Beginners Guide to Add a Custom Token in MetaMask

MetaMask is a bridge that allows you to visit the distributed web of tomorrow in your browser today. It allows you to run Ethereum dApps right in your browser without running a full Ethereum node. MetaMask includes a secure identity vault, providing a user interface to manage your identities on different sites and sign blockchain transactions. You can install the MetaMask add-on in Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and the new Brave browser.

MetaMask

MetaMask’s mission is to make Ethereum as easy to use as many people as possible.

Quick summary: Add a Custom Token in MetaMask
StepDetails
Open MetaMask WalletOpen your MetaMask wallet and click on the “Import Tokens” button.
Navigate to Custom TokenGo to the “Custom Token” tab.
Enter Contract AddressPaste the contract address of the token in the “Token Contract Address” section. Contract addresses can be found on platforms like CoinMarketCap, CoinGecko, or relevant blockchain explorers (e.g., Etherscan for Ethereum tokens, BSCScan for BEP-20 tokens).
Automatic FetchWait for MetaMask to automatically fetch the Token Symbol and Token Decimal.
Complete the ImportClick “Import Tokens” to finalize the addition of the token to your wallet.

It’s a wallet, at its core. In the same way, you can have a wallet on your computer that stores ETH, this stores your ETH in a chrome extension. But having a chrome extension as your wallet has some benefits. For example, if you go to a dApp, you would be able to confirm transactions from your browser wallet in a way that would be challenging from your computer wallet.

So while MetaMask is a wallet, its biggest benefit is being a wallet for running dApps.

It’s a really easy-to-use Ethereum Wallet, built into your Chrome browser. Really easy to set up, export private key, send Ethers, view your account on Etherscan, and even access the ERC20 tokens that you bought from an ICO for example.

In this guide, we will explain how to add a custom token in MetaMask step by step.

  1. Go to MetaMask web site and download a Chrome extension. After the download finishes and extension is installed, the small MetaMask icon will appear in your browser.
small MetaMask icon
  1. Click on the icon and the extension will open up asking you to accept Privacy Notice.
    Privacy Notice
  2. In the next step, you need to scroll down and accept Terms of Use.
Terms of Use
  1. MetaMask will ask you to create a new password.
    MetaMask password
  2. The vault is created. You will see a 12 word phrase that you will need in order to restore your MetaMask account. You have 2 options: write it down on a paper or save it as a file. My recommendation is to write it on the paper and put it somewhere safe.
vault created
  1. If your token is not listed automatically, you may add the tokens manually. Select Tokens and click on “Add Token” button.
Add Token
  1. You will need to enter Token Contract Address, Token Symbol and Decimals of Precision.
Token Symbol

For instance, let’s say you want to add an EOS token to your account. You need to go to web site EtherScan.io, select the link »Tokens« on the right side, and click on »View Tokens«. Click on the EOS token and all the info can be found there.

EOS token
  1. Enter the Token Contract Address into MetaMask, Token Symbol and Decimals of Precision and click on »Add Token«.
Token Contract Address
  1. After you have added your token of desire, you will see the balance on your account. You can use this method to add any ERC20 token.
ERC20 token

Read also:

What is token decimal on Metamask?


Token decimals are a vital feature of ERC-20 tokens, dictating the number of decimal points a token can have. They are essential in establishing the overall quantity of tokens and the worth of each specific token.

Conclusion


As this Guide has demonstrated, the process of adding custom tokens to MetaMask is straightforward. If you are planning to own multiple ERC20 tokens, you should master this process for future use. If your token is not listed automatically do not get too excited. You should first try to custom add it.

If you don’t know the address of the token you’re trying to track, ask the person who sent you the tokens. The Ethereum blockchain has countless small tokens, so it’s impossible to know about all of them. If a person says you own tokens but haven’t given you an address, they haven’t really given you the tokens, because, without the address, you don’t have the information required to send or use those tokens yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions


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Torsten Hartmann
Torsten Hartmann

Torsten Hartmann has been an editor in the CaptainAltcoin team since August 2017. He holds a degree in politics and economics. He gained professional experience as a PR for a local political party before moving to journalism. Since 2017, he has pivoted his career towards blockchain technology, with principal interest in applications of blockchain technology in politics, business and society.

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