To swap OP to ETH, connect your wallet on OP Mainnet, choose OP as “from” and ETH on OP Mainnet as “to”, approve OP once and confirm. If you want the ETH somewhere else, pick Ethereum, Arbitrum or Base as the destination: one signature on OP Mainnet, ETH arrives in seconds.
Key Takeaways
- Route type: same-chain on OP Mainnet; to other networks the router adds a fast bridge (Layerswap on our check).
- Time: one block on OP Mainnet; 8-16 seconds to Arbitrum, Base or Ethereum.
- Cost: gas under $0.01 plus about 0.25% route fees, before the 0.7% service fee.
- Main catch: gas on OP Mainnet is ETH. Airdrop wallets that hold only OP get stuck until they receive a little ETH.
What Is OP?
OP is the governance token of the Optimism Collective. It is used to vote on protocol upgrades and grants, but it does not pay gas: transactions on OP Mainnet are paid in ETH. The token sits at the predeploy address 0x4200...0042 on OP Mainnet.
What Is ETH?
ETH is Ethereum’s native coin and the gas token on OP Mainnet, Arbitrum and Base. ETH on OP Mainnet is the same asset as on Ethereum, bridged to the layer 2, which is why the router can move it between these networks quickly. See what is a layer 2.
How the OP to ETH Swap Works
On OP Mainnet a DEX aggregator sells OP into ETH pools in one transaction; on our check Kyberswap, Fly, 1inch, OKX Dex Aggregator, SushiSwap Aggregator and Nordstern Finance competed. To another network the route is swap + bridge: OP is sold on OP Mainnet and the ETH is delivered to your address on the destination by a liquidity bridge, so you skip the 7-day challenge period of the native withdrawal.
Quotes by Amount (OP Mainnet, October 30, 2026)
| You send | You receive | Value | Routes found | Best source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $100 of OP | 0.04485 ETH | $99.90 | 4 | Kyberswap |
| $1,000 of OP | 0.450527 ETH | $1,003.48 | 5 | Fly |
| $10,000 of OP | 4.472597 ETH | $9,961.99 | 2 | 1inch |
Per $1,000 the result was 0.4485, 0.4505 and 0.4473 ETH. At $10,000 only two sources could fill the order and the rate was about 0.7% worse than at $1,000. Larger holders should split the amount. Quotes are LI.FI routes before the 0.7% Step Exchange service fee and change every minute.
Where to Receive the ETH
| Destination | You receive ($1,000 of OP) | Value | Route fees | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ETH on OP Mainnet | 0.450527 ETH | $1,003.48 | $2.50 | one block |
| ETH on Arbitrum | 0.447284 ETH | $995.34 | $2.63 | ~8 s |
| ETH on Base | 0.447349 ETH | $995.12 | $2.67 | ~10 s |
| ETH on Ethereum | 0.446749 ETH | $994.94 | $3.94 | ~16 s |
Staying on OP Mainnet gave the most ETH. Choose another network only if you need the ETH there; it cost about $8 more per $1,000 on this check.
Step by Step
- Add OP Mainnet to your wallet if it is missing; network settings are on OP Mainnet network details.
- Make sure you hold a little ETH on OP Mainnet for gas.
- From: OP on OP Mainnet. To: ETH on OP Mainnet (or Arbitrum, Base, Ethereum).
- Approve OP, then review the amount and price impact.
- Confirm the swap.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Holding only OP: the swap needs ETH on OP Mainnet. If you have ETH on another network, bridge a few dollars over first with the Optimism bridge.
- Using the native withdrawal for speed: the official OP Mainnet to Ethereum bridge holds withdrawals for 7 days. A swap route to Ethereum took about 16 seconds on our check.
- Selling a large bag in one order: at $10,000 the rate dropped by about 0.7% versus $1,000; split it.
Related: ARB to ETH, SHIB to ETH, bridge Optimism to Ethereum.
