move usdc between networks in seconds.

the problem with most bridges

the classic bridge has a pool on each side. you deposit tokens into the pool on one network and someone else's liquidity pays you on the other. that works, but it brings three things you don't want when you just need your own dollars somewhere else: slippage when the pool is thin, a ceiling set by how much liquidity is sitting there, and often a different token on arrival, a wrapped copy that isn't the issuer's own.

how cctp works: burn and mint

CCTP (Cross-Chain Transfer Protocol) is Circle's own way of moving USDC. it skips the pool entirely:

1. burn: the USDC is destroyed on the network you leave.
2. attest: Circle sees the burn and signs a message saying it happened.
3. mint: with that signature, the same amount of USDC is created on the network you arrive at.

since the issuer itself does both ends, what lands is native USDC, the same token Circle issues directly on that network, not a copy. nobody is lending you liquidity, so the size of the move is not limited by a pool. it is not a swap either: USDC goes in, USDC comes out.

fast vs standard

CCTP has two speeds. the mechanism is the same; what changes is how long Circle waits before signing.

1 basis point is 0.01%, so fast mode costs about $0.01 per $100 moved from Solana. we read these fees straight from Circle's public API on 20 aug 2026 and again on 26 sep 2026: same numbers both times.

dolaramp runs every move in fast mode. Standard is free on Circle's side, but on Base and Arbitrum it means waiting a quarter of an hour, and moving between networks in seconds is the point of the product. the API quote shows both modes so you can see the difference.

what we measured

Circle says fast transfers settle in 8 to 20 seconds end to end. in our own tests with real money, a move of $17.88 from Solana to Arbitrum confirmed in 15 seconds: $2.05 dolaramp fee, $0.0018 Circle fee, and $15.82 arrived, a hair above the estimate, because Circle charged less than the cap we allowed.

it is not always that fast. the network occasionally takes longer to finalize. when that happens, the app says "taking longer than usual" and the move shows up in your activity once it lands. once the burn is on-chain, the mint is backed by Circle's attestation, which does not expire: nothing is lost while it waits.

what it costs in dolaramp

our fee is $2 flat + 0.3% of the amount, and the minimum amount you can move is $10. on top of that sits Circle's fast fee, passed through at cost, with no markup. you pay no gas: the app shows the gas line as $0,00 (gasless), and you never need SOL or ETH.

to be straight about it: at the $10 minimum our fee is about 20% of the amount, and it only drops below 1% around $300. many bridges charge a percentage with no fixed part, so for small amounts they are cheaper than us. where dolaramp makes sense is when you want the issuer's own USDC, no gas token, and the fee shown in full before you confirm.

step by step in the app

1. on the home screen, tap bridge. the screen reads "same dollar, another network. gasless."
2. the token is usdc. usdt and pyusd show as "coming soon".
3. in from, pick the network with your USDC (solana, base or arbitrum). in to, pick where it should go. the ⇅ button swaps them.
4. type the amount, or tap max. the line you receive shows what arrives.
5. open details to see dolaramp fee, bridge fee (Circle's) and gas $0,00 (gasless).
6. tap bridge $X usdc and confirm with your password.
7. the receipt shows two lines: out on the network you left and in on the one you arrived at, each with its own hash and a "view" link.

there is no recipient field. the USDC always lands on your own address on the other network, which rules out sending to a wrong address by mistake. on Base and Arbitrum it is the same 0x address.

for businesses: the api

the same move is one call in the dolaramp API, authenticated with your X-Api-Key:

• GET /v1/bridge/quote?from=solana&to=base&amount=100000000 itemizes our fee, Circle's fee and what the recipient receives. amounts are in micro-units: 1 USDC = 1,000,000.
• POST /v1/bridge with from, to, amount and your wallet_secret executes it. to_address is optional (the default is your hotwallet on the destination network), and idempotency_key and external_ref are supported. the response comes back accepted with the burn_tx and an estimate of 8–20 s.
• your system learns it landed from the bridge.confirmed webhook (and bridge.failed, with the stage it failed at), or by polling GET /v1/operations.

pricing by plan: $2 + 0.3% on free, $2 + 0.2% on pro, negotiated on enterprise, same $10 minimum. with no pool behind it, orders go up to $10m. full reference in the api docs, prices on pricing.

limits, today

• USDC only. USDT and PYUSD are not bridged yet. for USDT on Arbitrum, see what USDT0 is.
• three networks: Solana, Base and Arbitrum, in any direction. TRON and TON are not in the bridge.
• minimum amount $10 per move.
• fast mode only for execution.

faq