Why Cross-Chain Transfers Need Gas on Both Chains

Cross-chain transfers often need gas on both chains because each network must process its own part of the move. The source chain records your request and locks or burns the asset. The destination chain then releases or creates the asset there. Gas is the fee paid to have a network process a transaction.

What does gas pay for on each chain?

Gas pays for separate transactions on separate networks. On the source chain, your wallet pays to submit the transfer to the bridge’s contract, which is software that follows set rules. That transaction can take gas even if a later step on the destination chain has not happened yet.

The destination chain has its own validators and fee rules. A bridge may need to call a contract there to release funds or finish the transfer. That call uses destination-chain gas. A token you hold on one network usually cannot pay that fee on another, so having funds for the transfer does not always mean you can complete every step. For more on routes and delayed transfers, see super bridge. The route can affect which steps remain.

Why can’t the bridge pay the second fee?

Some bridges do arrange destination gas for users. They may use a relayer, a service that submits a transaction for someone else, and recover the cost through a fee or the transfer itself. Other designs ask the user to make a claim on the destination chain. There is no single rule: who pays depends on how that bridge handles the final step.

This creates a trade-off. A relayed transfer can feel simpler because the user may not need the destination chain’s gas token. But the service has to be available, and its fee and rules matter. A direct claim gives the user control over when to submit the final transaction, but requires a compatible wallet and gas on that network.

What should you check before sending?

Check the transfer screen and bridge instructions for the route’s fee and completion steps. In particular, look for:

• Which network you are sending from and which one will receive the funds.
• Whether the destination step happens automatically or needs a separate claim.
• Which token pays the destination gas fee, if you must submit that step.
• Whether the quoted fee includes bridge charges as well as network gas.

If a transfer is pending, first check its status in the bridge interface and confirm which step is unfinished. If the destination requires a claim, you may need a small amount of that chain’s gas token. Do not resend the transfer just because it is delayed; first confirm that the original request failed and follow the bridge’s recovery instructions.

The practical rule is simple: budget for the network where you start, then check whether your chosen route also asks you to pay on the network where you finish. A bridge may cover that second fee, but the route’s instructions tell you whether it does.