If you’re wondering how to add Solana to MetaMask, you’re not alone. Many crypto HOLDers find themselves wanting to manage multiple types of digital assets in one place. MetaMask, a popular Ethereum wallet, is often the go-to choice for many crypto enthusiasts. However, when it comes to Solana, things aren’t as straightforward as you might hope.
In this guide, we’ll explore the challenge of adding Solana to MetaMask and provide you with practical solutions. While it’s not possible to directly add Solana to MetaMask due to fundamental differences between the Solana and Ethereum networks, we’ll show you workarounds that can help you manage your Solana alongside your MetaMask wallet.
Pro Tip: Binance Smart Chain has been rebranded as BNB Smart Chain.
Key Takeaways:
- Solana is not directly compatible with MetaMask as MetaMask is designed for Ethereum and EVM-compatible blockchains.
- You can manage Solana-wrapped tokens (wSOL) in MetaMask using the BNB Smart Chain network as an alternative.
- For full functionality to store SOL tokens and other Solana blockchain crypto assets, using dedicated Solana wallets like Phantom or Solflare Wallet is the best option.
Why can’t I add Solana to MetaMask?
You may be wondering if you can add Solana to MetaMask or if MetaMask supports Solana. The answer lies in the fundamental differences between blockchain networks.
MetaMask is a widely-used cryptocurrency wallet mainly tailored for Ethereum and other Ethereum-compatible networks like BNB Smart Chain, Polygon, and Avalanche.
Solana operates on its own distinct blockchain with a unique consensus protocol called Proof of History (PoH), combined with Proof of Stake (PoS). This architecture is fundamentally different from the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), which is what MetaMask is designed to work with.
Also, MetaMask supports blockchains that use the Solidity programming language, which is the core language for EVM networks. Solana, on the other hand, primarily uses Rust as its programming language, making it incompatible.
This limitation doesn’t mean you can’t use Solana with MetaMask at all. It just means we need to find alternative ways to make it work. In the following sections, we’ll explore two methods that allow you to use Solana alongside your MetaMask wallet.
So, is Solana on MetaMask? The direct answer is “no” but indirectly “yes”.
How to add Solana to Metamask
Method 1: By using BNB Smart Chain
One indirect approach to managing Solana (SOL) assets in MetaMask is through the BNB Smart Chain, which allows you to hold Solana-wrapped tokens.
Wrapped Solana (wSOL) is a tokenized version of Solana (SOL) that exists on other blockchains, like Ethereum or BNB Smart Chain. wSOL maintains a 1:1 peg with SOL, meaning one wSOL is always equal to one SOL, and it can be easily converted back to native SOL at any time.
Step 1: Copy wSOL contract address from CoinMarketCap
First, you need to find the contract address for Wrapped Solana on the Binance Smart Chain. Visit CoinMarketCap and search for “Wrapped Solana”. Look for the BNB smart chain contract address and copy it. This address is crucial for adding the token to MetaMask.
Step 2: Choose BNB smart chain as your default address
Open your MetaMask wallet and click on the network dropdown at the top. If you haven’t added BNB Smart Chain to MetaMask yet, select “Add Network” and enter the BNB chain details:
- Network Name: Smart Chain
- New RPC URL: https://bsc-dataseed.binance.org/
- Chain ID: 56
- Symbol: BNB
- Block Explorer URL: https://bscscan.com
After adding, select BNB Smart Chain as your default network.
Step 3: Import tokens and enter the contract address
Click on “Import tokens” at the bottom of your MetaMask wallet. Paste the wSOL contract address you copied in Step 1 into the “Token Address” field. The token symbol (wSOL) and decimals should auto-fill. Click “Import” to finish.
Now you can see and manage your Wrapped Solana tokens in MetaMask. Remember, these are BSC representations of Solana, not native SOL tokens.
Method 2: By using an alternative wallet
You can also use a Solana-compatible wallet alongside MetaMask. One of the most popular options is Phantom Wallet. Here’s how to set it up and use it for your Solana transactions:
Step 1: Install Phantom and create Solana wallet
First, visit the official Phantom website and download the browser extension for your preferred browser. Once installed, open the extension and click on “Create New Wallet”. Follow the on-screen instructions to set up your new Phantom wallet.
Pro Tip: Solana does not have a specific Solana RPC URL and Chain ID like Ethereum-based blockchains.
Step 2: Create a Backup Recovery Phrase
After creating your wallet, Phantom will provide you with a 12-word recovery phrase, also known as a seed phrase. This is crucial for recovering your wallet if you lose access to your device or forget your password.
Write down these words in the exact order they appear and store them in a safe, offline location. Never share this phrase with anyone, as it gives full access to your wallet.
Step 3: Send SOL Tokens
Once your wallet is set up and you have safely stored your recovery phrase, you can start receiving SOL tokens. Click on the “Receive” button within the Phantom Wallet, which will display your Solana wallet address.
Use this address to receive SOL from another wallet or an exchange. The tokens will appear in your Phantom Wallet, and you can manage them easily from there.
Conclusion: How to add Solana network to Metamask
In conclusion, Solana is not available on MetaMask. While it’s not possible to directly add Solana network to MetaMask, we’ve explored two methods that allow you to use Solana alongside your MetaMask wallet.
The first method, using Binance Smart Chain as a bridge, allows you to interact with wrapped Solana tokens through MetaMask. The second method involves using a separate Solana-compatible wallet like Phantom Wallet in parallel with MetaMask.
Note: For advanced MetaMask users, there is another method called “MetaMask snaps”. To use Solana with MetaMask, you can install the Solana Wallet Snap through MetaMask Snaps, a new feature that allows MetaMask to support non-EVM blockchains like Solana. Read full information about Solana Snap Wallet here.
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FAQs
What is the Solana wallet address?
A Solana wallet address is a unique identifier for a wallet on the Solana blockchain. It’s a string of letters and numbers, typically starting with a lowercase letter.
For example, a Solana wallet address might look like this: “7JCvw…”. Solana addresses are different from Ethereum addresses, which typically start with “0x”. This is also one reason why MetaMask, which was designed for Ethereum-style addresses, can’t directly support Solana addresses.
Which wallet supports Solana?
The crypto wallets that natively support Solana include Phantom, Solflare, Sollet, Trust Wallet, and Ledger (when combined with compatible Solana software). These wallets are designed specifically to interact with the Solana blockchain and can handle Solana’s native tokens and NFTs.
Why is Solana not showing in MetaMask?
Solana doesn’t show in MetaMask because MetaMask was built primarily for Ethereum and other EVM-compatible networks. Solana uses a different blockchain architecture that isn’t compatible with MetaMask’s design. The main reasons include the different blockchain structure, address format, transaction structure, and smart contract language used by Solana compared to Ethereum-based networks.
These differences mean that MetaMask can’t directly interact with or display Solana tokens without significant modifications to its core functionality.
How do I change my MetaMask from ETH to Solana?
You cannot switch MetaMask from Ethereum to Solana directly since MetaMask doesn’t support Solana. However, you can switch networks within MetaMask to BNB Smart Chain to manage Solana-wrapped tokens or use a dedicated wallet like Phantom or Solflare Solana wallet for full access to Solana’s blockchain.
