Two networks, one name
ZKsync Era is the current network: a zero-knowledge rollup that executes transactions off-chain and posts a validity proof to Ethereum (ZKsync documentation). The older ZKsync Lite was a separate system with its own balances, and it has been shut down; the official site now offers only a page to withdraw funds that remain there (ZKsync Lite). A wallet or exchange still labelled “zkSync” may refer to either name, so check which network is meant before sending. Everything quoted on this page is ZKsync Era.
Withdrawals are delayed on purpose
Withdrawals from ZKsync to Ethereum are held back by a deliberate delay, introduced so that a critical bug could not be used to drain the protocol before anyone reacted; the length is set by governance and has been changed before (ZKsync documentation). Coming in, no such delay applies — which is why the spread between the quotes above is about provider pricing rather than the network.
Gas is paid in ETH
Gas on ZKsync Era is paid in ETH: ZKsync lists ETH as the currency of ZKsync Era Mainnet (ZKsync documentation). A stablecoin balance arriving on its own is still safest paired with a little ETH.
Not every provider covers this route
Support for ZKsync Era varies by provider and by token, and the Quote sources column shows how many answered for each route. Where an exchange we track lists the network for that token, its withdrawal fee appears beside the bridges.
Questions
How do I bridge to zkSync Era?
From Ethereum, through ZKsync's own bridge; from other networks, through a third-party provider. Check that the destination is ZKsync Era: the older ZKsync Lite was a separate network and has been shut down.
How do I add zkSync to MetaMask?
zkSync Era is one of the networks MetaMask supports; if it is not already switched on, add it from "Additional networks" rather than entering its details by hand. Adding the network does not move anything by itself — the funds still have to be bridged or withdrawn there.
How do I bridge from zkSync Lite to Era?
Not through a bridge any more: ZKsync Lite has been shut down, and funds still held there are withdrawn through the official withdrawal page at lite.zksync.io. Quotes on this page are for ZKsync Era only.
How do I bridge from Arbitrum to zkSync?
Neither network's official bridge connects the two, so the route runs through a third-party provider. Select Arbitrum as the source above to see which providers quote it and how many answered.
How long does a withdrawal from zkSync take?
Withdrawals to Ethereum are held back by a delay the protocol applies deliberately, on top of the time needed to prove the batch. Coming in, no such delay applies, and each provider publishes its own estimate.
Sources
- ZKsync documentation — about ZKsync Era · checked 2026-09-12
- ZKsync documentation — withdrawal delay · checked 2026-09-12
- ZKsync documentation — fee structure · checked 2026-09-12
- ZKsync documentation — ZKsync Era network details · checked 2026-09-14
- ZKsync Lite — withdraw your funds (sunset) · checked 2026-09-14
- MetaMask Help Center — how to add a network · checked 2026-09-13