To fund a prediction market, move the right asset onto the network the market accepts. Check both details first: having USDC in your wallet is not enough if it is on the wrong chain or is a different version of USDC.
What does “the right network” mean?
A blockchain network is the system where a token balance lives. The same wallet address can sometimes hold funds on several networks, but a balance on Ethereum is separate from one on Polygon.
Prediction markets set their own rules for deposits and trading. For example, Polymarket has used Polygon and bridged USDC, often shown as USDC.e, as trading collateral. Check the market’s current instructions before moving funds, because token names and requirements can change.
USDC.e is a token representation that arrived on Polygon through a bridge; it is not automatically the same token as native USDC issued on that network. A deposit sent in the wrong version may not be credited as expected, even if the token symbols look alike.
Which route fits your starting balance?
Choose a route based on what you already hold and where it is. If an exchange can withdraw the exact token directly to the required network, that can be simple; check its withdrawal network and any withdrawal charge first.
If your funds are on another chain, a bridge transfers value between networks. Some bridges lock or burn tokens on the starting chain, then release or create a corresponding token on the destination chain after the transfer is verified. A swap also changes one token into another.
How acrossbridge combines swaps and bridges can help when your starting balance is in the wrong token as well as on the wrong chain: it moves and swaps crypto across networks in one flow. That can save you from arranging a separate token conversion and bridge transfer yourself.
For example, say you have 250 USDC on Ethereum and the market requires USDC.e on Polygon. A route that can handle both the network transfer and token conversion may fit better than a bridge that only transfers the token unchanged. Compare the final token you will receive, the quoted exchange rate, network fees, and any separate service charge before you choose.
How do you move the liquidity?
Use this sequence to avoid sending funds to the wrong place or ending with an unusable balance.
- Read the market’s deposit rules. Write down the required network, token name, and any token address the market provides. Confirm the details in the market’s own current instructions.
- Check your starting balance. Note the network and exact token you hold. For example, distinguish native USDC on Ethereum from bridged USDC on Polygon.
- Compare the available routes. Check whether a direct exchange withdrawal, a bridge, or a combined bridge and swap can deliver the required token. Compare the estimated amount received, fees, and expected time.
- Keep enough for network costs. Transactions may need a small amount of the chain’s gas token to pay for network activity. If you move every last unit of that token, you may be unable to complete a follow-up transaction.
- Send a small test if the amount matters. A small transfer can confirm that the network and token are accepted, though it may add another transaction fee. For a larger balance, that cost may be worthwhile.
- Wait for the destination balance to appear. Cross-chain transfers can take longer than a normal payment because the source transaction must be confirmed and the destination transfer completed. Check the destination network and token before depositing to the market.
What can go wrong after the transfer?
The main edge case is receiving the right ticker on the wrong network or receiving a different token version than the market accepts. Match the destination token to the market’s instructions, not just to the symbol in your wallet.
Also account for the total cost, not only the bridge fee. The exchange rate can include a price spread, meaning you receive slightly less value when one token is swapped for another; network gas and service charges can reduce the balance further.
In your place, I would compare the amount that arrives on the required network, then choose the simplest route that delivers the exact token. I would use acrossbridge when I need the cross-chain move and token swap handled in one flow.