How to Add Avalanche to MetaMask

To enjoy all the advantages of cryptocurrency, you typically need to be comfortable working with a few different types of software. Though tools like MetaMask and Avalanche can sound tricky if you're new to working with crypto, they aren't necessarily complicated. 

Our guide will help you learn about these helpful technologies so you can use them to enhance your crypto portfolio. Keep reading to discover the basics of MetaMask and Avalanche and to learn how to add Avalanche to MetaMask.

What Is MetaMask?

MetaMask is one of the most popular cryptocurrency wallets. The MetaMask wallet stores your coins and connects you to a variety of other exchanges and finance services.

MetaMask helps you keep track of all your crypto. It functions as a secure wallet that stores and saves all your crypto keys. Instead of having to keep track of individual keys, you can maintain a variety of keys through a single, centralized wallet. 

MetaMask was originally created in 2016 by blockchain software company ConsenSys. It’s available as both a phone app and a web browser extension. This wallet is particularly popular because it offers features not found in other crypto wallets.

Once you have MetaMask up and running, it lets you interact with a variety of other decentralized financial services. You can choose to add various other decentralized applications (DApps) to MetaMask, and then you can use these tools to further manage your cryptocurrency. 

In addition to connecting you with countless helpful applications, MetaMask also offers crypto exchanges. You can exchange Ethereum tokens and use a variety of decentralized exchanges to find a good exchange rate. You do have to pay a small service fee for transactions, but MetaMask itself is a free service.

What Is Avalanche?

Avalanche is a blockchain platform that allows developers to create multi-functional blockchains and DApps. Avalanche itself is not a crypto, but the platform does have a native crypto token called AVAX.

The Avalanche Network's aim is to create a very feature-rich blockchain. The open-source platform allows for both financial primitives and decentralized applications. Avalanche Network was first planned in 2018, and with help from researchers at Cornell University, Avalanche was finally released to the public in 2020.

Avalanche has different blockchain types, including an X-Chain for trading assets, a C-chain for contracts and a P-chain for validating AVAX tokens. There are a few things that set Avalanche apart from other platforms. Unlike assets such as Bitcoin, Avalanche doesn’t require proof of work (PoW) consensus. Instead, it uses multiple validator sets to secure crypto while operating at a higher speed.

Since the network architecture is divided between three blockchains, it tends to be especially secure, flexible and strong. While Bitcoin can only handle seven transactions per second, Avalanche can handle 4,500. Avalanche also allows more people to participate, since you just have to stake 2,000 AVAX tokens to participate.

How to Install and Set Up MetaMask

To add Avalanche to MetaMask, you'll first need to get MetaMask up and running. Getting access to the MetaMask wallet is fairly simple. All you need to do is follow these steps.

Step 1: Download and Install MetaMask

MetaMask is a piece of software that you'll need to add to your preferred device before you can add Avalanche to MetaMask. You can get all versions of MetaMask through their official website. 

If you plan on using it for your phone, you can download the iOS App or Android app. When using it on a computer, download the Chrome browser and then download MetaMask as an extension for it. Follow the steps to enable the extension or app on your device.

Step 2: Create a MetaMask Wallet

To use MetaMask, you'll need to create a wallet. This is essentially your account that links all your crypto activity to a single place. You can choose to create a brand new wallet from scratch or import an existing one from another account. Enter each set of information that MetaMask requires. You'll be walked through things like creating a password and choosing whether you want to share your data.

Step 3: Secure Your MetaMask Wallet

To ensure all your funds are safe, you need to perform a few additional steps. MetaMask will help you create a seed phrase, which is a string of words linked to your account. 

You should write down this phrase in a few secure, preferably non-digital, locations. You’ll be asked to confirm this phrase in the next step.

Keeping this phrase secure and private is very important. It ensures you can reassess your crypto if something happens to your device. Keep in mind that anyone who has the phrase can use your crypto. Once you confirm your seed phrase and store it in a safe place, you're all set. You can move on to the next steps and focus on adding Avalanche to MetaMask.

How to Add Avalanche to MetaMask

When you first get MetaMask, it will only be synced with the mainnet for Ethereum. 

To add Avalanche to MetaMask, you'll need to follow a few additional steps.

Step 1. Add the Avalanche Network to MetaMask

When you open MetaMask, you'll see a drop-down network menu at the top of the page. Click on this menu and select the Add Network option. This lets you start the process of adding Avalanche to MetaMask. MetaMask will then prompt you to enter the following details:

Network Name: Avalanche Network

New RPC URL: https://api.avax.network/ext/bc/C/rpc

Chain ID: 43114

Symbol: AVAX

Explorer: https://snowtrace.io/

You can also get this information by directly checking with the Avalanche network.

Step 2: Prepare Your Avalanche Tokens for Transfer to MetaMask

Keep in mind that only the C-Chain AVAX tokens are going to be compatible with MetaMask. When adding Avalanche to MetaMask, you'll need to first place your AVAX tokens inside of your C-Chain wallet and then withdraw from there. You can do this with the Cross Chain feature in your Avalanche Wallet. 

Simply select the X-Chain as your Source Chain, and the C-Chain as your Destination Chain, to transfer your AVAX tokens. Repeat this process for the tokens in your P-Chain.

You'll need to pay a small fee for the transaction, but once you finish, your X-Chain and P-Chain tokens will be ready to be added to MetaMask.

Step 3: Send Avalanche Tokens to MetaMask

To finish adding Avalanche to MetaMask, open your Avalanche wallet and click on the Send option. 

Click the C-Chain as the source you want to send elsewhere, and then the app will prompt you to enter an address.

Go to MetaMask and copy your account address. 

Paste this into the To Address field in the Avalanche network. Carefully double-check your information to ensure you aren't sending it to multiple users, and then click Confirm to finish the transaction.

Closing Thoughts

By using this guide you can easily add Avalanche to MetaMask. You'll still need to repeat it each time you want to add more currency, but once you finish the simple process, you can use the MetaMask wallet to handle your Avalanche crypto. This makes it much easier to explore all the interesting applications of AVAX tokens.

Looking to purchase more AVAX tokens to be stored in your MetaMask wallet? You can do so on the Bybit spot trading platform.