> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.pfbridge.xyz/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Makers and Bridgers: understanding ProofBridge roles

> ProofBridge has two roles: Makers who provide cross-chain liquidity and Bridgers who transfer assets. Both co-sign every settlement.

Every cross-chain transfer involves two parties: a **Maker** who provides
liquidity on the destination chain, and a **Bridger** who wants to move
assets from one chain to another. Neither party needs to trust the other —
settlement requires **both parties' BLS co-signatures** and an on-chain
zero-knowledge proof of each deposit.

## The two roles

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Maker" icon="droplet">
    A liquidity provider who locks tokens on the destination chain and
    receives the Bridger's source tokens at settlement. Makers post
    liquidity ads to attract Bridgers — many run the market-maker bot and
    serve trades hands-free.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Bridger" icon="bridge">
    A user moving assets across chains. Bridgers deposit source tokens
    against a matching ad and receive destination tokens from the Maker's
    locked liquidity.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

Both roles share one prerequisite: the trading wallet needs a registered
[settlement key](/v2/concepts/settlement-keys) — a one-time step — because
every trade settles only with both parties' signatures.

## How Makers work

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create and fund an ad">
    Post an ad for a route (say, USDC on Sepolia → USDC on Stellar) and
    deposit liquidity into the `AdManager` contract. Tokens exchange 1:1
    by value — amounts are aligned across token decimals automatically.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Lock for an order">
    When a Bridger funds an order against your ad, lock the matching
    liquidity — this is your deposit into the trade. The bot does this
    automatically.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Co-sign">
    Once both deposits confirm, sign the settlement with your settlement
    key — silently, no transaction. The bot signs by itself.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Receive source tokens">
    Background workers aggregate the two signatures, prove both deposits,
    and submit the unlocks. Your recipient address receives the Bridger's
    tokens.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## How Bridgers work

<Steps>
  <Step title="Pick a route and deposit">
    Choose a route with available liquidity, enter the amount, and fund
    the order — your tokens go into the `OrderPortal` escrow. Native ETH
    and XLM wrap automatically.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Co-sign">
    When both deposits confirm, one click signs the settlement with your
    settlement key. This is your authorization — the trade cannot settle
    without it.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Receive destination tokens">
    The same background pipeline settles both chains; your destination
    tokens arrive at your recipient address.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
  No sign-up is required. Your connected wallet is your identity, and your
  settlement key derives from a wallet signature.
</Note>

## Comparing the two roles

|                       | Maker                           | Bridger                    |
| --------------------- | ------------------------------- | -------------------------- |
| **Primary action**    | Posts liquidity ads             | Opens orders against ads   |
| **What you lock**     | Destination-chain tokens        | Source-chain tokens        |
| **What you receive**  | Bridger's source tokens         | Maker's destination tokens |
| **Co-signature**      | Required — bot can sign for you | Required — one click       |
| **On-chain contract** | `AdManager`                     | `OrderPortal`              |

## Settlement: how both parties receive their tokens

Settlement needs three things, all verified on-chain: your signature, the
counterparty's signature (combined into one), and a zero-knowledge proof
of each deposit. The relayer aggregates, proves, and submits — it cannot
forge either signature, cannot fabricate a deposit, and holds no funds.
Neither party can receive funds without the other side's deposit provably
existing.