World Chain Bridge: Guide to Fast & Secure Bridging in 2025

Crypto was built on transparency, authenticity, and privacy. While identity has always been a nuanced topic in web3, few have reimagined it as foundational infrastructure. World Chain is changing that.

Built on the OP Stack and developed by World (formerly known as Worldcoin) World Chain integrates World ID at the protocol level to distinguish humans from bots while preserving user sovereignty. This makes it easier for developers to build trust-based applications and for users to access faster, cheaper blockspace.

With EVM equivalence, low fees, and millions already onboarded through World App, World Chain offers a scalable path to more meaningful onchain participation.

To maximize this environment, users need a bridging experience that aligns with its speed, cost-efficiency, and reliability. This guide explores World Chain and how to bridge there quickly, cheaply, and securely with Across.

World Chain is an Ethereum Layer 2 network developed by the World Foundation, co-founded by Sam Altman. Built on Optimism’s OP Stack, it combines the scalability of optimistic rollups with a protocol-level identity layer designed for verified human users.

Unlike generalized rollups, World Chain integrates World ID (World’s privacy-first decentralized identity protocol) directly at the protocol level, enabling applications to distinguish between bots and real users without compromising privacy. This allows for more efficient allocation of blockspace and opens the door to attack-resistant incentive design.

World Chain maintains full EVM equivalence, meaning developers can deploy existing Ethereum contracts and tooling without modification. It also benefits from the shared security, liquidity, and interoperability of the broader OP Superchain ecosystem.

By combining identity-aware infrastructure with Ethereum compatibility, World Chain delivers a scalable, trust-based foundation for a new generation of global onchain applications.

As of 2025, World Chain is one of the most ambitious networks in growing Ethereum L2 space. It introduces a human-first architecture that redefines how identity and access are handled onchain.

Since launching World Chain, World has raised over $135 million, amassed a TVL of over $42 million, and gained widespread attention for integrating World ID directly into the new protocol. World Chain is built to serve real users at scale, and it’s already backed by a rapidly growing base of developers and early adopters.

World Chain’s leadership and architecture position the network as a key piece of Ethereum’s scaling roadmap, particularly for applications focused on access, distribution, and real-world impact. Its early ecosystem includes public goods experiments, consumer apps, and projects that benefit from sybil-resistant incentives.

Bridging to World Chain early gives you access to a novel identity-aware environment with meaningful differentiation from other Layer 2s. Here’s what to expect from the World Chain ecosystem:

World Chain currently secures around $42 million in total value locked (TVL), with early integrations from Morpho, Re7 Labs, and Uniswap. These protocols bring core liquidity and lending functionality to the network and signal strong alignment with Ethereum-native DeFi.

World has announced a forthcoming Visa card that connects directly to the World App wallet, allowing you to spend $WLD and other digital assets at any Visa-accepting merchant. Merchants receive fiat without requiring crypto knowledge or custody.

The project is also piloting sybil-resistant features across consumer platforms, including a Tinder integration in Japan through a partnership with Match Group, focused on profile authenticity and safety. Additionally, World App users now have direct access to Kalshi’s regulated prediction markets via a dedicated in-app mini-app.

It’s important to note that, while the World Chain and $WLD token have positioned themselves as hubs of innovation and speculation since mainnet launch, the World project itself has faced its fair share of controversy as it continues to encounter global regulatory challenges due to its use of biometric data. 

World ID’s iris-scanning technology and incentive model are currently under investigation in India, South Korea, Italy, Colombia, Argentina, Portugal, and Indonesia. Hong Kong and Brazil have banned the project outright, while Spain and Kenya have paused key parts of its operation.

Additionally, recent criticism of the Orb Mini device, including widespread mockery across X, has raised further concerns around privacy, usability, and the broader ethics of biometric identity verification.

World Chain supports multiple bridging methods, including a native bridge interface and a growing ecosystem of third-party solutions.

World Chain’s native bridge interface is provided by Alchemy. As the project’s rollup-as-a-service (RaaS) provider, Alchemy powers the main UI used by both developers and end users for bridging into the network.

Under the hood, Alchemy Bridge connects to World Chain’s canonical bridge, an architecture shared across the Superchain, which secures transactions directly on Ethereum. It enables trusted asset transfers with full compatibility across World Chain’s ecosystem.

In addition to Alchemy Bridge, World Chain supports third-party bridging protocols, including Across, which offer faster settlement, broader chain access, and reduced gas costs. These are often preferred for time-sensitive or cost-sensitive activity.

Here’s what to expect from the Alchemy bridge:

When Does the Alchemy Bridge Make Sense?

Across: The Most Efficient World Chain Bridge

While the Alchemy bridge facilitates transfers from the Ethereum mainnet to and from World Chain, it doesn’t offer L2 to L2 bridging. For those that require this seamless crosschain interoperability, Across is the most efficient way to bridge to and from World Chain.

Across uses an Intents-based bridging architecture secured by UMA’s optimistic oracle (OO). Third-party relayers and liquidity providers front the transfer, allowing you to receive your funds on the destination chain almost instantly while final settlement occurs asynchronously on Ethereum.

If you're curious about how it works under the hood, we’ve written extensively about crosschain interoperability and the role of Intents. The short version: Across delivers secure, cost-efficient finalization without compromising on speed or security.

Bridging to and from World Chain with Across is the more efficient move because:

Across is the most efficient bridge to World Chain, and the best part is that using Across is incredibly intuitive and user-friendly. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

To bridge from Ethereum mainnet (or any supported L2) to World Chain, start by visiting the Across app and connecting your wallet.

Next, choose your origin (from) and destination (to) chains. For this example, we’ll bridge from Arbitrum to World Chain. Here, you’ll also specify how much ETH you want to bridge, which will prompt Across to estimate the time and fees based on current network conditions.

Note: This process is the same if you’re bridging from World Chain back to mainnet. Just reverse the origin and destination chains. 

Once you’ve specified the amount of ETH you'd like to bridge and have looked over the fee details, click on “confirm transaction”, and your coins will be on their way. Transactions are completed in seconds, so you’ll receive your assets on World Chain almost instantly.

World Chain is redefining identity and access in web3. Built on the OP Stack, it’s more than just another Layer 2. It’s an identity-aware chain that prioritizes verified users, reduces costs, and opens the door to new forms of digital coordination.

With full EVM equivalence, low fees, and native World ID integration, World Chain is built for developers creating trust-based apps and users looking for fairer, more inclusive onchain experiences.

To access everything World Chain has to offer, bridging is your first step. It connects you to a growing ecosystem of DeFi protocols, consumer apps, and public goods experiments.

For users bridging from Ethereum, the Alchemy Bridge offers a secure entry point. But if you're looking for the fastest transactions, lowest fees, or need to bridge from other L2s like Arbitrum, Polygon, or Optimism, Across is the most efficient way to bridge to World Chain.

Bridge with Across for the fastest, most affordable, and reliable way to access World Chain in 2025.

Try Across today and experience the best World Chain bridging solution firsthand.

For more information on World Chain, bridging, and crosschain transfers, check out these resources:

If you're new to bridging, check out these guides:

How do you bridge from World Chain back to ETH?

You can use either of the following:

Can assets be moved back from World Chain to Ethereum?

Yes. Assets bridged to World Chain can be returned to Ethereum using the official native bridge or a third-party option like Across.

How do I use the Wold Chain Bridge to transfer tokens?

Visit worldchain-mainnet.bridge.alchemy.com connect your wallet, choose your token (ETH, USDC, etc.), enter the amount, and confirm the transaction.

Note: Withdrawals may require manual claiming depending on asset type and interface used.

If using the native bridge, manual claiming may be required for certain assets.

If using the aggregator, routes will be selected based on cost/speed preferences.

How long does bridging take?

What are the costs?

Bridging costs vary depending on method and current network conditions:

Is bridging secure?

Yes, but each option uses a different trust model:

Both offer strong security models. Alchemy Bridge is ideal for users prioritizing L1-finality and native infrastructure. Across delivers faster execution and lower costs with capital-efficient guarantees.