HOW-TO SERIES
Get Set Up on Avalanche and Start Earning with Pollen Virtual
A step-by-step guide to start pollenating on the Avalanche blockchain
Getting started with Pollen Virtual can be a breeze with this simple step-by-step guide. It will give you all the necessary information, from setting up a MetaMask wallet to getting it stacked with PLN tokens.
Read on to start earning with Pollen Virtual in less than 10 minutes.
Set up your MetaMask web3 wallet
The very first thing you need to interact with the Pollen Virtual platform is a web3 wallet. MetaMask is the wallet of choice of hundreds of thousands of users in the crypto space, which is why we’ll focus on it in this guide.
MetaMask is a browser-based wallet, meaning you will need to install the browser extension to create a crypto wallet. Head out to MetaMask’s official website and download the extension. Look for the fox icon in the upper right corner of your browser once installed.
Additionally, a “Let’s get started” window will open, guiding you through the setup process.
If you’ve already created a MetaMask wallet on a different device, you can easily import it with your 12-word secret recovery phrase. However, if you’ve never had a MetaMask wallet, you will need to create one. Here is the step-by-step process:
- Click on the “Create a Wallet” button on your right.
2. Read through the terms and conditions and accept them by clicking “I Agree”.
3. Create a password and confirm you’ve read the Terms of Use. The password you set up here will be used to log in MetaMask.
4. After setting up your password, it is essential to take your time and read through the security information provided on the next page. It explains why you need to keep your secret recovery phrase safe and how to do that. There is also a handy video explanation.
5. Once you have informed yourself about the importance of protecting your wallet, you can move on to the next screen. There you’ll see your personal secret recovery phrase. Make sure to write it down, as you’ll need to re-enter it on the next screen.
NB! Your secret recovery phrase is the only way to gain access to your wallet on a different machine or browser. Keep it safe, and do not share it with anyone!
6. Enter your secret recovery phrase in order to finalize the setup process.
7. You are now done with setting up your first web3 wallet with MetaMask.
You are all set up to work with the web3 space and store your crypto on MetaMask. Now it is time to add the Avalanche network to your MetaMask, as this is the host blockchain of the Pollen Virtual platform. Follow the steps below to add Avalanche to MetaMask.
Add the Avalanche network to MetaMask
The process below outlines the steps to add the Avalanche network to your MetaMask. The same process can be applied to adding other blockchains, with a bit of research on your part regarding the specific parameters.
- To add a new network to MetaMask, first, you need to locate the network section in the application. It is in the top right corner.
2. Select the network drop-down menu in the top right corner, and click on “Add new network”.
3. You will be prompted to fill in the network information for the blockchain you are looking to add.
4. Input the following details to get access to the Avalanche network and click save:
Network Name: Avalanche Network
New RPC URL: https://api.avax.network/ext/bc/C/rpc
Chain ID: 43114 or 0xa86a
Currency Symbol: AVAX
Block Explorer URL: https://snowtrace.io/
NB: An important note is that if you want to have access to Avalanche’s native token AVAX, you need to add the Avalanche C-chain to MetaMask. Avalanche has numerous sub-chains, however, C-chain is the one that supports both AVAX and PLN. Inputting the details above will connect you to Avalanche C-chain.
You now have access to the Avalanche blockchain through your MetaMask application. Keep in mind, your wallet address remains the same across all networks. When you need to switch your network, simply click the drop-down menu in the top right and select the correct network.
Get PLN tokens
Now that you have your MetaMask wallet set up to work with the Avalanche blockchain, it is time to get your hands on some PLN tokens. The easiest way to do this is through Avalanche’s most popular decentralized exchange, Trader Joe. You can also purchase PLN on MEXC, Ascendex, and Pangolin, as well as via Coin98.
Seeing as the process of obtaining PLN is similar across exchanges, we’ll illustrate it via Trader Joe:
To get PLN on Trader Joe, you first need to deposit some AVAX tokens into your wallet. AVAX is the native Avalanche cryptocurrency, which allows you to purchase numerous other tokens on Avalanche, including PLN. You can purchase AVAX through a centralized exchange like Binance or Coinbase.
Alternatively, if you already use other networks like Ethereum, for example, you can bridge tokens via services like Bridge. It allows you to transfer assets from one chain to another swiftly, and without the hassle of going through exchanges.
Once you have AVAX in your wallet, you are ready to swap some for PLN. Head out to Trader Joe, or any of the other exchanges listed above, and search for PLN. You can also search by token address, here’s the PLN token address: 0x7b2b702706d9b361dfe3f00bd138c0cfda7fb2cf.
You will be prompted to accept that you are importing a token to the platform. Verify that you have the correct token selected, click “I understand” and then “Continue”.
You are now ready to swap AVAX and get PLN in return. Here are the steps on how to do that:
- Add PLN to your MetaMask wallet to be able to view your balance. Click on the “Add PLN to wallet” button in the bottom right section of the screen.
2. The MetaMask extension will open automatically, asking if you want to add PLN to your wallet. Select “Add Token”.
3. You are now able to see your MetaMask PLN balance.
4. Close the MetaMask extension and head back to Trader Joe. Select the amount of AVAX you want to swap for PLN.
NB: Remember that you will need AVAX tokens to confirm transactions on the Avalanche blockchain, so do not exchange all of your AVAX tokens.
5. Once you are happy with the amount of PLN you will get, click Swap. You will see the exchange fees listed in the bottom right corner of the screen. After confirming, you will be redirected to MetaMask.
6. The MetaMask popup will detail the transaction fee costs for your swap and the estimated finality time for your swap. If you are happy with the conditions, click “Confirm”.
You are now the proud owner of PLN tokens! You will be able to see your PLN balance in your MetaMask wallet.
Congratulations! You’re now all set up to start earning with Pollen Virtual. Check out the next section for more details about Pollen Virtual and your next steps to becoming a Pollenator.
Start pollenating with Pollen Virtual
To start with Pollen Virtual, you will need to connect your MetaMask wallet to the platform. If you have not switched your MetaMask network to Avalanche yet, the extension will prompt you to do so after opening Pollen Virtual.
Switch to Avalanche, and your wallet will automatically connect to your new Pollen Virtual portfolio.
Your PLN token balance will be visible in the upper right corner of the page. After connecting your wallet to the platform, you are ready to start building your virtual portfolio.
Think about your strategy, and select the tokens you want to include in your portfolio. Currently, Pollen Virtual supports over 20 different assets, allowing you to pick and choose what you want to invest in.
You can also select the weight of each asset in your bag, with the opportunity to rebalance later on.
Pick carefully and track the progress of your portfolio. The better you perform, the higher your reputation, and the better you will place on the Pollen Virtual leaderboard.
Congrats, you’re a Pollenator!
Now that you have your Pollen Virtual portfolio set up, you’re officially a Pollenator. As such, you are competing against the market — to earn more PLN. You are also competing against your peers — for a higher position on the Pollen leaderboard.
To help you make the most of Pollen Virtual, stay tuned for the next guide in our ‘How-to Series’. Until then, happy pollenating!
About Pollen
Pollen is a first-of-its-kind Virtual Trading Arena where the community holds all the power. Decentralized finance is designed to be by the people, for the people, and Pollen is acknowledging this by building the first, truly decentralized platform for measuring trading skill and on-chain reputation with its Pollen Virtual suite of products.
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