How to Add BNB to Your MetaMask Wallet
In the previous guide, we discussed how to add the Binance Smart Chain to MetaMask, which is a step that many DeFi beginners will have to go through. However, with a new wallet, chances are if you go to a BSC platform like PancakeSwap, you’ll find you won’t be able to perform any transactions. This is because if you want to do anything on the BSC network, you’ll need some BNB (Binance Coin).
Quite often beginners will find themselves in an awkward chicken-and-egg situation where they want to swap a token for BNB, but lack the necessary BNB for the transaction fee. So, how can you get BNB when you don’t have any to begin with?
The answer is, you’re probably going to have to go through the centralised Binance platform.
Let’s go through the steps one by one.
Step 1: Create an Account on Binance and Complete KYC
You might be thinking, “but I already created an account on Coinbase”. Unfortunately, in the world of crypto, no single exchange is good for all occasions, and Coinbase does not offer the BNB token (nor does it allow withdrawing to BSC).
What you can do is transfer your crypto from Coinbase, and then exchange that for BNB. Note that some other exchanges (such as FTX) will allow you to withdraw BNB directly to your MetaMask wallet (using the Binance Smart Chain network). However, for the sake of this guide, we’ll assume you on-ramped with Coinbase.
Creating an account and verifying your identity on Binance is essentially the same process as on Coinbase, which we already covered in this article. If you’re in the United States, you may need to use Binance US.
Step 2: Transfer in Crypto From Elsewhere
Now we need to send some crypto to Binance.
This is fairly straightforward. On Binance, open up Fiat and Spot.
From the list, find the crypto you want to deposit and pick “Deposit”.
You could send basically any crypto you want, but it might make sense to send something like Solana (SOL), which will involve minimal transaction fees. Bitcoin also probably wouldn’t be a bad choice. Remember, we don’t plan to actually hold this crypto, we’re just using it as a way of sending funds to Binance, so really the only thing we need to consider is the transaction fee. On Binance basically any coin can be converted for BNB easily.
If you do choose Solana, make sure you select the Solana network to receive on. Equally, if you choose Bitcoin, you should choose the Bitcoin network. When receiving from Coinbase, we can’t use Binance Smart Chain (BEP20).
Copy the address which appears.
Go back to Coinbase or whichever platform you are sending from. Pick “Send” or “Withdraw”, and paste in this address from Binance. The transaction fee will display before you send, and it’s best to double check before clicking Send.
After sending, you’ll need to wait a few minutes before it appears in Binance (don’t start panicking when it doesn’t appear immediately!). Usually, you’ll receive a notification from Binance when the transfer is received.
Step 3: Exchange For BNB
Now that you have some crypto in your Binance account, it’s fairly straightforward from here on out. At the top of the page, find Trade and select Convert.
Select the crypto that you just sent, and below that select BNB. You can convert all of your balance to BNB, or if you prefer, just a small amount (transaction fees in BSC are small so you won’t need a huge amount). If you find you have too much BNB, you can always swap it later on a platform like PancakeSwap.
Step 4: Transfer to MetaMask
In the final step, open MetaMask and copy your MetaMask wallet address. Make sure that in the top right the network is set to Binance Smart Chain.
In Binance, go to Wallet and select Fiat and Spot.
Find BNB in the list, and pick Withdraw.
Paste in your MetaMask address, and then choose “Binance Smart Chain (BEP20)”. This is very important, if you choose the similar-sounding “Binance Chain (BEP2)” you could lose your funds.
Enter the amount and pick Withdraw.
In a short while, you should see the BNB appear in your MetaMask wallet!
Now that you have some BNB and have learned how to transfer crypto to MetaMask, the world’s your oyster! You can start exploring the many dapps on the Binance Smart Chain network and connect your MetaMask wallet with them.
Stick around for more BSC guides, starting with the very popular PancakeSwap.
