⏳ L2 Withdrawals: The 7-Day Wait
Learn why bridging back to Ethereum takes time on optimistic rollups
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0 / 5 completed⏱️ L2→L1 Withdrawal: The 7-Day Wait
Moving assets from Layer 2 back to Layer 1 (mainnet) isn't instant on optimistic rollups. Due to the fraud proof challenge period, withdrawals face a mandatory 7-day delay. This creates unique UX challenges and innovative solutions through instant withdrawal liquidity providers.
Challenge period wait
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🚪 Interactive: Choose Your Exit Route
You have 1000 USDC on Optimism and want to withdraw to Ethereum mainnet. Which route will you choose?
🔄 The Withdrawal Flow
Initiate on L2
User calls the withdrawal function on L2, locking their tokens. This transaction is batched with others and submitted to L1.
Challenge Period Starts
A 7-day countdown begins. Validators monitor the batch for fraud. If no challenges arise, the batch is considered valid.
Finalize on L1
After 7 days, user calls finalize function on L1 bridge contract. Their tokens are released from escrow to their L1 address.
✅ Standard Benefits
- •Zero fees (only L1/L2 gas costs)
- •Maximum security through fraud proofs
- •Direct interaction with official bridge
- •No third-party trust required
⚡ Instant Benefits
- •Funds received in ~1 minute
- •No waiting for challenge period
- •Perfect for time-sensitive needs
- •Competitive fees (0.5-2% typically)
💡 Key Insight
The 7-day withdrawal delay is a necessary security feature of optimistic rollups, not a bug. It ensures validators have time to detect and challenge fraudulent state transitions. However, instant withdrawal services have emerged to provide liquidity for users who can't wait—creating a win-win market where users get speed and liquidity providers earn fees.