Blockchain Network: Why Can't You Just Transfer Tokens?

Simply put, a blockchain network is an open database where all transactions are stored in “blocks” (hence the name — chain of blocks). Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Polygon — all of these are different blockchain networks.

Here's the catch: these networks are not connected to each other. Sent bitcoins to an Ethereum wallet address? The money goes nowhere. Forever. Even if it is technically possible to recover the tokens, it costs as much or more than the loss itself.

How to transfer tokens between networks?

We managed to come up with blockchain bridges (Cross-chain Bridge). This is how it works:

1. Send Bitcoin to the bridge provider's address
2. He locks your bitcoin while issuing “wrapped” bitcoin (wBTC) on the Ethereum network.
3. This is not real Bitcoin, but its digital equivalent, the value of which is tied to the original.
4. Do you want to get the original back? You send the wrapped bitcoin back, the provider burns it and returns the real one to you.

Bridges also help convert token standards (, for example, from ERC-20 to BEP-2).

Main rule: always check the destination address and supported network before the transaction.