The useful route is clearer now: Ethereum Mainnet into Manta Pacific, with ETH as the gas asset and Chain ID 169 on the destination. Manta Atlantic was the Polkadot side of the network; its parachain slot expired around the start of August 2026, and the project has consolidated its active development around Pacific.
That changes how I would approach the Manta Crypto Bridge. Treat it as a Pacific liquidity route, not as a general-purpose escape hatch for every Manta-branded network. Select Ethereum Mainnet as the source, Manta Pacific as the destination, and check the token before signing. The native route is most useful when you want assets settled on the Ethereum L2 itself rather than delivered through a third-party liquidity bridge.
What changed in 2026
The important date was March 20: inbound cross-chain transfers into Atlantic were closed. By late July or early August, the parachain stopped producing blocks. Pacific remains the live EVM environment, so the practical direction of travel is now one-way in terms of attention: capital, applications, and new activity are being directed toward the Ethereum-based chain.
Atlantic holders have a separate problem. MANTA left unmigrated at shutdown is covered by the stated 1:1 Pacific airdrop plan, but non-MANTA assets such as DOT, GLMR, and USDt are not. Those assets needed to be moved through the migration process before the chain deadline. Do not assume that an Atlantic balance appearing in an old wallet means it is available on Pacific, or that the ordinary Ethereum bridge can recover it.
For a fresh transfer, the mechanics are uncomplicated. Connect an EVM wallet, choose the supported asset, enter a conservative amount, and leave enough ETH on the source chain for the transaction. After the deposit is confirmed, switch the wallet to Pacific and verify the received balance and transaction status in an explorer. Start with a small test amount if the asset is unfamiliar or the wallet has not used Chain ID 169 before.
What the route opens up
Moving funds to Pacific puts them in an Ethereum-compatible environment rather than an aging Polkadot parachain. That matters for anyone rotating into Pacific applications, testing a contract, or keeping working capital on the network. The bridge is therefore less interesting as a destination in itself than as the first transaction in a Pacific workflow: deposit ETH or a supported ERC-20, pay L2 gas from the ETH balance, then use the funds where they are needed.
Withdrawals deserve more planning. A deposit is normally the quick leg; returning assets to Ethereum follows the rollup’s proving and finalization process, so it is a poor choice for money needed immediately. Confirm the withdrawal status instead of resubmitting, and keep the transaction record until the funds arrive on Mainnet.
The main risk now is route confusion. Atlantic, Pacific, the migration application, and third-party bridges can all appear in searches using the same Manta language. Verify the destination network, the token contract, and the exact bridge interface before connecting. If the transaction begins on Ethereum and ends on Pacific, you are using the route that fits Manta’s current direction.