This article will guide you through how to add Arbitrum Network on Metamask in two easy ways possible. Layer 2 scaling solution Arbitrum delivers high-output trustless security, Ethereum compatibility, scalability, and low smart cost for the Ethereum network. In contrast to any other L2 system, Arbitrum gives these functionalities at the same cost.
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Things You Should Know About Arbitrum Network on MetaMask
Adding Arbitrum Network requires you to use layers which in this case Layer 2 is the one you will need to use. Before knowing how it works, you need to know the major point of using Layer 2 on MetaMask Network.
What is Arbitrum Layer 2
As a smart sidechain to Ethereum, Arbitrum is a Roll-up system for cryptocurrencies. Arbitrum runs smart contracts without the limits of scalability and privacy that users run into on blockchains such as Ethereum. Coded smart contracts are possible on Arbitrum just like they are on Ethereum.
This is done in order to define how the so-called smart contract’s underlying virtual machine (VM) operates. There are four major advantages of using the second layer of Arbitrum. The advantages of using L2, include:
- Trustless Security: Since Arbitrum’s security is built on Ethereum, any participant can guarantee valid Layer 2 outcomes, rendering it a trustless system.
- Blockchain can interact with Ethereum: This means it can process Ether transactions and EVM (Ethereum Virtual Machine) contracts as if they had never been modified.
- The system is scalable: As a result, increasing the throughput of Ethereum would necessitate shifting contract execution, data storage, and processing off the main chain.
- It minimizes the expense: This is by making it constructed and engineered so as to decrease the Layer 1 gas cost of the system and minimize the cost per transaction.
Because of the simple fact that Arbitrum can communicate with Ethereum as an EVM chain. Everything on Ethereum can be instantly transferred to Arbitrum and back. This applies equally to tokens and smart contracts.
How to Add Arbitrum Network on Metamask
Arbitrum Network may be added to Metamask in two ways: automatically or manually. It is up to you which of the two options you choose. You can follow the step-by-step guides below easily.
1. Adding Arbitrum Network on Metamask Automatically
This section will provide you with how to add Arbitrum Network on Metamask without using the Add Network feature on Metamask. Follow the steps below to add Arbitrum Network automatically.
- Head over to the Arbitrum Bridge.
- Click the Metamask Icon to add the Arbitrum to Metamask.
- A connection window will appear.
- Click Next.
- Click Confirm to confirm the connection.
- On your Arbitrum Bridge, you can see the swapping, which means the connection is successful.
Note: For more information regarding the Arbitrum Bridge, please see here. |
2. Adding Arbitrum Network on Metamask Manually
This section will provide you with how to manually add Arbitrum Network on Metamask using the Add Network feature on Metamask. Follow the steps below to add Arbitrum Network manually.
- Open your Metamask application.
- On the Home Page screen menu, you can see the Ethereum Mainnet, which is the default network of Metamask.
- Click the drop-down button next to the Ethereum Mainnet.
- Click Add Network.
5. On the Add Network window, populate the fields with the information below:
| Network Name | Arbitrum Mainnet |
| New RPC URL | https://arb1.arbitrum.io/rpc |
| Chain ID | 42161 |
| Symbol | ETH |
| Block Explorer URL | https://arbiscan.io/ |
6. Click Save to save the configuration.
7. A success notification will appear saying, “Arbitrum Mainnet was successfully added.”
Congratulations! You have successfully added Arbitrum Network to your Metamask wallet. You can now start sending, receiving, swapping, and Trading the Arbitrum Network native tokens on the Arbitrum Bridge and your Metamask wallet.
Frequently Asked Question
Does Arbitrum Have Its Own Token?
Since Arbitrum does not has its own token, users just need Ether to transact on the Arbitrum L2 chain. The ETH token is the cryptocurrency used to pay transaction fees on Ethereum. Arbitrum only uses ETH because it has yet to develop its own coin. The same as Ethereum.
However, there is a chance that additional comparable chains will go live in the future. All of the new chains are free to choose the type of token they will use for gas payments. No one can say whether they will choose ETH or a new token for gas because they have the ability to do so.
Smart Contracts on Arbitrum
Arbitrum is an Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) that uses Ethereum as its security layer. It can easily run the same smart contracts as Ethereum. This enables switching from one chain to the other quite simply for both developers and consumers. As a result, we anticipate that the vast majority of smart contracts now deployed on Ethereum will migrate to Artbitrum.
But only if they encounter scale and gas fee issues on ETH. Most projects can benefit greatly from switching to an L2. However, this does not apply to all projects. Aside from that, most smart contracts are likely to function on both chains, with a significant portion of their traffic remaining on the main chain.
What are the Wallets that Support Arbitrum?
Many wallets already support the L2 chain as of now. To move tokens from one chain to another, a token bridge is required. Because failing to use a bridge may result in a loss of funds, something you do not want. A token bridge allows you to transfer any form of token, such as ERC-20, ERC-721, or ERC-1155.
