Cross-chain · Ethereum → Arbitrum One

Swap USDC from Ethereum to ETH on Arbitrum One

Swap USDC from Ethereum to ETH on Arbitrum One. A wallet that needs ETH for gas on chain 42161 spends Circle USDC on Ethereum and receives native ETH there.

The output is native ETH, marked 0xEeeeeEeeeEeEeeEeEeEeeEEEeeeeEeeeeeeeEEeE. On this route that placeholder means ETH on Arbitrum One, the gas coin Arbiscan shows for chain id 42161, not Arbitrum Nova. It is a different balance from native ETH on Ethereum. You spend Circle USDC at 0xA0b86991c6218b36c1d19D4a2e9Eb0cE3606eB48 on Etherscan. You still need a little ETH on chain id 1 to pay for that send. Mainnet blocks are about 12 seconds. The ETH you receive can pay later transactions on Arbitrum One.

Diagram for Swap USDC from Ethereum to ETH on Arbitrum One — USDC leaves Ethereum. ETH is what can arrive on Arbitrum One.

This ETH is the gas coin on Arbitrum One

People open this pair because an Arbitrum One wallet full of tokens still cannot move them without ETH. Receiving native ETH fixes that. Receiving USDT or ARB would not. The marker 0xEeeeeEeeeEeEeeEeEeEeeEEEeeeeEeeeeeeeEEeE names the gas coin. Do not import it as a custom ERC-20.

The USDC you approve on Etherscan

Spend 0xA0b86991c6218b36c1d19D4a2e9Eb0cE3606eB48, Circle USDC, 6 decimals. Circle's native USDC on Arbitrum One is 0xaf88d065e77c8cC2239327C5EDb3A432268e5831 and is not the input. If your dollars are already on chain 42161, swap them for ETH there. This bridge is the wrong tool for that wallet.

L1 ETH and L2 ETH are separate

Selling USDC for ETH on Ethereum leaves you with mainnet gas. It does not fund Arbitrum One. How cross-chain bridges work is why the source chain collects its own fee first. Keep ETH on chain id 1 for the USDC send, then use the received ETH on chain id 42161.

Nova is the wrong network

Arbitrum One is chain id 42161. Nova is a different chain. A wallet pointed at Nova will not show this ETH in the gas line you care about. Switch to Arbitrum One and read the native balance on Arbiscan. Leave some ETH unspent for the next signature.

Legal

Risk disclosure

XAUConnect is a non-custodial swap aggregator. Digital assets are volatile and may lose value rapidly. Content on this page is educational and not investment advice. Verify every contract address on the official block explorer before approving a transaction.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best way to swap USDC from Ethereum to ETH on Arbitrum One?

Will this ETH show up on Ethereum?

No. The ETH you receive is the native gas balance on Arbitrum One, chain id 42161. Etherscan's native ETH line is the coin you may have spent as gas, not the receipt. Switch the wallet off Ethereum and off Arbitrum Nova. Arbiscan shows the gas balance for the address on Arbitrum One.

Do I approve an ETH contract?

You approve Circle USDC at 0xA0b86991c6218b36c1d19D4a2e9Eb0cE3606eB48. Native ETH on the destination is the placeholder 0xEeeeeEeeeEeEeeEeEeEeeEEEeeeeEeeeeeeeEEeE, not a token to import. You also need ETH on chain id 1 so the USDC transfer can pay gas. The USDC itself cannot cover that fee.

Is buying ETH on Ethereum enough?

Only if the next signature is on chain id 1. Mainnet ETH does not pay Arbitrum One gas. This route is the one that delivers native ETH on chain id 42161 from Circle USDC. Skip it when you wanted a stablecoin to remain a stablecoin on Arbitrum One.

Live execution

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Open the swap page with this cross-chain route pre-selected, then connect your wallet on the source chain to quote and execute. You keep the keys.

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