Back to: DeFi 101
Value lives on many chains, so bridges move it between them — and bridges are where crypto’s biggest heists happen. Use them with a full understanding of what secures your crossing.
How a bridge works (the 30-second version)
Lock asset on chain A → proof of the lock → mint a representation on chain B. To go back, burn on B and unlock on A. Everything hinges on step two: *who decides the lock really happened?*
The security ladder (strongest first)
1. Native/light-client bridges (IBC, rollup bridges): cryptographic proof, no committee to bribe. 2. Optimistic bridges: fraud-proof windows; secure if watchers are awake. 3. Committee/multisig bridges: N-of-M humans attest. Fine until the M collude, get hacked, or get coerced — most mega-hacks lived here. 4. Custodial wrapping (wrapped tokens): one company holds the real coins. An IOU with a logo.
Practical bridge rules
– Prefer native paths (rollup official bridges, IBC) over third-party ones. – Bridge only what you’ll use soon; don’t park size on the far side. – Check the bridge’s own audit + incident history — “never hacked” beats “audited once in 2021.” – Stablecoins often exist natively on major chains — no bridge needed at all.
The coming design
Interoperability is moving toward shared security (restaking, ZK proofs of consensus) instead of committee trust. Until that matures, treat every bridge as the riskiest hop in your journey — because historically, it is.
Move assets like crossing a rope bridge: light load, good weather, and never
> set up camp in the middle.
Next lesson: the DeFi safety playbook.