. A quote can still be within its time limit but deliver less than expected if the market moves within the allowed slippage. For a closer look at routes and delays, read how Bungee Bridge routes transfers. A route’s timing and path can affect what you see in the quote.

What should you check before signing?

Compare the wallet request with the latest quote, especially if you left the page open or changed any settings. Check that the sending and receiving networks and tokens are right, then review the amount expected at the destination after fees. The wallet’s confirmation screen may show transaction data rather than repeat the full quote, so return to the bridge page if anything is unclear.

• Route: Confirm the source and destination networks, plus any intermediate steps shown.
• Amount: Check the expected amount to receive and any minimum output.
• Costs: Review the network fee and any swap or bridge fees shown.
• Deadline: Refresh the quote if its timer has run out or the route details have changed.

A token approval is separate from the transfer itself. It gives a contract permission to use a token up to an approved amount; check the token and spender shown in the wallet. Don’t treat an approval as proof that the bridge transfer has started.

What happens if the quote expires after signing?

Signing usually authorizes a wallet transaction; the network still has to process it. If the route or its deadline is no longer valid when the transaction executes, it may fail and the transfer may not complete. A failed transaction can still consume a network fee. In other cases, the transaction may remain valid under the contract’s rules, even if the page’s quote timer has reached zero.

If you have signed but the transfer is pending, check its status in the wallet or on the relevant network before trying again. Sending a second transaction too soon can leave you with two attempts to track. If you have not signed, refresh the quote and review the new route and destination amount. For most readers, refreshing before approval is the simpler choice: it gives you current terms to compare and avoids relying on a stale estimate.