If you’re asking how to bridge to zkSync today, the destination is ZKsync Era. The older ZKsync Lite stopped producing blocks on 4 May 2026. Deposit ETH or tokens from Ethereum through the canonical bridge, or through one of the third-party bridges ZKsync lists on its site. Gas on Era is paid in ETH, so bring some. Withdrawals back to Ethereum through the canonical bridge are delayed by at least three hours, not the seven days of an optimistic rollup. If you still have money on ZKsync Lite, it can be claimed, and the steps are below.
- ZKsync Era is the live chain. ZKsync Lite’s block production was suspended at 09:00 UTC on 4 May 2026.
- Remaining Lite balances are frozen but still claimable through a claim contract.
- ZKsync’s own docs point users to a list of supported bridges. The canonical bridge contracts sit underneath.
- Canonical withdrawals have a minimum 3-hour delay (cut from 21 hours under governance proposal ZIP-4). Batching and proving can add more time.
- Fast third-party bridges can deliver in minutes in both directions, for a fee.
How to bridge to zkSync: first, which ZKsync?
The name has covered several different systems, and search results mix them up:
| Network | What it is | Status in Oct 2026 | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZKsync Lite (formerly zkSync 1.0) | The original payments-focused ZK rollup, launched 2020 | Deprecated. Block production stopped on 4 May 2026 and its state is frozen. | Claim any leftover funds. Don’t deposit. |
| ZKsync Era | The EVM-compatible ZK rollup most people mean by “zkSync” | Live | Bridge here |
| ZK Stack chains | Separate chains built with ZKsync’s software (Abstract, for example) | Live, each with its own bridge setup | Use that chain’s own guide |
Our zkSync explainer covers the technology and the ZK token. This page only covers moving money in and out.
Getting funds out of ZKsync Lite after the shutdown
ZKsync announced in December 2025 that it would retire Lite in 2026. In February 2026 it set 4 May as the date. On that day, block production was suspended and the final state was frozen, so balances can’t change. About $33.9 million was still bridged to Lite in February, according to L2BEAT figures reported at the time, so plenty of people may still have funds there.
What we know about claiming:
- Funds left on Lite stay claimable. ZKsync said claim tooling would be released right after the shutdown.
- Control of the claim contract and the remaining assets is moving from Matter Labs to ZKsync governance (the Token Assembly), according to a governance forum post.
- A read-only API is planned for at least a year after the shutdown, so you can look up your historical balance.
Only reach the claim tool through links on ZKsync’s official site or docs. A frozen chain holding millions of dollars attracts phishing pages offering “Lite migration” or “emergency withdrawal” services. A real claim never asks for your seed phrase.
How to bridge ETH to zkSync Era
ZKsync’s docs say users can deposit and withdraw through “multiple available” bridges, listed on the Era page of zksync.io. Underneath them all is the canonical bridge: the L1 contracts that lock ETH or ERC-20 tokens on Ethereum and mint them on Era. Here’s how a canonical deposit works, whichever front end you use:
- Add ZKsync Era to your wallet. MetaMask, Rabby and most EVM wallets support it. Chain ID 324 is ZKsync Era mainnet.
- Choose a bridge from ZKsync’s list and connect your wallet on Ethereum mainnet.
- Pick the asset and amount. ETH is simplest. ERC-20s need an approval transaction first.
- Confirm on Ethereum. You pay Ethereum gas plus a small fee that covers executing the deposit on Era.
- Wait for the L2 mint. The deposit is a priority transaction that Era picks up from Ethereum. It usually appears within minutes, though Ethereum congestion can slow it down.
Arrive with ETH, or make sure some of what you bridge is ETH. Era uses native account abstraction, and some apps can sponsor gas through paymasters. But in an ordinary wallet, you pay for your next transaction in ETH.
Fast zkSync bridges and exchange withdrawals
If the source isn’t Ethereum mainnet, or you don’t want to pay L1 gas, the alternatives are often better:
- Intent-based bridges such as Across, Relay and Orbiter fill your order on Era from their own liquidity, often within seconds. They then settle with each other later. You pay a fee, but no Ethereum mainnet transaction is needed if you start on Arbitrum, Base or Optimism.
- Exchange withdrawals. Some large exchanges list ZKsync Era as a withdrawal network for ETH and certain tokens. Network lists change, so check your exchange’s withdrawal screen for “zkSync Era”. Don’t pick “zkSync Lite”, which some old network lists may still show.
When you compare quotes, include the gas you’ll pay on the source chain, not just the bridge’s fee. Our layer-2 overview explains why ZK rollups and optimistic rollups price exits so differently.
zkSync withdrawal time explained
Coming back to Ethereum through the canonical bridge takes longer than the deposit, but far less than the week people expect from optimistic rollups. The main points:
- The time lock. ZKsync chains apply a withdrawal delay. Governance proposal ZIP-4 cut it from 21 hours to a 3-hour minimum, and changing it again would need another community vote.
- Batching and proving. Your withdrawal has to be included in a batch, proven and executed on Ethereum. ZKsync’s docs say the 3 hours is not a guarantee, and aggregation can add an hour or two depending on activity.
- Finalization. On mainnet, anyone can finalize a provable withdrawal on L1, and in practice this is usually handled for you. If a withdrawal looks stuck after it’s provable, the bridge interface or explorer shows its status.
Older guides from Lido and wallet providers say about 24 hours. Those figures date from before ZIP-4. If you need the money in minutes, a third-party bridge from Era to Ethereum or another L2 skips the delay entirely, because the bridge provider takes on the waiting.
zkSync bridge routes compared
| Route | Into Era | Back to Ethereum | You rely on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canonical bridge (via a front end listed by ZKsync) | Minutes, after Ethereum confirms | 3-hour minimum delay plus batching and proving | ZKsync’s L1 contracts and validity proofs |
| Intent bridge (Across, Relay, Orbiter) | Seconds to minutes, from Ethereum or another L2 | Seconds to minutes | The bridge protocol’s contracts and solvers |
| Exchange withdrawal on ZKsync Era | Exchange processing time | Deposit back to the exchange on Era | Exchange custody |
| ZKsync Lite claim | n/a (no deposits) | Claim through official tooling | The claim contract under ZKsync governance |
ZK Stack chains are a separate trip
Chains built with ZKsync’s ZK Stack share technology with Era but run as their own networks, with their own bridges, apps and sometimes their own gas setup. Abstract, the consumer-focused chain, is the best-known example, though it is scheduled to shut down on 15 December 2026. Bridging to Era doesn’t put your funds on Abstract. See our sibling guide on how to bridge to Abstract for that route.
Common mistakes on ZKsync
- Choosing “zkSync Lite” in an exchange network dropdown. That network is frozen.
- Arriving with no ETH. Without ETH for gas, tokens sit in your wallet unusable unless an app sponsors the transaction.
- Using old withdrawal estimates. Plan around 3+ hours, not 24 hours or 7 days.
- Copying contract addresses from social media. Get bridged token addresses from ZKsync’s docs or the explorer.
To move funds onward from Ethereum to another chain afterward, see bridging back to Ethereum. For the bigger picture on bridge trust models, see our crypto bridging guide.
FAQ
What is the official zkSync bridge?
ZKsync Era’s canonical bridge is a set of contracts on Ethereum that lock assets on L1 and mint them on Era. ZKsync’s documentation sends users to a list of supported bridge front ends on zksync.io rather than promoting one interface. Use a bridge from that list, and check that the destination is ZKsync Era, not the deprecated Lite network.
How long does a zkSync withdrawal take?
Through the canonical bridge, withdrawals from ZKsync Era to Ethereum have a minimum 3-hour delay after ZIP-4 cut it from 21 hours. Batching and proof generation can add an hour or two, so total time varies. Third-party bridges such as Across or Relay can deliver in minutes because they front the funds themselves and charge a fee.
How do I withdraw from zkSync Lite now?
ZKsync Lite stopped producing blocks on 4 May 2026 and its balances are frozen, but they remain claimable. ZKsync released claim tooling after the shutdown, and control of the claim contract is moving to ZKsync governance. Reach the tool only through ZKsync’s official website or docs. No real claim process asks for your seed phrase.
Do I need ETH to use zkSync Era?
Usually, yes. Gas on ZKsync Era is priced in ETH, so a standard wallet needs ETH to send tokens or use apps. Some apps use paymasters to sponsor fees or accept other tokens, thanks to native account abstraction. Don’t count on that. Bridge a small amount of ETH along with any other tokens.
Crypto is volatile and risky; this is education, not financial advice. Do your own research.
