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Across Official: Intents Bridging, Fast Fills & ACX 

Across Official: Intents-Based Bridging Hub 

Across Protocol Official is the premier cross-chain bridge optimized for speed and capital efficiency using Intents-Based architecture. This technical documentation serves as the primary resource for utilizing the Fastest L2 Bridge, integrating the ERC-7683 Standard for dApps, and participating in ACX Token Governance. Across connects Layer 2s and Mainnet with near-instant settlement. 

Across Ecosystem: The Speed Layer 

Across solves the "Finality vs. Latency" trade-off by changing who takes the risk.

Intents: In traditional bridges, you send funds and wait. In Across, you signal an Intent ("I want 1 ETH on Arbitrum").

Relayers: Independent actors (Relayers) see your intent. They verify you made the deposit on the source chain, and then they immediately send you the funds on the destination chain from their own pocket.

Settlement: The user is happy (transfer complete). The Relayer now waits to be reimbursed by the protocol's HubPool. This separates the user's speed from the slow blockchain verification process.

HubPool, Relayers & UMA 

The infrastructure of Across Protocol Official relies on optimistic verification to lower costs.

HubPool (Ethereum): Across uses a single liquidity pool on Ethereum Mainnet. All Layer 2 "Spoke Pools" connect to this hub. This allows for "Netting"—if Alice sends 1 ETH to Arb, and Bob sends 1 ETH from Arb, the tokens don't need to move; the protocol just nets the difference.

UMA Optimistic Oracle: How do Relayers get paid back safely? Across uses UMA. Relayers submit a bundle of fills they performed. If no one challenges this bundle within a "Challenge Window" (usually ~2 hours), the HubPool reimburses them. This avoids expensive on-chain verification for every single transaction.

Universal Bridge Adapter (UBA): Allows Across to connect diverse chains (EVM and potentially non-EVM) by standardizing the messaging format.

ACX, LPs & Relayer Fees 

The reward system incentivizes speed and liquidity depth.

Liquidity Providers: Users can deposit ETH, USDC, or WBTC into the HubPool. They earn a portion of the bridge fees. Because of the "Netting" efficiency, APYs can be competitive with lower risk of impermanent loss compared to AMMs.

Relayer Fees: Relayers compete to fill orders. The Relayer who offers the lowest fee (or fastest fill depending on user preference) wins the trade. They earn the difference between the fee charged to the user and the gas cost.

ACX Token: The governance token. $ACX is used to incentivize LPs and to vote on protocol upgrades, such as adding new chains or changing the fee structure.

Security, Audits, and Risks 

Across Protocol Official utilizes a unique security model based on economic guarantees.

Optimistic Security: The system assumes Relayers are honest. Security comes from the "Watcher" network (part of UMA). If a Relayer claims a fake fill, a Watcher can challenge it and win a bounty. This requires at least one honest Watcher to be online.

Audits: The contracts have been audited by OpenZeppelin and Risk DAO.

Relayer Liveness: If all Relayers go offline, the bridge falls back to a "Slow Mode" (Canonical Bridge) where the user does have to wait for full finality. Funds are not lost, just delayed.

Official Documentation & Reference 

Access the verified Across Protocol Official technical resources below:

App: across.to

Docs: docs.across.to

Governance: forum.across.to

Twitter: x.com/AcrossProtocol

Frequently Asked Questions 

How is Across so fast? It uses Intents-Based Bridging. A Relayer fronts the money to you instantly, taking the risk of waiting for the blockchain to settle so you don't have to.

What is the ACX token? $ACX is the governance token. It controls the DAO and allows the community to manage the bridge's treasury and parameters.

Is it safe? Across uses UMA Optimistic Oracle for security. It is generally considered secure, but relies on economic game theory (Watchers challenging bad actors) rather than purely cryptographic proofs like ZK bridges.

What is ERC-7683? It is a standard co-developed by Across and Uniswap. It allows any wallet to express a cross-chain intent, making it easier for apps to integrate Across without building custom code.

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Across Protocol Bridge: The Definitive Guide to Intent-Based Interoperability in 2026

In 2026, the era of slow, vulnerable "lock-and-mint" bridges has effectively ended. Across Protocol bridge has emerged as the dominant infrastructure for the multi-chain economy, powering over 50% of all daily cross-chain transactions. By pioneering intent-based interoperability, Across has solved the "trilemma" of bridging: offering instant speed, low costs, and native security simultaneously.

Whether you are a DeFi power user farming yields on Monad or a developer integrating the ERC-7683 standard, understanding Across is critical. This guide provides an expert analysis of the protocol's V3 architecture, ACX token staking, and how to execute the fastest Layer 2 bridge transfers available in the market.

The "Intents" Revolution: Why Across Wins in 2026

Traditional bridges required users to lock assets on Chain A and wait for a wrapped representation on Chain B—a process fraught with security risks and latency. Across flipped this model by utilizing cross-chain intents.

Instead of moving tokens directly, users simply express an "intent" (e.g., "I want 1000 USDC on Arbitrum"). A decentralized network of Relayers competes to fill this request instantly using their own on-chain liquidity.

Core Advantages of Across V3

Zero-Slippage Execution: Because Relayers front the capital, users receive the exact amount quoted.

The ERC-7683 Standard: Co-authored by Across and Uniswap, this standard has become the "HTTP of bridging" in 2026, creating a unified structure for cross-chain orders that any application can tap into.

Capital Efficiency: Unlike competitors that fracture liquidity across hundreds of pools, Across utilizes a single liquidity pool on Ethereum Mainnet to settle Relayers, drastically reducing Across V3 fees.

How to Bridge Ethereum to Monad (and other L2s)

With the explosion of high-performance chains like Monad and Base, users demand speed. Across is rated the best bridge 2026 for these routes because it bypasses the 7-day withdrawal periods of optimistic rollups.

Step-by-Step Bridging Guide

Connect Wallet: Navigate to the Across interface and connect your wallet (MetaMask, Rabby, etc.).

Select Route: Choose your origin chain (e.g., Ethereum) and destination (e.g., Monad).

Input Amount: Enter the value you wish to transfer. The interface will display the "Relayer Fee" and "Liquidity Fee".

Instant Crypto Bridge: Confirm the transaction. A Relayer will detect your intent and fill it on the destination chain immediately—often in under 10 seconds.

Settlement: You don't need to wait for settlement; the protocol reimburses the Relayer later. You have your funds instantly.

ACX Token Staking & Economics

The ACX token has matured significantly following the 2025 supply unlocks. In 2026, it serves as the backbone of the protocol's security and governance.

Reward Multipliers: Users engage in ACX token staking to earn "multiplier points," enhancing the yield they receive for providing liquidity to the bridge pool.

Relayer Bonding: Professional Relayers must stake ACX to participate in the network, aligning their incentives with protocol security.

Governance: Stakers vote on critical parameters, including fee models and the integration of new chains into the ERC-7683 standard ecosystem.

Fee Structure: Why It’s the Cheapest Option

Users often ask why Across V3 fees are consistently lower than competitors. The answer lies in the Relayer competition.

Gas Optimization: Relayers bundle repayments, amortizing gas costs across thousands of transactions.

Dynamic Pricing: Relayers bid to fill your order. If liquidity is abundant on the destination chain, fees can drop to near-zero (minus gas) as Relayers compete for the rebalancing arbitrage.

Conclusion: The Standard for 2026

Across Protocol has evolved from a niche bridge into the fundamental settlement layer of the decentralized internet. By abstracting away the complexities of blockchains through cross-chain intents, it offers a user experience that feels like a single, unified network. For anyone looking to bridge Ethereum to Monad, Optimism, or Polygon, Across provides the security of Ethereum with the speed of a centralized exchange.