To move a coin from one exchange to another, you have to pick a blockchain network to send it over. That single choice can decide whether an arbitrage trade is worth doing — or whether your funds arrive at all.
What a "network" actually is
Most popular tokens don't live on just one blockchain. The same coin can exist on several networks at once, each a separate version of the asset issued on a different chain.
USDT is the classic example. You can hold it as:
- ERC-20 — on Ethereum
- TRC-20 — on Tron
- BEP-20 — on BNB Smart Chain
- and several others (Solana, Polygon, and more)
They're all "USDT," but they ride on different rails. When you withdraw, the exchange asks which network to use, and that pick controls both the fee you pay and where the coins can land.
The one rule you cannot break
A network must be supported on both the sending exchange and the receiving exchange for that exact coin. If they don't share one, you cannot complete the transfer safely.
Send on a network the other side doesn't support, and funds can be lost
If you withdraw USDT over a network the receiving exchange doesn't credit for that coin, the funds can end up stuck or permanently lost. There is often no recovery and no support ticket that fixes it. Always confirm both exchanges list the same network for the coin before you hit withdraw.
So the real question is never just "what's the cheapest network?" It's "what's the cheapest network that both exchanges support for this coin?" Compatibility comes first; price comes second.
Why network choice changes your net profit
Withdrawal fees are charged per network, and the gap between them is enormous — often 10–50×. Here's a rough picture for a USDT transfer:
| Network | Typical USDT withdrawal fee |
|---|---|
| Ethereum (ERC-20) | ~$1–8 |
| Tron (TRC-20) | ~$1 |
| BNB Smart Chain (BEP-20) | ~$0.30 |
That withdrawal fee is a flat cost that comes straight off your profit. On a small trade, paying $8 on ERC-20 instead of ~$1 on TRC-20 can be the difference between a clean win and a loss. On a large trade the flat fee matters less, but it never helps you to overpay.
Network choice also affects speed, which matters in arbitrage because spreads close fast. A congested or slow chain can leave your coins in transit while the opportunity disappears. For more on that, see Deposit and withdrawal times.
Cheapest isn't always best
A cheaper network is only the right call if it's also supported on both ends and fast enough to land before the spread closes. When two compatible networks are close in price, the faster, more reliable one is often worth a few extra cents.
Same ticker is not the same coin
Picking a network assumes the two listings are genuinely the same asset. They aren't always. The same symbol on two exchanges can be a migrated, wrapped, or entirely different contract — a different project reusing a popular ticker.
If you transfer to an address expecting one contract and the receiving exchange tracks a different one, the deposit may never credit.
Verify the contract on both exchanges first
ArbiHunt deliberately fetches and shows the contract address per exchange so you can confirm both listings are the same token before moving funds. Check the contract addresses match on both legs every time. Never assume two same-named coins are identical.
How ArbiHunt handles the network for you
ArbiHunt scans roughly 23 exchanges in real time, refreshed about every 30 seconds, and ranks opportunities by true net profit — not the headline gap. Part of that calculation is the network choice itself.
For each opportunity, ArbiHunt:
- looks at which networks both exchanges support for the coin,
- picks the cheapest compatible network, and
- subtracts that withdrawal fee (along with the taker fees on both legs and live order-book liquidity) before ranking.
On the opportunity detail screen you'll see the chosen transfer network, a check mark when the networks match across both exchanges, and — for PRO — the contract address on each leg so you can verify before sending. To see where all of that appears, read Understanding the opportunity details screen.
This is also why two coins with the same gross spread can rank very differently: the one that can move on a cheap, compatible network simply nets more. For the full breakdown of headline spread versus what you keep, see Spread vs. net profit.
Let ArbiHunt pick the network
The scanner finds the cheapest compatible network on both exchanges and nets out the fee before ranking — across 23 exchanges, refreshed about every 30 seconds.
Before you transfer
A quick checklist that the fee math alone won't enforce:
- Confirm the network is supported for that coin on both the sending and receiving exchange.
- Match the contract address on both exchanges — don't trust the ticker alone.
- Choose the cheapest network that's both compatible and fast enough for a time-sensitive trade.
- Re-check fees and network status inside each exchange before sending; figures are live snapshots and can change.
ArbiHunt is an information tool — it finds and ranks opportunities but does not execute trades or move your funds. You transfer and trade on the exchanges yourself. No spread is guaranteed, opportunities are time-sensitive and may not always be executable, and this is not financial advice. Crypto trading carries risk.
See it live
ArbiHunt scans 23 exchanges in real time and ranks every spread by true net profit — after fees, withdrawals and live liquidity.