Add Base to MetaMask

1. Visit Chainlist
2. Search “Base”, and confirm network details (Chain ID: 8453)
3. Click Add to MetaMask and approve the request to add network. 

Key Takeaways

• Base is a Layer 2 rollup network built to scale the Ethereum network, built on the OP Stack. It is backed by the largest listed cryptocurrency exchange – Coinbase.

• The Base mainnet launched on August 9, 2023, and has seen significant usage since this time. A notable contributor to Base’s popularity is the launch of friend.tech, a decentralized social media application on the network.

• In this guide, we take you through the process of downloading and installing a MetaMask wallet, integrating the Base network, and adding native tokens on the network to your MetaMask wallet.

Base is a Layer 2 solution built on Ethereum, and is developed by Coinbase, the largest listed crypto exchange, along with Optimism. Base has a substantial ecosystem, with a mix of DeFi blue-chips like Uniswap, SushiSwap and Beefy, and is also home to friend.tech, the decentralized social network topping the fees and revenue charts. 

Base utilizes Optimism’s OP Stack, and is set up to become part of Optimism’s Superchain vision, where a network of Layer 2s share the same underlying security with a common communication layer. As an optimistic rollup, Base also offers users lower cost and high throughput, as it packages thousands of transactions into a single batch, which is then submitted to Ethereum as a single transaction. 

Base is an EVM network and MetaMask offers a simple way for users to install EVM networks on their wallets and access dApps deployed to the network. MetaMask is an easy-to-use self-custody wallet for EVM networks, providing wallet services to about 10 million cryptocurrency users across different networks.

Now, let’s get started on adding Base to MetaMask – the first step to exploring the Base ecosystem.

Installing the MetaMask Wallet

First, download and install the MetaMask wallet.

Visit MetaMask’s official page and select your device’s operating system and proceed to install. 

For mobile users, the applications can also be downloaded on your device’s application store.

Complete the installation and proceed to add a wallet. Click Get started to proceed.

If you already have a wallet you wish to import, click Import wallet. You will need your security phrase or private key to import existing wallets. Enter the phrase or private key and complete the wallet import process.

To create a new wallet, click Create a wallet. Copy and save your wallet’s security phrase, set up your password, and complete the procedure. Always remember to store your wallet security phrase safely, ideally offline and on crypto steel. 

Now that your wallet has been successfully installed, you can now add the Base network to your wallet.

Add the Base Network Manually

1. From your MetaMask wallet dashboard, click the network dropdown from the top left corner of your wallet. Click Add network.

2. A list of pre-set networks is shown, however it doesn’t include Base; click on Add a network manually to add Base.

3. On the form, enter the network details accordingly

• Network name: Base

• Network URL: https://developer-access-mainnet.base.org

• Chain ID: 8453 

• Currency symbol: ETH 

• Block explorer URL: https://basescan.org

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4. Click Save to complete.

Base is now available in your MetaMask wallet. You can switch to Base by clicking the network icon from the top left corner of your screen and selecting Base from available networks. You can also install other EVM networks through this procedure, although you’ll need to look for their network details to add them manually. 

Another way to install the Base network is via ChainList.

Add Base to MetaMask Through Chainlist

On Chainlist, you can add available EVM networks with a few clicks. Chainlist collates EVM network details and allows users to add new networks to their wallets without needing to go through the manual process of sourcing and entering network details. To add Base to MetaMask with Chainlist:

1. Visit Chainlist

2. Enter Base in the search bar at the top of the page. As seen in the above network details, 8453 is the Base network’s Chain ID. Click Connect Wallet on the search results with the correct Chain ID.

3. Follow the prompts in your wallet to add the network to your wallet.

After approving the permission to add Base, you have successfully added Base to MetaMask and you can now switch to the Base network.

Add Base to MetaMask With Blockchain Explorers

You can also add Base to MetaMask through blockchain explorers, like Blockscount’s Base Mainnet Explorer and BaseScan. 

1. At the bottom of the page, click the Add Base to MetaMask button with a MetaMask icon. 

2. This opens up a prompt in MetaMask to allow the explorer to add a network. Confirm that the details are correct, and approve the prompt. 

3. You’ve successfully added Base to MetaMask.

Now, let’s proceed to add a native Base network token to your MetaMask wallet.

Adding Custom Base Network Tokens to the MetaMask Wallet

For this guide, we will use GeckoTerminal to obtain the contract address of an actively traded token on the Base network. The Base network also has a handy explorer with a token page that lists the smart contract tokens minted on the platform. Before adding any new tokens, always verify that the smart contract addresses are correct.

1. On your wallet, switch to the Base network.

2. Visit the GeckoTerminal page for Base network pools.

3. Click on the desired pool, scroll to the contract area, and copy the assets contract.

You can search for the asset you wish to copy its contract. For this guide, we will use USDbC, one of the most actively traded assets on the network. USDbc is bridged USDC on the Base network. This token contract can also be obtained from CoinGecko.

4. Return to your wallet, and click Import tokens to add the asset to your wallet.

5. Enter the token’s smart contract address in the provided input box. The asset’s remaining details will populate automatically.

6. Click Add custom token to proceed.

7. Click Import tokens to complete.

USDbC is now available in your wallet. You can now see your balances without using the network’s explorer, and click on the asset to send or receive. You can add more network tokens to your wallet through this procedure.

Final Thoughts

With over 100 million users on Coinbase, Base has the potential to bring non-DeFi natives on chain, and many protocols are looking to Base to grow their user base. By connecting to Base, you’ll be able to explore the variety of protocols available on the network. 

As always, note that this article is only for educational purposes and not financial advice.