If you check bridge receipts frequently, treat each chain identifier as part of the transaction’s identity: a hash or event index alone cannot tell you which network produced it. A how a relay bridge routes transfers explanation helps place the receipt in the full route, while this guide focuses on reading and matching its identifiers efficiently.
Which identifiers identify the chain?
For EVM networks, the standard compact identifier is the EIP-155 chain ID, such as 1 for Ethereum mainnet or 8453 for Base. In a portable record, CAIP-2 expresses these as eip155:1 and eip155:8453, separating the namespace from the network reference.
Keep the chain ID alongside every transaction hash, contract address, block number, and log index. Those values are only meaningful within their chain: the same transaction hash can exist on separate networks, and a contract address can be deployed at the same hexadecimal address on multiple networks. EIP-155 defines chain-specific transaction signing; CAIP-2 provides a namespaced way to label chains across systems.
A bridge receipt may use protocol-specific numeric IDs instead of EVM chain IDs or CAIP-2 strings. Do not assume those numbers are interchangeable. Check the receipt’s field names and the bridge’s identifier mapping before comparing values or querying an explorer.
How do source and destination fields relate?
The source identifier points to where the user’s transaction or deposit event was recorded. The destination identifier points to the network where the corresponding delivery, mint, release, or swap is expected or recorded. They describe two different legs; they are not two labels for one transaction.
On an EVM source chain, use eth_getTransactionReceipt to retrieve the receipt, then inspect its logs for the bridge event. A log is identified in context by its chain, emitting contract, transaction hash, and log index; its event signature is represented by topics[0]. Decode the event with the correct ABI and read the protocol’s source and destination fields. A relay bridge can add routing or swap details, but those do not replace the chain labels needed to verify each leg.
Some protocols assign a message ID or nonce to connect the source event to destination execution. That identifier joins the two legs; it does not prove the destination action succeeded. Verify the destination transaction or protocol status as a separate record.
Worked example: match the legs, not just the hash
Suppose a source receipt on Ethereum has chain ID 1, transaction hash 0xaaa…, and bridge event at log index 4. The event names destination chain ID 8453 and message ID M. Record the source as eip155:1 plus that transaction and log, then search the destination side on Base, eip155:8453, for message M or the protocol’s corresponding execution event.
If the destination transaction is 0xbbb…, that is a different hash by design. Its receipt should show the expected destination contract and outcome. Matching only the amount or recipient is weak evidence: multiple transfers can share both. Matching the protocol message ID, destination chain, and relevant event fields is stronger. These values are illustrative; event names and message formats vary by protocol.
What can make a receipt look inconsistent?
A successful source transaction means the source-side call completed; it does not guarantee delivery is final or complete. If the source block is reorganized before the bridge’s required finality threshold, its receipt may disappear or change. Optimistic rollups may also distinguish sequencer inclusion from L1 settlement, so the expected wait depends on the source chain’s finality model and the bridge’s verification rules.
Before escalating a mismatch, confirm the chain namespace and reference, the receipt’s block hash, and the event’s emitting contract. Then check whether the source has reached the required finality and whether the destination uses a different representation of the chain ID. This avoids wasting time treating a formatting difference or pending message as a failed transfer.
Use the chain-qualified transaction and event identifiers to find each leg, and use the protocol message ID to prove they belong together.
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