How to Add Arbitrum to MetaMask: A Complete Guide

Are you ready to connect your MetaMask wallet with the Arbitrum blockchain? If you are a cryptocurrency enthusiast who wants to explore more options, adding Arbitrum to MetaMask is a great way of expanding your horizons and engaging in the fantastic opportunities available on the network. In this guide, we’ll walk you through step-by-step instructions on how to add Arbitrum to MetaMask so that you can tap into new crypto assets.

What You Need For This Tutorial

There are several things you need to complete this tutorial successfully. Here’s a list of the most important resources to help you add Arbitrum to MetaMask.

• Email address
• A chain ID
• New RPC URL
• Blockchain Explorer URL
• Token Contact Address

Besides the email, the other requirements are provided in this article in the sections where the information is needed.

What Is Arbitrum?

Arbitrum is an optimistic rollup for the Ethereum blockchain. Optimistic rollups are layer2 protocols built on the Ethereum network, allowing the blockchain to scale up its services in different ways. 

In Arbitrum’s case, the protocol facilitates rapid communication between Ethereum smart contracts. Rather than tasking the Ethereum mainnet to verify every contract, Arbitrum independently processes transactions and only sends feedback to the mainnet for recording purposes.

With such efficiency and speed, Arbitrum is a convenient add-on to any Ethereum wallet. The network’s abilities increase users’ transaction speeds and reduce the gas fees they need to transact on the Ethereum blockchain.

How to Add Arbitrum to MetaMask

Making Arbitrum functional in your MetaMask wallet is simple. The process follows three key steps: creating a MetaMask wallet account, adding Arbitrum to MetaMask, and finally adding Arbitrum tokens to MetaMask. Here’s a breakdown of what each step entails.

Step 1: Create a MetaMask Account

Adding Arbitrum to MetaMask is not possible without a MetaMask wallet account. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to create a MetaMask account.

1. Go to MetaMask’s Website and click the Download for Chrome button to download the MetaMask browser extension.

2. When the download is complete, click your browser’s Extension icon.
3. Select the MetaMask extension and tap on the Get Started button to access MetaMask.

4. On the tab that opens, you will see two options including Import Your Wallet or Create a Wallet. Choose the Create a Wallet option.

5. Read and agree to  MetaMask’s terms and conditions by clicking the I Agree button. 

6. Input a password in the password field and click Create to submit your responses.

Once complete, you will receive MetaMask’s 12-word recovery phrase. This is the phrase you use to regain access to your MetaMask account in case you forget your password or lose access. Always store your recovery phrase somewhere secret to prevent third parties from accessing it and hacking into your account or tampering with your assets. 

Step 2: Add Arbitrum to Your MetaMask Account

After successfully creating a MetaMask account, the next step is to link your Arbitrum account to the wallet. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to achieve that.

1. Log in to your MetaMask account, click the dropdown menu, and select the Add network button.

2. Scroll to the bottom of the page that opens and click on the hyperlinked Add a network manually text.

3. Enter the details below in the respective fields and click Save.

4. If your connection was successful, you’d be redirected to your MetaMask dashboard, and this time the network name will read Arbitrum One.

Step 3: Add Arbitrum tokens to Your MetaMask Account

Adding the Arbitrum chain to your MetaMask wallet doesn’t automatically import tokens onto the network. You can receive the tokens, but they will not appear natively on your dashboard. To get Arbitrum tokens to appear, you need to add them manually. Here are summarized instructions to help you achieve this.

1. Log in to your MetaMask wallet, and ensure your account is set to Arbitrum One.
2. Scroll to the bottom of the MetaMask dashboard and click Import tokens.

3. Go to Arbiscan and get the contract address for the coin you want to add. 

4. You will find the address under the Profile Summary section. 

5. Copy this address and paste it into the Token Contact Address field under the Custom Token section in Metamask. If the address is correct, it should auto-generate the details of the other fields.Once you have the correct details, click the Add Custom Token button.

6. This redirects you to an Import Token tab. Click Import Token on this tab to initiate the importing process. 

7. If you import the token successfully, you’ll be redirected to your MetaMask dashboard, and the token indicated will be the one you just imported. 

FAQs

Is Arbitrum compatible with MetaMask?

Yes. Arbitrum is compatible with MetaMask. Since the network is a layer2 Ethereum protocol, it is compatible with an Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), making it one of the tokens supported by the MetaMask cryptocurrency wallet.

Which crypto wallets support Arbitrum?

Arbitrum is one of the most popular Ethereum-based blockchains across multiple top DEXs. This means a variety of wallets support the network because it enables users to transact faster and more efficiently. Besides MetaMask, wallets like Trust Wallet, Coinbase Wallet, Zapper Wallet, Uniswap Wallet, and SushiSwap Wallet are some of the DeFi wallets that support Arbitrum.

What Is an Arbitrum token?

An Arbitrum token refers to any crypto token supported by the Arbitrum network. Unlike most blockchains, Arbitrum does not have a native cryptocurrency token, so it refers to the tokens it hosts as “Arbitrum tokens.” However, the primary Arbitrum token is Ethereum (ETH).