Active

StarkGate Review 2026: Official Ethereum–Starknet Bridge

StarkGate is the official token bridge between Ethereum and Starknet, developed by StarkWare. It suits users who want the canonical route into Starknet, but they should check fees and withdrawal times before moving funds.

By the DappsAtlas editorial team · Updated Nov 5, 2026

DappsAtlas score

7.6/10

Good

Our verdict on Starkgate

7.6/10

StarkGate is the default way to move ETH and supported tokens between Ethereum and Starknet, and its official status and open-source contracts are its strongest points. It suits Starknet users and developers who want the canonical route rather than a third-party bridge. The main caveats are that fees, audits and withdrawal timings are not confirmed in the sources reviewed, and that pooled bridge contracts carry smart-contract risk. Test with a small amount and verify the site address first.

Score breakdown

How Starkgate scores

Security: 8.0/10
Ease of use: 7.5/10
Fees: n/a
Features: 7.0/10

Scores run from 0 to 10 and are based only on facts we could verify. Where information was missing we mark the score n/a rather than guess.

What is Starkgate?

StarkGate is the main token bridge connecting Ethereum and Starknet. Public reporting describes it as developed by StarkWare, the company behind Starknet's technology, and it is the route most Starknet guides recommend for moving ETH and other tokens in from Ethereum.

The project has gone through versions. An early StarkGate Alpha was released on testnet and mainnet to gather community feedback. The current contracts are maintained in a public repository, and they include a registry for bridged tokens, with both permissionlessly enrolled and legacy tokens.

There are separate bridge contracts for stablecoins such as USDT and USDC, and a June 2025 Starknet recap says USDC can also move between Bitcoin and Starknet through Runes. The homepage could not be loaded for this review, so details on fees, withdrawal times and audits are not confirmed here.

How Starkgate works

StarkGate is a canonical bridge. A user deposits a token into a StarkGate bridge contract on Ethereum, and the matching token is made available on Starknet. The deposit function on the L1 contract takes the specified amount of an ERC-20 token and passes the message to Starknet.

To go back, the process runs in reverse. The token is burned or locked on the Starknet side, and the L1 contract releases the original asset on Ethereum after the transfer is finalised. Because Starknet is a Layer 2 network settled on Ethereum, the bridge holds the L1 assets that back the L2 balances.

A registry contract keeps track of bridged tokens, including those added permissionlessly and older legacy bridges. A newer Bitcoin route lets users bring USDC to Starknet through Runes, according to a June 2025 Starknet recap.

6 features

Key features

Official Starknet bridge

Described by public reporting as the primary token bridge between Ethereum and Starknet, developed by StarkWare.

Ethereum to Starknet deposits

Move ETH and ERC-20 tokens from Ethereum to Starknet through an L1 bridge contract that receives the deposit.

StarkGate Registry

A central contract where bridged tokens are registered, including tokens enrolled permissionlessly and legacy bridged tokens.

Stablecoin bridge contracts

Separate bridge contracts exist for tokens such as USDT and USDC, visible on a public block explorer with source code.

Bitcoin Runes USDC route

A June 2025 Starknet recap reports USDC bridging between Bitcoin and Starknet via Runes is live on StarkGate.

Open-source contracts

Contracts are published in a public repository with tagged releases, so developers can inspect the code.

Pros and cons

What we like

Described as the primary, official bridge between Ethereum and Starknet
Developed by StarkWare, the team behind Starknet's technology
Open-source contracts with tagged releases that can be inspected
Token registry supports permissionless enrolment of new tokens
Adds a Bitcoin Runes route for USDC
Widely covered by third-party guides and block explorers

Watch out for

Moving funds back to Ethereum from Starknet can involve a withdrawal delay, which is typical of canonical bridges but frustrating for users who need speed
Bridge contracts hold large pooled balances, so a smart-contract flaw would have a wide impact
Users depend on the security and upgrade controls of Starknet and its operator, which the project does not describe in detail
Supports only Ethereum, Starknet and a Bitcoin Runes route for USDC, not a wide range of chains
Fee levels, audit reports and the team's governance details are not published in the sources reviewed
Bridged tokens such as USDT on Starknet are separate representations of the L1 asset and carry their own risks

Starkgate fees

The sources reviewed do not publish a StarkGate fee schedule. As with most bridges, users should expect to pay Ethereum gas when sending a deposit or finalising a withdrawal on L1, plus any Starknet transaction costs.

The bridge interface and the connected wallet show the estimated cost before a transaction is confirmed. Check those numbers, especially during busy periods on Ethereum, before moving funds.

Is Starkgate safe?

StarkGate is a canonical bridge, so its security rests on the bridge contracts on Ethereum and on Starknet's own design. The contracts are open source, and the bridge contracts appear on a public block explorer with verified code, which lets anyone inspect them. The sources reviewed do not list specific audit reports or any past incident.

The main risks are smart-contract bugs, upgrade or admin-key controls, and phishing. Fake bridge sites and ads are common, so users should reach StarkGate only through Starknet's official documentation and check the contract address. Bridged stablecoins on Starknet are bridge-issued representations, so their value depends on the bridge working as designed.

6 steps

How to get started with Starkgate

1
Open the StarkGate site by typing the address yourself or using the link from Starknet's official documentation, and avoid links from ads or messages.
2
Install a compatible Ethereum wallet and a Starknet wallet if you plan to receive funds there.
3
Connect the Ethereum wallet and choose the token and amount to bridge.
4
Review the estimated gas cost and any shown timing, then confirm the deposit transaction.
5
Wait for the transfer to show on Starknet and check the balance in your Starknet wallet.
6
Try a small test amount first, and learn how withdrawals work before moving larger sums.

Who Starkgate is for

StarkGate suits anyone who wants to move assets between Ethereum and Starknet through the official route, including DeFi users, Starknet app users and developers testing on the network. It is a practical choice for people who prefer a canonical bridge over third-party liquidity bridges and are comfortable waiting for withdrawals. It is less suited to users who need many chains or instant exits.

Starkgate FAQs

What is StarkGate?

StarkGate is the main token bridge between Ethereum and Starknet, developed by StarkWare. It lets users move ETH and supported ERC-20 tokens between the two networks.

Is StarkGate the official Starknet bridge?

Yes. Public reporting describes it as Starknet's official bridge, and its contracts are published in an open-source repository maintained under the Starknet organisation. Always confirm you are on the correct address before connecting a wallet.

How do I bridge from Ethereum to Starknet with StarkGate?

A deposit sends the token to an L1 StarkGate contract on Ethereum, which triggers the matching token to be made available on Starknet. A deposit function on the L1 contract handles the ERC-20 transfer. Timing and fees are not stated in the sources reviewed.

Does StarkGate support Bitcoin?

Yes. A June 2025 Starknet recap says USDC bridging between Bitcoin and Starknet is operational on StarkGate through Runes. Users can create USDC Runes on Bitcoin and bring them to Starknet.

Can new tokens be added to StarkGate?

Yes. The project has a StarkGate Registry, a central contract in which bridged tokens are registered. According to the release notes, this covers tokens enrolled permissionlessly as well as legacy bridged tokens.

What does StarkGate cost?

The sources reviewed do not publish a fee schedule. Users pay Ethereum network gas for L1 transactions and should check the quote shown in the bridge interface and their wallet before confirming.

Compare

Starkgate alternatives

All alternatives

Base Bridge

Canonical Bridge

Base Bridge is the canonical bridge for moving supported assets and data between Ethereum and Coinbase's Base layer-2 chain, with about $3B in TVL.

TVL $2.87B+2.3%Ethereum

Arbitrum Bridge

Canonical Bridge

Arbitrum Bridge is the canonical bridge that moves ETH and ERC-20 tokens between Ethereum mainnet and the Arbitrum Layer-2 rollup.

TVL $3.27B−1.3%Ethereum

Polygon Bridge

Canonical Bridge

Polygon Bridge is the canonical route between Ethereum and the Polygon network, used by people moving assets onto Polygon via the official Portal.

TVL $2.68B+1.6%Ethereum

Optimism Bridge

Canonical Bridge

Optimism Bridge is the canonical bridge between Ethereum and OP Mainnet, used to move assets to the Optimism layer 2.

TVL $503M−11.0%Ethereum · Base · Optimism

Linea Bridge

Canonical Bridge

Linea Bridge is the official canonical bridge and funding page for moving assets from Ethereum to the Linea layer 2, plus aggregator and exchange routes.

TVL $212M−1.6%Ethereum

Mantle Bridge

Canonical Bridge

Mantle Bridge is the official canonical bridge for moving tokens between Ethereum and the Mantle Layer-2 network, used by Mantle users and developers.

TVL $107M−5.8%Ethereum

Same category