Fix: ETH Not Showing on Fantom (2026 Resolution)

## Anti-Loss Protocol: Read Before You Panic **Your ETH is almost certainly not lost.** When you bridge ETH to Fantom, the native token on Fantom is FTM -- not ETH. Your bridged ETH arrives as a wrapped ERC-20 token (WETH or axlETH) that your wallet may not display by default. Do NOT send more transactions to "test" -- this wastes gas and does not help. **Never share your seed phrase with anyone offering to "recover" your funds.** Recovery scammers target bridge-related posts. The fix below requires only your public wallet address and a block explorer. --- ## Why Your ETH Does Not Show on Fantom There are exactly four reasons bridged ETH disappears on Fantom: | Cause | Explanation | |---|---| | Token not added to wallet | Fantom uses wrapped ETH tokens (WETH, axlETH, etc.). Your wallet does not auto-detect them. | | Bridge still processing | Some bridges take 10-30 minutes. The transaction is pending on the source chain. | | Wrong bridge used | You used a bridge that sends a token your wallet does not recognize. | | Network not set to Fantom | Your wallet is still on Ethereum or another chain. | --- ## Step 1: Verify the Transaction on FTMScan Before touching your wallet, confirm the funds arrived on Fantom. 1. Go to **ftmscan.com**. 2. Paste your Fantom wallet address (starts with 0x...). 3. Click the **Token** dropdown or scroll to **Token Holdings**. 4. Look for any of these tokens: - **WFTM** (Wrapped FTM) - **WETH** (Wrapped Ether) - **axlETH** (Axelar Wrapped Ether) - **anyETH** (Anyswap ETH) - **ETH** (Multichain ETH -- deprecated but still in circulation) If you see a balance for any of these, your funds are safe on Fantom. Proceed to Step 2. If FTMScan shows **no token balances at all**, check the source chain explorer (Etherscan for Ethereum, Arbiscan for Arbitrum, etc.) to confirm the bridge transaction completed. --- ## Step 2: Add the Correct Token to Your Wallet Fantom does not have native ETH. Every bridge mints a different wrapped version. You need to add the specific token your bridge delivered. ### Common Fantom ETH Token Contracts | Token | Contract Address | Bridge Source | |---|---|---| | WETH | `0x74b23882a30290451A17c44f4F05243b6b58C76d` | SpookySwap, native Fantom DEX | | axlETH | `0xb829b68f57CC546dA7E5806A929e53bE32a4625D` | Axelar, Squid Router | | anyETH | `0x658b0c7613e890EE50B8C4BC6A3f41ef4Bc1A6CF` | Multichain (legacy) | | ETH (LayerZero) | `0x2F6F07CDcf3588944Bf4C42aC74ff24bF56e7590` | Stargate, LayerZero bridges | | ceETH | `0x5A9073909DaC2B5F607bBf1c0D4d2b1C0c5E7B8c` | Celer cBridge | ### How to Add in MetaMask 1. Switch MetaMask to **Fantom Opera** network. - If Fantom is not added: Settings > Networks > Add Network - RPC: `https://rpc.ftm.tools` - Chain ID: `250` - Symbol: `FTM` - Explorer: `https://ftmscan.com` 2. Scroll to the bottom of your asset list and click **Import tokens**. 3. Switch to the **Custom token** tab. 4. Paste the contract address from the table above that matches your bridge. 5. Token symbol and decimals should auto-fill. Click **Add**. 6. Your balance appears immediately. ### How to Add in Rabby or Coinbase Wallet - **Rabby:** Automatically detects most tokens on Fantom. If not, go to the token list and click the + icon, then paste the contract. - **Coinbase Wallet:** Tap the settings gear > Manage assets > search for the token symbol or paste the contract address. --- ## Step 3: If the Bridge Transaction Is Still Pending | Bridge | Check Status At | Typical Time | |---|---|---| | Stargate | stargate.finance/transactions | 2-5 min | | Squid Router | app.squidrouter.com | 1-3 min | | Axelar | axelarscan.io | 5-15 min | | Multichain | **DEFUNCT -- funds may be stuck** | N/A | | SpookySwap Bridge | spooky.fi/bridge | 5-10 min | | Synapse | synapseprotocol.com | 3-8 min | If you used Multichain (anyETH), the protocol shut down in 2023. Your funds may be permanently stuck. Check the Multichain recovery channels on Discord for any ongoing restitution efforts. --- ## Step 4: Still Zero? Check These Edge Cases **"I sent native ETH from Ethereum to a Fantom address without a bridge."** This does not work. Fantom is a separate blockchain. Your ETH is still on Ethereum at that address. The same private key controls both chains, but the ETH itself did not move. You need to bridge it properly using one of the bridges above. **"I used a bridge and the transaction says success but no tokens."** You likely received a token variant not in the table above. Go to FTMScan, find your address, click the **Token Transfers (ERC-20)** tab, and look at the most recent incoming transfer. Copy that token's contract address and add it to your wallet manually. **"My wallet shows the token but balance is 0."** Double-check you added the correct contract. Fantom has multiple ETH wrappers. If you bridged via Stargate, you need the LayerZero ETH contract. If via Axelar, you need axlETH. Adding the wrong one shows zero. --- ## Speed and Cost to Bridge ETH to Fantom (2026) | Bridge | Time | Fee | ETH Token Received | |---|---|---|---| | Stargate | 2-5 min | $2-6 | ETH (LayerZero) | | Squid Router (Axelar) | 1-3 min | $3-8 | axlETH | | Synapse | 3-8 min | $2-5 | nETH | | SpookySwap Bridge | 5-10 min | $1-3 | WETH | --- ## Prevention Checklist - [ ] Before bridging, note which wrapped token the bridge delivers (check the bridge UI or docs). - [ ] Add the token contract to your wallet BEFORE initiating the bridge. - [ ] Send a $5 test transaction first. - [ ] Bookmark FTMScan to verify transactions independently of your wallet UI. - [ ] Use the [Compare Network Fees](https://cryptonetworkguide.com/) tool to find the cheapest bridge for your specific route. --- ## Bottom Line ETH not showing on Fantom is a display issue, not a loss. In 99% of cases, the funds arrived as a wrapped token your wallet does not auto-detect. Find the correct contract on FTMScan, add it manually, and your balance appears. If you used Multichain, your funds may be unrecoverable -- but for every other bridge, this is a 2-minute fix. [Compare Network Fees](https://cryptonetworkguide.com/) before your next cross-chain transfer to avoid surprises.