Complete Guide: Set Up Your Wallet on BNB Smart Chain

Why connect to the smart chain network?

If you are new to the crypto world, you have probably heard of MetaMask as the gateway to the decentralized ecosystem. Although this digital wallet was originally designed for Ethereum, its versatility allows it to connect to multiple blockchain networks. One of the most popular is BNB Smart Chain, which provides access to thousands of decentralized applications that are not available on other chains.

Getting Started: Install MetaMask on your device

The first thing is to have the wallet installed. MetaMask works on both desktop browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Brave) and mobile devices (iOS and Android).

Basic installation:

• Download the extension or application from the official platform
• Follow the installation assistant according to your device
• Create a new wallet by clicking on the corresponding option
• Set a secure password for your account

The critical step: Protect your recovery phrase

This is the most important point of the entire process. When you create your wallet, you will receive a secret recovery phrase (also called a seed phrase). This sequence of words is your master key to access your funds if you lose access to your device.

Security Recommendations:

• Write the complete phrase in a secure physical place (paper, not digital)
• Verify each word by writing them again in MetaMask
• Never share this information with anyone, not even support administrators.
• Do not store it in photos or online files

After confirming your phrase, you will have your wallet ready to receive and send funds.

Connecting MetaMask to BNB Smart Chain

By default, MetaMask connects to the Ethereum network. To access the BNB Smart Chain ecosystem and its decentralized applications, you need to add this network to your wallet.

Steps to add the network automatically:

1. Click on the network selector in the upper left corner (you will see “Ethereum Mainnet” or another active network)
2. Select the “Add network” option
3. Look for BNB Chain in the list of available networks
4. Review the configuration parameters and approve the addition
5. Confirm that you want to switch to this new network

Once completed, your MetaMask will be connected to BNB Smart Chain. It is important to remember that blockchain networks are independent of each other. You cannot transfer funds directly from one chain to another without using a blockchain bridge specifically designed for that purpose.

Manually Add Networks: The Testnet Case

If you want to experiment without using real funds, BNB Smart Chain Testnet is the ideal option. Here you can practice with fake currency.

To add a network manually:

1. Go to your network selector and select “Add network manually”

2. Complete the following parameters:

   • Network Name: BNB Chain Testnet
   • RPC URL: https://data-seed-prebsc-1-b7b23b20221a470c.bnbchain.org:8545
   • Chain ID: 97
   • Currency symbol: tBNB
   • Block explorer URL: https://testnet.bscscan.com

3. Save the changes and the network will be available in your wallet

Making your first transaction on testnet

To familiarize yourself with how the wallet works, here we show you how to send test funds:

Obtain fictitious currency:

• Copy your wallet address from MetaMask
• Access a BNB faucet ( test currency distribution service )
• Paste your address in the form
• Request 0.1 tBNB (BNB test)
• Wait for the funds to arrive in your wallet

Make a transfer:

• From MetaMask, click on “Send”
• Paste the recipient's address
• Select the asset and amount to transfer
• Check all the details of the transaction
• Confirm the shipment
• The transaction will be processed in seconds

You can check the complete history of your transactions in the “Activity” tab of MetaMask.

Final considerations for using BNB Smart Chain

To operate on the smart chain network with real money, you will need to have BNB in your wallet. This token is used to pay transaction fees on the network. You can obtain it from any exchange that offers withdrawals in BNB, transferring it directly to your MetaMask address through the corresponding network.

MetaMask has established itself as the primary tool for accessing decentralized applications. Its compatibility with BNB Smart Chain allows you to explore a completely different ecosystem from Ethereum, with its own dApps, tokens, and opportunities. It only requires a few initial setup steps to start your Web3 experience.