OFAC screening for cross-chain bridges
A bridge transfer touches two blockchains, so both the source and the destination address need an OFAC check before assets move.
TL;DR
TL;DR: Yes, cross-chain bridge operators should screen both the source and the destination wallet against the OFAC SDN List before moving assets. A bridge transfer into a sanctioned wallet is a prohibited transaction.
Why bridges need screening on both ends
A cross-chain bridge is a payment intermediary. It accepts assets on one network and releases them on another, which means a single transfer has two counterparties: the depositing address and the receiving address. Under OFAC strict liability, intent is not required. If either address is on the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List, the bridge has still facilitated a prohibited transaction, and civil penalties start at over $350,000 per violation.
How to screen a bridge transfer
The practical control is to run a screening call before the bridge transaction is signed or finalized. sanctionsai.dev provides an OFAC screening API for exactly this: one HTTP call that returns a clean result (ALLOW) or a flagged result (BLOCK) in under 100 ms. It covers 947 OFAC-listed crypto wallets and 19,218 SDN names, synced hourly, so the check reflects current US Treasury data.
What to do with a flagged address
- Block the transfer and do not release the bridged assets.
- Log the screening decision for the compliance record.
- Review the match before any manual override, and keep the evidence.
Bridges that skip the source-side check still face exposure on the destination side, so both addresses should be screened every time.