Before a cross-chain swap, check the destination chain’s native gas, whether the quote includes it, and the minimum output after slippage; these checks tell you if the received token will be usable. If gas is excluded, arrange a small native-token balance or choose a route that explicitly delivers gas.
What should I check in the quote?
Check whether you need the destination chain’s native token to make your next transaction. USDC arriving on Arbitrum, for example, does not pay Arbitrum transaction fees; those are paid in ETH. Also check whether the quote charges destination gas from your swap amount or sends you a separate gas balance.
For the route-selection steps, see how to choose a fermi swap route; this article focuses on making the arriving funds usable. With fermi swap, check the actual quote for the selected network pair: gas handling can depend on the route, so don’t assume the bridge supplies destination ETH.
- Estimated output: the amount expected before the swap executes.
- Minimum received: the least the route promises under its slippage setting.
- Gas and fees: any source-chain gas, bridge fee, swap fee, or destination-gas deduction shown.
How do I tell if I’ll have enough gas?
Compare the destination gas estimate with the native-token balance you expect to receive or already hold. If you are swapping 100 USDC into USDC on Arbitrum and the quote only delivers USDC, you may still need a little ETH on Arbitrum to approve a token or make a later swap. The required amount depends on the transaction and current network demand; there is no fixed cross-chain gas amount.
In a route aggregator such as LI.FI, the source transaction uses gas on the sending chain, while destination gas may be collected from the transfer amount. Some routes support a destination swap or call; if that follow-up action fails, LI.FI says the bridged token can still arrive without the swap or call. Read the route’s estimate and status details before relying on an automatic conversion.
What should I do if the destination wallet has no gas?
Choose one of three practical fixes: select a route that explicitly includes destination gas, send a small amount of the destination chain’s native token separately, or first bridge an asset that can be used to obtain that gas. Axelar’s gas service, for example, lets an application prepay for cross-chain execution, but that does not mean every route pays the end user’s future wallet fees.
Before signing, compare the final amount and any gas delivery against the next action you plan to take. If the bridge completes but you cannot move the received token, ask yourself: What exact native token will pay for my first transaction on the destination chain?