As per this recent proposal, the ArbitrumDAO has voted to minimize Arbitrum Nova by transitioning it into a maintenance-oriented state with reduced capacity and deprioritized support. Please refer to the proposal to understand the full context behind the minimization.
The minimization process will follow three structured phases aimed at limiting user disruption, supporting the migration of applications, integrations, liquidity, and funds to Arbitrum One, and reducing operational overhead no longer justified by Arbitrum Nova’s current usage and strategic value:
- Phase 1: governance lifecycle of the proposal (COMPLETED)
- Phase 2: 90-day migration window during which developers and users are encouraged and supported in migrating to Arbitrum One while existing infrastructure remains fully operational (ONGOING)
- Phase 3: transition to a minimized state by adopting a passive DAC model and lightweight infrastructure, deprecating most service-provider contracts, and moving to maintenance-only support
Developer FAQs
What should developers do in Phase 2?
From June 4 to September 2, 2026 (90-day migration window) developers are encouraged to migrate applications, integrations, and liquidity to Arbitrum One. In this phase, Offchain and the Arbitrum Foundation will help support developers migrating from Arbitrum Nova to Arbitrum One, as existing infrastructure continues to remain fully operational.
However, because both chains are Nitro-based and EVM-equivalent, most smart contracts can be migrated without specialized tooling or major rewrites. Therefore, teams are expected to handle their own application-layer migration work, including frontend updates, infrastructure changes, liquidity coordination, partner communication, and community migration.
Support during this period will prioritize resolving practical migration blockers, including deployment issues, tooling challenges, RPC reliability, and migration planning.
What should developers be aware of for Phase 3?
At the start of Phase 3, Nova-specific developer support will be deprioritized as operational focus shifts to Arbitrum One and the chain moves to a lower-footprint model. Developers remaining on Arbitrum Nova should expect:
- Longer response times for Nova-specific questions
- Stricter rate limits on public infrastructure (e.g. RPC endpoints)
- A maintenance-only support model rather than active ecosystem support
Teams that continue operating on Arbitrum Nova in Phase 3 onwards, will be doing so with the understanding that under this proposal, the network will persist, but with reduced support and operational resources.
Because Nova is being minimized rather than fully deprecated, developers will still be able to migrate away from Nova in Phase 3 (albeit with less support and potentially fewer bridging solutions available).
How can developers receive further guidance and support?
Developers seeking support should use existing Arbitrum channels:
User FAQs
What should users do in Phase 2?
From June 4 to September 2, 2026 (90-day migration window), users are encouraged to withdraw funds on Arbitrum Nova using the Arbitrum Canonical Bridge (accessible via the Arbitrum Portal), which enables direct withdrawals from Arbitrum Nova to Arbitrum One.
For smaller or time-sensitive transfers, users may want to consider using fast bridging solutions (e.g. LI.FI-powered routes via Relay or Symbiosis), which offer faster withdrawals at higher fees.
For large transfers, the suggested route is:
- Withdraw from Arbitrum Nova to Ethereum via the Portal
- Wait through the 7-day challenge period
- Claim funds on Ethereum
- Bridge from Ethereum to Arbitrum One
What should users be aware of in Phase 3?
Because Nova is being minimized rather than fully deprecated, users will still be able to migrate away from Nova in Phase 3, albeit with less support and potentially fewer bridging solutions available. For example, support for the fast bridging options mentioned above (e.g. LI.FI-powered routes via Relay or Symbiosis) depends on third-party providers and is subject to their continued support for the Arbitrum Nova network, which may reduce in Phase 3. However, the Arbitrum Canonical Bridge will continue to be accessible via the Arbitrum Portal.
How can $MOON holders bridge their tokens away from Arbitrum Nova?
There is no direct path for $MOON holders to bridge from Arbitrum Nova to Arbitrum One. Accordingly, we recommend that users take the following steps:
- Move $MOON token from Arbitrum Nova to Ethereum via the Arbitrum portal
- Claim the token post 7 days of confirmation period
- Bridge $MOON token from Ethereum to Arbitrum One via the Arbitrum portal
How can users receive further guidance and support?
Users seeking support should use existing Arbitrum channels: