Liquidation Addresses are permanent on-chain addresses that auto-route incoming crypto to a fiat or crypto destination—enabling crypto → fiat or crypto → crypto conversions. When funds are sent (e.g. USDC), Bridge converts and forwards them based on the destination_payment_rail:
  • Real-time rails (e.g. wire, sepa, blockchains): funds are sent instantly
  • Batch rails (e.g. ach): funds are queued and processed daily

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Routing crypto deposits to a fiat destination

You can create a liquidation address with a fiat destination (off ramp).
1

Step 1: Configure an external bank account

For fiat destinations, you need to first register your customer’s external bank account with us. The following example walks through the option to create external bank accounts via the Bridge API. You also have the option to use Plaid to let your customers link bank accounts, please refer External Accounts for more details.
Request
curl --location 'https://api.bridge.xyz/v0/customers/<customer-id>/external_accounts' \
--header 'Idempotency-Key: ea-7' \
--header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--header 'Accept: application/json' \
--header 'Api-Key: <api-key>' \
--data '{
  "currency": "usd",
  "account_type": "us",
  "bank_name": "Lead Bank",
  "account_name": "Ada Checking Account",
  "first_name": "Ada",
  "last_name": "Lovelace",
  "account_owner_type": "individual", // specifies an individual account
  "account_owner_name": "Ada Lovelace",
  "account": {
    "routing_number": "101019644",
    "account_number": "215268129123",
    "checking_or_savings": "checking"
  },
  "address": {
    "street_line_1": "923 Folsom Street",
    "country": "USA",
    "state": "CA",
    "city": "San Francisco",
    "postal_code": "941070000"
  }
}'
Response
{
    "id": "039c270f-a038-40be-be7b-43f550ce0678", // external account id
    "customer_id": "23c2d462-4c69-4c5a-b31a-88d035d7e8ae",
    "created_at": "2025-07-05T19:03:50.819Z",
    "updated_at": "2025-07-05T19:03:51.251Z",
    "bank_name": "Lead Bank",
    "account_name": "Ada Checking Account",
    "account_owner_name": "Ada Lovelace",
    "active": true,
    "currency": "usd",
    "account_owner_type": "individual",
    "account_type": "us",
    "first_name": "Ada",
    "last_name": "Lovelace",
    "business_name": null,
    "account": {
        "last_4": "9123",
        "routing_number": "101019644",
        "checking_or_savings": "checking"
    },
    "beneficiary_address_valid": true,
    "last_4": "9123"
}
2

Step 2: Create a liquidation address pointing to the external bank account

With the liquidation address, you can configure
  • the chain and currency you want to receive funds on
  • the destination chain, currency, and details you want to send funds to
  • :exclamation:the return_address so we know where to send funds to if your customer’s transaction fails or is returned by the destination.
Request
curl --location 'https://api.bridge.xyz/v0/customers/<customer_id>/liquidation_addresses' \
--header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--header 'Accept: application/json' \
--header 'Idempotency-Key: 10' \
--header 'Api-Key: <api-key>' \
--data '{
  "currency": "usdc",
  "chain": "ethereum",
  "external_account_id": "ad77b283-b000-4025-8197-023ea7e7d00",
  "destination_wire_message": "Wire payment for Ada Lovelace",
  "destination_payment_rail": "wire",
  "destination_currency": "usd"
  "return_address": "0x12343vrever323023fbverb94t24t23t" // very important to configure
}'
You’ll get a response containing the blockchain address we’ve created.
Response
{
    "id": "5ef43832-cb43-4c64-8678-e87c518b364f", // unique Bridge identifier for the liquidation address
    "chain": "ethereum",
    "address": "0x27013f44e72fea1788a00602c8abaf7ef57725f1", // this is the liquidation address
    "currency": "usdc",
    "external_account_id": "ad77b283-b0de-4025-8197-023ea7e7d978",
    "customer_id": "23c2d462-4c69-4c5a-b31a-88d03",
    "destination_wire_message": "Wire payment for Ada Lovelace",
    "destination_payment_rail": "wire",
    "destination_currency": "usd",
    "created_at": "2025-07-05T00:10:05.670Z",
    "updated_at": "2025-07-05T00:10:05.670Z",
    "state": "active"
}

​
Routing crypto deposits to a crypto destination

You also have the option to create a liquidation address with a crypto destination (crypto to crypto)
Request
curl --location 'https://api.bridge.xyz/v0/customers/23c2d462-4c69-4c5a-b31a-88d035d7e8ae/liquidation_addresses' \
--header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--header 'Accept: application/json' \
--header 'Idempotency-Key: 11' \
--header 'Api-Key: sk-live-5a0f22402efbc824139e5a7e719da2d5' \
--data '{
  "currency": "usdt",
  "chain": "ethereum",
  "destination_payment_rail": "ethereum",
  "destination_currency": "usdc",
  "destination_address": "0x27013f44e72fea1788a00602",
  "return_address": "0x2700w1240xrw1200cva0394",
}'
The response will contain the crypto address ready to start taking payments.
Response
{
    "id": "24dc5860-c208-4ded-82ad-451cd88c6acd",
    "chain": "ethereum",
    "address": "0x50fba60922caa21375038824b4212f234v",
    "currency": "usdt",
    "customer_id": "23c2d462-4c69-4c5a-b31a-88d03",
    "destination_payment_rail": "ethereum",
    "destination_currency": "usdc",
    "destination_address": "0x27013f44e72fea1788a00602",
    "return_address": "0x2700w1240xrw1200cva0394",
    "created_at": "2025-07-05T00:17:04.779Z",
    "updated_at": "2025-07-05T00:17:04.779Z",
    "state": "active"
}

​
Monitoring liquidation address payments

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Drain History

When funds are deposited to a Liquidation Address, Bridge automatically “drains” those funds—converting and forwarding them to the configured destination. Each drain operation creates a Drain Record, which reflects the lifecycle of that individual payment.
  • You can retrieve the full drain history for a given liquidation address using the Get drain history of a liquidation address) endpoint.
  • Bridge will also send you a real time webhook for new drains and state changes.

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Drain States

The state field tracks the status of each drain through its lifecycle. Here are the possible values:
StateDescription
in_reviewThe transaction is temporarily held for review. This usually clears automatically. If unresolved after 24 hours, Bridge will contact you.
funds_receivedBridge has received crypto and is preparing the outgoing payment.
payment_submittedThe outgoing payment has been sent. Confirmation pending (varies by payment rail).
payment_processedPayment successfully completed. Depending on the rail, metadata may include a tx_hash, imad, or trace_number.
undeliverableBridge could not deliver the payment (e.g. invalid account or unsupported asset).
returnedPayment was sent but later rejected and returned to Bridge.
refundedFunds that were returned have been re-sent to an alternative destination.
errorA system or network issue prevented processing. Manual intervention may be required.
canceledThe payment was canceled before submission—usually due to AML/EFE review or because it did not meet the minimum transfer threshold.
Drains can only move forward (funds_received → payment_submitted → payment_processed) and cannot go backward.

​
Fetching liquidation address drain history

Request
curl --request GET \
     --url 'https://api.bridge.xyz/v0/customers/<customer_id>/liquidation_addresses/<liquidation_address_id>/drains' \
     --header 'Api-Key: <Api-Key>' \
     --header 'accept: application/json'
Response
[
  {
    "id": "drain_123",
    "amount": "1.0",
    "currency": "usd",
    "state": "payment_processed",
    "created_at": "2023-05-05T19:39:14.316Z",
    "destination": {
      "payment_rail": "ethereum",
      "currency": "usdc",
      "to_address": "0xb5a18db2e404fd5d234f1bec969cb071bed86f82"
    },
    "destination_tx_hash": "0x063834efe214f4199b1ad7181ce8c5ced3e15d271c8e866da7c89e86ee629cfb",
    "deposit_tx_hash": "0x39debb5d410baddbae5755a8bb98827722b05f5f0e29e428239bf30fc7af2891"
  },
  {
    "id": "drain_456",
    "amount": "1.0",
    "currency": "usd",
    "state": "payment_processed",
    "created_at": "2023-05-04T18:39:14.316Z",
    "destination": {
      "payment_rail": "ethereum",
      "currency": "usdc",
      "to_address": "0xb5a18db2e404fd5d234f1bec969cb071bed86f82"
    },
    "destination_tx_hash": "0x83f5ec78fdde7c48ad32cf2d7ec151fef578a0b6b123e37211a438521b234628",
    "deposit_tx_hash": "0xe6d166219539d0c875a7a4e0806f43ca117a3aaa42440cf875b6e3398fb09060"
  }
]

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Learn more

Learn more at at Liquidation Addresses
Configure fees via Developer Fees
View supported assets here