What is “cross-chain bridging”?

A bridge connects two different blockchains and allows you to “wrap” or swap a coin from one network into a synthetic or wrapped version on another network. This process:

1. Locks your original coin on the first chain.
   
   
2. Mints or releases a wrapped version on the target chain.
   
   

For example, bridging XRP to Ethereum would give you a “wrapped XRP” token that works on the Ethereum network. However, bridges involve additional steps and fees, and you need to use a reliable bridging service.