What to do when a bridge route changes

If a bridge route changes after you send tokens, check the transfer status before trying to recover them. A new quote does not change a transaction already confirmed on-chain. Cross-chain transfers can have several steps, and, as 0x’s recovery guide explains, a transfer may succeed on the source chain even if the bridge or destination step fails.

Can you change a route after sending?

Usually, you choose a new route before you confirm a new transaction; you cannot swap the route of one already in progress. Before signing, compare the estimated amount, fees and tokens used at each step. A route may swap your starting token before it reaches the bridge. For a closer look at how ParaSwap spot-swap routes are assembled, see this guide to ParaSwap’s token-swap routes. After sending, use the bridge or app’s activity page to follow the transaction you signed.

What token comes back in a refund?

A refund may be in a different token from the one you sent. 0x’s documentation says the returned token depends on the bridge step: if ETH is swapped to USDC before bridging, an origin-side refund may return USDC. Superbridge’s help guide gives the same practical advice: look for the token the route swapped into, as well as the original token.

Check the transfer record for the refund’s chain, token and amount. Superbridge says its activity view shows the original transaction and the refund transaction, and that refunds return to the sending wallet. Some providers may subtract the cost of sending a refund, so the amount can be lower.

How do you check whether tokens are coming back?

Read the status before taking another action. A “refund pending” status means the refund has started but is not confirmed; 0x advises continuing to check until it reports success. A destination retry can mean the provider is still trying to complete the transfer, not returning funds. Some routes do not offer refunds at all: Superbridge says native bridges and messaging routes can keep processing until delivery instead.

• Save the source transaction hash and open it on the source-chain explorer.
• Check the bridge’s activity page for a refund or a destination-side action.
• Confirm the refund chain and token before searching your wallet balance.
• If the status remains unresolved beyond the provider’s stated time, contact its official support with the transaction hash.

Do not submit a second bridge transfer just because the route or displayed estimate changed. First confirm whether the original transfer completed, is still processing, or has a confirmed refund. The route’s status and recovery details are a better guide than the quote you saw before signing.