• The Ethereum-Polygon ERC-20 bridge is the most active bridge for digital assets, with nearly $2.18 billion of assets locked in the bridge.
• The Arbitrum: L1 Custom Gateway, Arbitrum: L1 ERC20 Gateway, the Optimism: Gateway; and the Polygon (Matic): Ether Bridge connectors are all significantly active as well.
• Bridges are essential for ETH, since the blockchain is not inherently interoperable.
The Ethereum-Polygon ERC-20 bridge is a major player in the burgeoning world of digital assets, having locked nearly $2.18 billion of assets as of January 23. This bridge is the most active, dwarfing the $1.36 billion of assets locked in the Ethereum and Arbitrum bridge and the $894 million in the Ethereum and Polygon Plasma bridge.
The Arbitrum: L1 Custom Gateway, Arbitrum: L1 ERC20 Gateway, the Optimism: Gateway; and the Polygon (Matic): Ether Bridge connectors are all significantly active, rounding out the top five most active bridges. Additionally, dYdX: L2 Perpetual Smart Contract; Synthetix: L2 Deposit Escrow; and AnySwap: Fantom Bridge were the other links that capped the top 10 most active.
Bridges are essential for ETH, as the blockchain is not inherently interoperable. Most protocols strive to connect their ecosystems to ETH, given its first mover advantage and vibrant community. ETH bridges are essential for a functional ecosystem, allowing end users to benefit from the platform.
The Ethereum-Polygon ERC-20 bridge is a major example of the power and potential of Ethereum and digital assets. Its dominance in the bridge world demonstrates that Ethereum is here to stay, and that the platform is essential to a functional digital asset ecosystem. The other bridges are also important, as they provide essential links between Ethereum and other platforms, allowing for seamless interoperability. As the digital asset world continues to grow, these bridges will become ever more important.