Wormhole on trust assumptions
7.6/ 40% of the score
Messages are attested by a guardian set of named operators — a permissioned quorum rather than an open validator set.
Best Cross-Chain Bridges · Rank 08 of 8
Wormhole review
Non-EVM chains, especially Solana routes
Last verified August 12, 20264 scored axes
Score7.8
Self-reported only
The short answer
Wormhole scores 7.8 out of 10 and ranks #8 of 8 in the best cross-chain bridges table, strongest on coverage (9.6) and weakest on exploit history (6.4).
The best coverage of non-EVM ecosystems and the only serious option for several Solana routes, rebuilt substantially since its 2022 exploit. That incident, one of the largest in crypto history, still sets the ceiling on its score here.
Key facts on record
- Launched
- 2021
- Model
- Guardian-attested messaging
- Incidents
- Major exploit in 2022, funds replaced
What the record shows
4 axes, weighted as published in the table’s methodology. Each score below is read from the fact printed under it.
Wormhole on exploit history
6.4/ 25% of the score
A February 2022 exploit minted roughly $320m of wrapped ETH on Solana through a signature-verification flaw; the funds were replaced by Jump Crypto and the codebase was substantially rearchitected and re-audited.
Wormhole on speed & cost
8.8/ 20% of the score
Fast delivery on major routes with fees published per route.
Wormhole on coverage
9.6/ 15% of the score
Unrivalled non-EVM coverage including Solana, Sui, Aptos and Cosmos-family chains.
Quick answers
- What is Wormhole best for?
- Non-EVM chains, especially Solana routes. The best coverage of non-EVM ecosystems and the only serious option for several Solana routes, rebuilt substantially since its 2022 exploit.
- Where does Wormhole rank among best cross-chain bridges?
- #8 of 8, scoring 7.8 out of 10 — self-reported only on our band scale.
- What is the weakest part of Wormhole?
- Exploit history at 6.4. A February 2022 exploit minted roughly $320m of wrapped ETH on Solana through a signature-verification flaw; the funds were replaced by Jump Crypto and the codebase was substantially rearchitected and re-audited.
Strengths and weaknesses
In its favour
- Unrivalled non-EVM chain coverage
- Substantially rearchitected and heavily audited since 2022
- Fast transfers with deep liquidity on major routes
Against it
- Suffered one of the largest bridge exploits ever recorded
- Guardian set is permissioned and relatively small
February 2022
A signature-verification flaw let an attacker mint roughly $320m of wrapped ETH on Solana without depositing anything. Jump Crypto replaced the funds, and the codebase was substantially rearchitected and re-audited afterwards. It remains one of the largest exploits in the sector's history, and the fact that a trading firm's balance sheet absorbed it is not a security property you can rely on twice.
Why people still use it
Because for several routes there is no alternative. Wormhole's coverage of non-EVM ecosystems — Solana, Sui, Aptos, Cosmos-family chains — is unmatched, and moving assets between those and EVM networks frequently has exactly one path. Delivery on major routes is fast and fees are published per route.
The trust model
Messages are attested by a guardian set of named operators: a permissioned quorum rather than an open validator set. That is a stronger arrangement than the multisig it replaced and weaker than economic security backed by stake.
How to use it
For the routes it uniquely serves, in amounts sized to the risk, and without leaving value parked in wrapped representations any longer than the transaction requires.
Who it suits
Anyone moving assets between EVM and the non-EVM ecosystems it uniquely serves, sized so that a repeat of 2022 would be survivable without a trading firm stepping in.
Frequently asked questions
Is Wormhole safe now?+
It was substantially rearchitected and re-audited after the February 2022 exploit, in which roughly $320m was minted through a signature-verification flaw and replaced by Jump Crypto. Its guardian set remains permissioned.
What chains does Wormhole support?+
The widest non-EVM coverage of any bridge, including Solana, Sui, Aptos and Cosmos-family chains, alongside the major EVM networks.
Who secures Wormhole?+
A guardian set of named operators that attests to messages — a permissioned quorum, not an open validator set.
How Wormhole compares
8 services in best cross-chain bridges
- 01AcrossFast transfers where the risk sits with a solver, not with you9.2
- 02Chainlink CCIPInstitutional transfers where defence in depth matters more than speed8.8
- 03Hop ProtocolRollup-to-rollup transfers with a simple, legible model8.5
- 04AxelarBroad chain coverage with a proof-of-stake validator set8.4
- 05EverclearNetting flows rather than moving collateral8.2
- 06SynapseLong-tail chains that canonical routes ignore8.2
- 07LayerZero / StargateWidest chain coverage and unified liquidity7.8
- 08Wormholeyou are hereNon-EVM chains, especially Solana routes7.8