How Universal Gas Tokens Work in Cross-Chain UX

The Multi-Chain Gas Problem

You want to use a dApp on Arbitrum, but you only have ETH on the Ethereum mainnet. You bridge it over, but after the bridge transaction completes, you discover that you cannot take any action on Arbitrum because you do not have ETH on that chain for gas. Anyone who has used more than one blockchain has felt this pain at least once.

It is one of the most frustrating experiences in crypto and also one of the biggest barriers for new users who hope for a simple, consistent process. According to ConsenSys’s 2023 Global Survey on Crypto and Web3, 92% of respondents said they had heard of cryptocurrencies, but only 8% described themselves as very familiar with Web3, highlighting a large gap between awareness and usable knowledge, which may contribute to onboarding friction.

92% of respondents globally have heard of crypto. Source: consensys

Every blockchain requires its own native gas token. Ethereum uses ETH, Polygon uses MATIC, Avalanche uses AVAX, Optimism uses OP, Base uses ETH, and so on. This structure makes sense from the protocol side because each chain pays its validators or sequencers with its own native asset.

However, it creates a broken experience for users. Someone may buy crypto online with the intention of using a decentralized application and then discover that they cannot even make their first transaction because they lack a few cents of the correct gas token. The problem becomes even more painful across multiple chains when users must keep track of many small token balances just to interact with applications.

Universal gas tokens aim to eliminate this friction. They promise a future where users hold one token that works everywhere, regardless of the chain they are using. If successful, they can simplify onboarding, reduce confusion, and remove one of the last major obstacles standing between everyday users and a smooth multi-chain experience.

This article explains how universal gas tokens work, the methods used to enable them, the leading protocols building this technology, and whether these solutions can truly deliver seamless cross-chain UX.

The Gas Token Problem Explained

Blockchains require gas to prevent spam and provide economic incentives for validators. If transactions cost nothing, malicious actors could flood a network with requests and collapse its ability to function. Gas fees create a cost for using network resources and reward the participants who secure the chain. Because blockchains do not trust external assets for security, they require gas to be paid in the native token that the consensus system uses.

This is why gas must be paid in different tokens across different chains, and it creates one of the worst UX challenges in crypto. Users must maintain separate gas balances on every chain they plan to use. Research on Ethereum’s token distribution shows that the majority of wallets hold only very small amounts of ETH, while a tiny fraction of wallets hold nearly all of the supply (≈95%).

This imbalance suggests that many users end up keeping tiny, scattered native-token balances that serve little purpose beyond covering gas fees. They need to purchase or bridge these small quantities of tokens, which are not useful for anything other than paying for transactions. They get stuck at the worst possible moment because they have tokens on a chain but cannot move them or swap them until they acquire the correct gas token.

For newcomers, this feels confusing and unwelcoming. Even experienced users struggle to keep track of gas tokens spread across multiple networks. The result is a heavy onboarding barrier: decentralized applications become far less attractive when a user must acquire multiple native tokens before they can even try a simple action. The friction slows adoption and creates unnecessary economic waste as users tie up funds in idle balances held only for gas. Universal gas tokens promise to solve this entire problem.

What Are Universal Gas Tokens

Universal gas tokens allow users to pay gas on any blockchain with a single token. Instead of managing many different native tokens, the user interacts with one token that works everywhere. The blockchain or a supporting protocol handles the conversion behind the scenes. This is often called gas abstraction because the token used to pay the fee is separated from the token required by the blockchain protocol.

Gas abstraction improves the user experience dramatically. Users can hold one token and use any chain without worrying about local gas token requirements. They do not need to bridge small balances every time they switch networks. They do not need to pause because they are stuck without gas. For developers, gas abstraction allows the creation of applications that feel smoother and less intimidating to new users. It brings crypto closer to the UX standards of mainstream apps.

Technical Approaches to Universal Gas

There are several ways developers attempt to implement universal gas systems. One common method uses a network of transaction relays. Relayers pay the gas on behalf of the user, then accept the user’s chosen token as compensation. The protocol converts that token into the native gas token in the background. As a result, the user never has to think about which token is needed for the specific chain.

Another approach uses meta transactions. In a meta transaction, the user signs a message but does not submit it directly to the blockchain. Instead, a relayer broadcasts the transaction and pays the gas. The user can compensate the relayer with any token, and the relayer handles the rest. This can create gasless user experiences where the user’s transaction feels free but is actually sponsored or paid in a different token. Biconomy enables meta-transactions / gasless transactions via relayer infrastructure, allowing users to interact with dApps without holding native gas tokens.

ERC 4337 account abstraction introduces paymaster contracts that allow users to pay gas in any supported token. A paymaster can accept a non-native token and convert it into the correct gas token as part of the transaction lifecycle. This method keeps everything on-chain and creates a powerful building block for universal gas solutions.

Cross-chain gas payment is another emerging method. In this model, a user pays gas on one chain, and the protocol takes responsibility for execution and gas coverage on a different chain. This brings interoperability and gas abstraction together, allowing developers to build cross-chain applications with unified fee payment.

Leading Universal Gas Solutions

Connext offers an approach to universal gas using its XERC20 token system. These tokens behave consistently across chains and can support unified gas features. The ecosystem built around Connext focuses heavily on creating cohesive multi-chain UX and enabling users to interact with applications without constantly switching tokens.

Biconomy takes a different approach with its gas tank model. Users deposit tokens into a dedicated gas tank, and those tokens can be used to pay gas on any supported blockchain. The system maintains compatibility across many networks and simplifies the process of onboarding new users.

Gelato operates a powerful relay infrastructure that allows developers to sponsor gas fees or let users pay in alternative tokens. The network acts as a universal execution layer, ensuring that transactions always have the correct gas payment behind them, no matter which chain they use. LayerZero’s OFT standard enables tokens to exist natively across multiple chains, reducing fragmentation and potentially supporting universal gas features within omnichain applications. ERC 4337 account abstraction solutions continue to evolve as well, giving developers more flexibility to design how users pay gas.

How Universal Gas Works Behind the Scenes

When a user pays gas in a non-native token, a complex sequence of events happens almost instantly. The system detects the chosen token and checks whether it can be used for gas. If the token is acceptable, it triggers a conversion step. The token is swapped or settled into the native gas token required by the chain. Once the native gas token is available, the transaction is executed. After execution, the relayer or paymaster receives compensation, and the process ends.

Liquidity plays a critical role in this workflow. Universal gas systems require liquidity pools or market makers to convert between tokens without causing slippage or execution delays. If liquidity is low, the system may not be able to complete the conversion, which can cause the transaction to fail. Developers must design mechanisms to handle liquidity shortages, such as fallback routes or sponsor-funded gas reserves.

The economics of universal gas rely on relayers or services earning small fees for offering the convenience. These can come from spreads on conversions or direct service fees. If a relayer cannot recover its costs, it will not operate, which is why sustainable fee structures are essential.

Failure scenarios exist as well. If a conversion fails or the relayer network suffers downtime, the user may not be able to transact. Universal gas systems must be designed with robust fallback methods and strong reliability guarantees.

Benefits Beyond Convenience

Universal gas tokens improve security because users no longer need to keep tiny amounts of many tokens scattered across wallets. Holding many small balances creates attack surfaces and increases the chance of mistakes, especially if users keep funds in multiple chains through a digital wallet that manages many networks. Universal gas tokens reduce this risk by letting users focus on holding one token that works everywhere.

Capital efficiency improves, too. Instead of keeping idle balances of AVAX, MATIC, FTM, or other native tokens just for gas, users can hold productive assets or stable tokens. Businesses and DAOs also benefit because they no longer need to manage fragmented gas reserves across dozens of chains. Universal gas simplifies treasury management and reduces operational overhead.

User onboarding becomes much easier when gas abstraction is in place. New users can interact with applications immediately without worrying about whether they have the correct gas token. This reduces confusion and removes one of the most common points where people give up. Universal gas is one of the few improvements that can genuinely accelerate mainstream crypto adoption.

Challenges and Limitations

Universal gas introduces convenience but also creates centralization concerns. Relayer networks may act as chokepoints if a small number of operators control transaction execution. This could lead to censorship or single points of failure. Developers must evaluate whether the system is decentralized enough for their security needs.

Another challenge is cost. Users may pay slightly higher fees because the system must convert tokens or compensate relayers. The added convenience often justifies the extra cost, but the trade-off depends on user expectations and the application’s design.

Developer complexity also increases. Integrating universal gas systems requires deep familiarity with meta transactions, relayers, paymasters, or cross-chain execution frameworks. Not every development team has the expertise or resources to maintain these additions.

Network dependency is a risk as well. If the universal gas provider experiences downtime, users might not be able to transact at all. This creates a reliability issue that does not exist when users pay gas directly with the native token.

Adoption is still limited. Only a small number of applications and chains support universal gas in production. The concept is powerful, but widespread adoption will take time.

The Future of Gas Payments

The future of gas payments may involve protocol-level support where blockchains accept several different tokens for gas without requiring relayers or meta transactions. Some Layer 2 designs are already exploring native support for multi-token gas payments. Standardization efforts are also underway, which aim to create consistent rules for gas abstraction across chains.

Wallet developers are beginning to integrate universal gas logic directly into their interfaces. This allows applications to feel smooth and consistent regardless of the underlying chain. Eventually, we may reach a point where gas disappears from the user experience entirely.

Applications may sponsor all user transactions, creating a fully gasless environment where users never have to think about fees or conversions. At that point, users will choose chains as easily as they choose the best crypto exchange, without needing to understand anything about native tokens or infrastructure.

Conclusion: Removing the Final Friction

Frictionless multi-chain wallets represent the next major leap in how people interact with digital assets. By removing long-standing pain points like network switching, gas management, fragmented balances, and confusing bridging steps, these wallets transform blockchain into an invisible layer that simply works. Advances in account abstraction, cross-chain messaging, intent-based systems, and modular wallet infrastructure are steadily pushing the industry toward a user experience that feels effortless and intuitive.

Challenges remain, from liquidity fragmentation to security risks and the need for broader standardization, but the direction is clear. As these technologies mature, they will remove technical barriers that have slowed mainstream adoption for years. The future of crypto will be defined not by the chains users operate on, but by seamless, intelligent systems that make those chains disappear.

Ultimately, frictionless wallets will do more than improve UX; they will redefine how value moves globally. By abstracting complexity, they invite millions of new users into Web3 without requiring technical knowledge. This is the foundation for the next era of digital finance.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a universal gas token?

A universal gas token is a token you can use to pay gas fees across different blockchains instead of needing each chain’s native token. It abstracts the gas payment process so users can interact with multiple networks using a single token.

Do I still need native tokens if I use universal gas?

In most cases, you do not need native tokens because the universal gas system handles conversions or pays gas on your behalf. Some edge cases may still require native tokens depending on the protocol, but the goal is to remove that requirement completely.

Are there extra fees for using universal gas?

Yes, there are usually small additional fees because the system must convert tokens or reward relayers for covering gas. These costs are typically minor and are considered part of the convenience of using universal gas.

Which platforms support universal gas payments?

Platforms like Connext, Biconomy, Gelato,3 and several ERC 4337 account abstraction wallets support universal gas or gas abstraction features. Adoption is growing as more applications and chains integrate these systems.

Is universal gas secure?

Universal gas is secure when implemented correctly, but it depends on the relayers, paymasters or validator networks that process transactions. The security model varies by protocol, so users and developers should understand the trust assumptions behind each system.