Bridging

Bridging means sending crypto from one blockchain to another — say, moving USDC off Ethereum and onto a different chain. A “bridge” is the tool that does it, locking your tokens on the chain you’re leaving and releasing the equivalent on the chain you’re arriving at.

Why it matters: a self-custodial card spends from a wallet on one specific chain, so your money has to actually live there before you can tap it. If your stablecoins are sitting on the wrong network, you bridge them over first. Bridging costs a little gas, takes a few minutes, and — the real risk — bridges have been a favourite target for hackers, so stick to the route your card provider points you to.

For example: funding a Gnosis Pay card often means bridging stablecoins onto Gnosis Chain, where your Safe smart account holds the EURe, GBPe or USDCe the card draws on. Get the funds onto the right chain and the card just works; leave them stranded elsewhere and there’s nothing to spend.