Why Bridge Quotes Refresh Before You Sign

A refreshed bridge quote recalculates the route and expected amount for your transfer before you sign the transaction. It gives the interface a current offer to show you, because fees, available liquidity and route conditions can change while you decide.

That refresh is a new estimate, not a transfer or a promise that funds have moved. For context on how Across selects a route, see how Across chooses a cross-chain route; the quote itself is the offer for the transfer details you entered.

What changes when a bridge quote refreshes?

The quote service recalculates the output for your chosen source chain, destination chain, token and amount. Depending on the bridge, it may also account for fees, token conversion and the route used to deliver funds. A new quote can therefore show a different amount or route even when you have not changed the form.

Think of the quote as a snapshot. It describes what the service can currently offer for a specific request; it is not a fixed exchange rate held open indefinitely. A refresh asks for another snapshot, which may be better, worse or unchanged.

For a bridge that uses relayers, those parties can advance funds on the destination chain and receive repayment later through settlement. Their costs and the liquidity available to fill transfers can affect the offer. Across describes its bridge as using this model, but route services can use different mechanisms, so the details depend on the product.

Why does the quote need to be current before signing?

Your signature approves a particular transaction. If the displayed quote was based on old details or outdated conditions, signing may submit an amount or route that no longer matches what you intended. Refreshing lets the interface rebuild the transaction from the current request and show you the terms again.

Some changes make the old quote plainly irrelevant: editing the amount, switching a token or chain, or changing the recipient means you are asking for a different transfer. Other changes can happen without your input. A price or fee can move while you review the screen, and a route may become unavailable.

A refreshed quote does not guarantee that the transfer will complete at that displayed amount. The transaction still has to be submitted and processed, and the bridge’s stated terms determine what happens if conditions change again. Treat the quote as the latest offer shown to you, then check the wallet request before approving it.

What should you check before approving a refreshed quote?

Read the updated transfer details in the app and compare them with the transaction your wallet is asking you to sign. Check the destination chain and recipient as well as the token and amount. A familiar-looking screen is not enough if one of those fields changed.

• Confirm the source and destination chains.
• Check the token you will send and the token you expect to receive.
• Compare the input amount, displayed output and listed fees.
• Verify the recipient address in both the app and wallet prompt.

Fees can be presented in different ways. One interface may show a single estimated output; another may list a bridge fee, a swap fee or a network fee separately. Focus on the amount you expect to receive and which costs are already included, rather than comparing one fee label in isolation.

If the updated output is outside your acceptable range, wait or change the transfer details and request another quote. If the wallet prompt does not match what the interface showed, reject it and start again from the transfer screen. That is a practical safety check, not a reason to assume every refresh signals a problem.

Does refreshing lock in the route or price?

No. Refreshing gives you a new quote to review; it does not reserve a route or execute the transfer. The transaction becomes active only after you approve it in your wallet and it is submitted to the relevant network.

For most users, the sensible habit is simple: refresh after changing any transfer detail, and refresh again if the quote is visibly stale before signing. Then read the amount, destination and wallet prompt together. A quote refresh is useful because it updates the offer; your final check is what keeps that offer aligned with the transfer you meant to make.