SOL to USDT on BNB Chain, and back: swapping between Solana and BSC in one route
by PrivaccUpdated October 3, 20264 min read
Solana and BNB Chain are different worlds with different wallets, and a lot of people hold value on both: SOL in Phantom, USDT in a MetaMask or Binance-connected wallet on BSC. Moving between them used to mean an exchange account and two withdrawals. It now takes one route: the swap panel on this site, with LI.FI finding a bridge and a swap in the same transaction. This guide covers both directions, SOL to USDT on BNB Chain and USDT on BNB Chain to SOL, with what you need on each side, what it costs, how long it takes and what to avoid.
On this page
What you need
Two wallets, one for each network. On Solana that is Phantom, Solflare or Backpack; on BNB Chain it is MetaMask, Rabby, Trust, Coinbase Wallet or anything that supports WalletConnect. Some wallets, Phantom and Trust among them, support both networks in one app, which makes this simpler but is not required: the panel asks for the destination address, and it can be any address on the destination network.
A little of each network's coin for fees. Sending from Solana needs a small amount of SOL; sending from BNB Chain needs a small amount of BNB for gas. The receiving side needs nothing to receive, but will need its network's coin to do anything afterwards.
SOL to USDT on BNB Chain
Set the source to Solana above the swap panel and connect the Solana wallet. Choose SOL as the token to send and USDT on BNB Chain as the token to receive, and paste the BNB Chain address it should land in. The panel shows the route: a swap of SOL into a token the bridge carries, the bridge itself, and on arrival a swap into USDT on BNB Chain, all quoted as one amount you will receive. Sign once in the Solana wallet.
The USDT that arrives is BEP-20 USDT, the one Binance withdrawals on BSC produce, usable in every BNB Chain app and depositable to exchanges on the BSC network.
USDT on BNB Chain to SOL
Set the source to BNB Chain and connect the EVM wallet. Choose USDT as the token to send, SOL as the token to receive, and paste a Solana address. Sign once in the EVM wallet; the gas is paid in BNB. SOL lands in the Solana wallet a few minutes later, ready to pay for its own transactions, which makes this the better direction for someone arriving on Solana for the first time: they get the fee coin and the balance at once.
What it costs and how long it takes
Costs are the source network's fee, which is cents on either side; the bridge's fee, a fraction of a percent; the swaps' price impact, small for SOL and USDT at ordinary sizes; and this site's fee, which on the BNB Chain side is a flat one percent and on the Solana side is the Jupiter referral fee, both already in the quote. The amount shown as received is the amount that arrives.
Time is a few minutes in either direction, occasionally more when the bridge is busy. The panel shows the estimate before you sign, and the transaction is not lost because it has not arrived in a minute.
| Direction | You sign in | Fee coin | Typical time |
|---|---|---|---|
| SOL to USDT on BNB Chain | Solana wallet | SOL | 2 to 10 minutes |
| USDT on BNB Chain to SOL | EVM wallet | BNB | 2 to 10 minutes |
Mistakes that lose money
Pasting a Solana address as a BNB Chain destination, or the reverse. The panel validates the format, but a valid address on the wrong network is a valid way to lose funds. A Solana address is a long base58 string; a BNB Chain address starts with 0x.
Sending to an exchange deposit address as the destination. Exchanges often do not credit deposits that arrive through a bridge contract. Bridge to your own wallet, then deposit.
Leaving the receiving wallet with no fee coin and then wondering why it cannot swap. Receive SOL on Solana or keep some BNB on BSC.
Using an exchange withdrawal labelled USDT on the wrong network. BEP-20 USDT sent to a Solana address does not arrive.
Frequently asked questions
Can I swap SOL to USDT BSC directly?
Yes. Set Solana as the source and USDT on BNB Chain as the destination, paste a BNB Chain address, and sign once in the Solana wallet. LI.FI handles the bridge and the swaps in one route.
Do I need a Binance account?
No. Both directions run from wallets you control, with no account anywhere. An exchange is an alternative, not a requirement.
Which is cheaper, bridging or an exchange?
For small amounts an exchange with a cheap BSC withdrawal can be. For a few hundred dollars and up, the route here is usually comparable or cheaper, and faster, since there are no deposit confirmations to wait for.
Can I do the same with USDC?
Yes. Choose USDC instead of USDT on the BNB Chain side; the route is the same.