Arbitrum is a layer 2 (L2) scaling solution focused on lowering high gas fees and providing faster transactions on the Ethereum blockchain. It’s widely regarded as one of the most significant Ethereum network projects because its innovative solutions help Ethereum become a more sustainable and scalable environment.

And although layer 2s are necessary for layer 1 (L1) scalability, transferring crypto-assets from one network to another leads to a fragmented user experience. Fortunately, there’s a solution. 

Bridges are DApps that connect L1s with L2s. They’re essential to the crypto ecosystem as they allow users to migrate cryptocurrencies between blockchain networks.

So if you want to make faster and cheaper transactions using Arbitrum, you’ll have to transfer crypto-assets from Ethereum to Arbitrum with the Arbitrum Bridge, the official DApp developed by the network.

To bridge funds from Ethereum to Arbitrum, you first have to add the Arbitrum network to your MetaMask wallet, then connect your MetaMask account to the Arbitrum bridge.

Although the solution may seem confusing, it’s not as difficult as you think.

What is the Arbitrum network?

The Arbitrum blockchain is an L2 scaling solution for the L1 Ethereum blockchain. It provides a more efficient smart contract system, more secure transactions, and lower gas fees to improve Ethereum’s blockchain.

It uses ‘Optimistic Rollups’, smart contracts that reduce data processing on the Ethereum L1 blockchain by processing the data off-chain. These contracts create a more efficient system requiring fewer contracts to confirm more transactions, resulting in lower gas fees.

You can interact with the Arbitrum network by bridging your crypto-assets with Arbitrum Bridge. By doing so, you’ll enjoy the benefits of a faster network with lower gas fees.   

Who built Arbitrum?

The Arbitrum network is built by a U.S. company called Offchain Labs. They call themselves a

global community of developers, academics, and operators, with deep experience in cryptography, decentralized systems, and game theory.

Offchain Labs has been working to solve the congestion issue on the Ethereum network since Ed Felten, Steven Goldfeder, and Harry Kalodner founded the company in 2018.

Is Arbitrum a Layer 2?

Arbitrum is an L2 scaling solution for Ethereum built to migrate data from the L1 Ethereum Mainnet to the L2 Arbitrum network.  

L2 solutions are a set of scaling solutions for the Ethereum blockchain. They are extending Ethereum’s security through other blockchains that provide a faster and cheaper system of smart contracts.

How does Arbitrum Bridge work?

Arbitrum Bridge is a DApp with functionality to move, transfer or shift crypto-assets from the Ethereum L1 network to Arbitrum.

You can’t use cryptocurrencies between L1 and L2 networks without a bridge. DApps like Arbitrum Bridge are developed to offload data from the native blockchain to L2 networks so you can use your crypto on a faster and cheaper network.

Does MetaMask support Arbitrum?

MetaMask is compatible with Arbitrum. There’s an added benefit: you can connect it to the Arbitrum Bridge to move crypto-assets from the L1 Ethereum network to the L2 Arbitrum network. 

All you have to do is add the Arbitrum network to MetaMask, then connect your MetaMask to the Arbitrum Bridge. Pretty easy, right?

In this article, you’ll learn how to connect the Arbitrum network to MetaMask and how to bridge funds with the Arbitrum Bridge using MetaMask. Keep reading to find out how.

How do I add Arbitrum to MetaMask wallet?

To add Arbitrum to MetaMask, you’ll have to input Arbitrum network’s details in your MetaMask wallet. Follow these steps for the solution:

1. Open MetaMask in your web browser and log in to your wallet.
2. Go to the Network Dropdown and select ‘Add network’.

3. Fill in Arbitrum network’s details:

Network name: Arbitrum One
New RPC URL: https://arb1.arbitrum.io/rpc
Chain ID: 42161
Currency symbol: ETH
Block explorer URL (optional): https://arbiscan.io/

4. Click save. Now you’ll see that Arbitrum will appear once you click the Network dropdown box.

How do I add Arbitrum to MetaMask mobile?

To add the Arbitrum network to MetaMask, you’ll have to manually input the details of the network into your MetaMask wallet app. Follow these brief instructions to learn how to do it :

1. Open your MetaMask wallet app on your mobile device.
2. Touch the network dropdown at the top of the screen.
3. Fill in the Arbitrum network details:

Network name: Arbitrum One
New RPC URL: https://arb1.arbitrum.io/rpc
Chain ID: 42161
Currency symbol: ETH
Block explorer URL (optional): https://arbiscan.io/

4. Select ‘Add’. Now you’ll have Arbitrum connected to your MetaMask wallet.

How to bridge Arbitrum to Ethereum using Metamask

If you want to move funds from Ethereum L1 to Arbitrum L2, you’ll need to use the Arbitrum Bridge, a DApp built to transfer or bridge crypto-assets like ETH to make cheaper and faster transactions.

To learn how to bridge Arbitrum to Ethereum using MetaMask, just follow these steps:

1. Go to the Arbitrum Bridge website and connect your MetaMask wallet
2. Enter the amount of funds you want to add to Arbitrum.
3. Click ‘Move funds to Arbitrum One’ and confirm the transaction with MetaMask.
4. Although you’ll be charged lower fees for using the bridge, you’ll still have to pay for Ethereum’s gas fees.
5. You’ll have your funds on the Arbitrum network once MetaMask confirms the transaction.

How much does it cost to bridge to Arbitrum?

Arbitum transaction fees range from $2 to $5 depending on the assets you’re trading and the type of transaction you make. The only way to figure out how much you’ll be charged in fees is by entering the amount you wish to transact. 

A quick note: Arbitrum uses ArbGas to keep track of the transaction costs on the Arbitrum network.

Summary

Arbitrum’s L2 network gas fees are lower than Ethereum’s L1 network. The Arbitrum network allows users to make faster and cheaper transactions than on Ethereum. By bridging crypto-assets from the Ethereum Mainnet to the Arbitrum network, you’ll be able to enjoy the benefits of Arbitrum’s scaling solution.

To bridge funds from Ethereum to Arbitrum, you must first add the Arbitrum network data to your MetaMask wallet, then connect your MetaMask account to the Arbitrum Bridge. It’s a relatively straightforward process that will help you save money if you’re trading crypto-assets frequently.