Whether you‘re a cryptocurrency enthusiast or decentralized finance (DeFi) developer, chances are you‘ve heard about the rapidly growing Fantom blockchain.
With lightning fast transactions and minimal fees, Fantom has quickly emerged as one of the leading smart contract platforms. Its native token FTM now ranks among the top 50 cryptos in market cap.
Yet to tap into Fantom‘s burgeoning DeFi ecosystem, you need a crypto wallet connected to the network. That‘s where MetaMask comes in.
As the most popular web3 wallet, MetaMask enables easy access to decentralized apps (dApps) across multiple blockchains. By integrating the Fantom network, you can now use MetaMask to securely transact, trade, and interact across the Fantom economy.
In this step-by-step guide, you‘ll learn how to add the Fantom (FTM) network to your MetaMask wallet using the Fantom Opera mainnet network.
Fantom Network Overview
Before diving into the MetaMask setup, let‘s briefly examine why Fantom is gaining so much momentum:
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Speed: Fantom confirms transactions in just 1-2 seconds, compared to 13 seconds on Solana and 15-30 seconds on Polygon.
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Low Fees: Average transaction fees on Fantom are just $0.001, fraction of a cent!
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EVM-compatibility: Smart contracts deployed on Ethereum can be easily ported to Fantom.
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Rapid adoption: Over 50 DeFi platforms have launched on Fantom, with $3.7 billion total value locked – putting Fantom in the top 15 chains.
With these standout capabilities plus an aggressive developer incentive program, it‘s no surprise Fantom is seeing parabolic growth.
Integrating Fantom with MetaMask puts you at the forefront of this opportunity.
Benefits of Adding Fantom Network to MetaMask
Here are some of the key features unlocked by connecting Fantom to your MetaMask wallet:
- Send and receive FTM tokens seamlessly
- Use popular Fantom dApps like SpookySwap, SpiritSwap, Tomb Finance and more
- Pay gas fees in FTM for transactions on Fantom Opera
- Stake FTM on platforms like Fantom Wallet to earn 12-13% APY
- Supports token swaps via DEX aggregators like 1inch
- Leverage all Fantom DeFi offerings – lending, yield farming, liquidity pools and more
Let‘s get right into how to integrate Fantom with MetaMask to access these benefits…
Step 1 – Log Into Your MetaMask Wallet
First, ensure you have MetaMask browser extension installed:
- Install MetaMask extension if you haven‘t already
- Follow the prompts to create a wallet
- Secure your Secret Recovery Phrase
- Log into your wallet using your password
With MetaMask unlocked, click on the network dropdown in the top center. This will likely show "Ethereum Mainnet" by default.
We need to add Fantom as a custom network, so click the network dropdown and select "Add Network" at the bottom.
Step 2 – Add Fantom Network Details
On the Add Network page, specify the following details:
- Network Name:
Fantom Opera - New RPC URL:
https://rpc.ftm.tools - Chain ID:
250 - Symbol:
FTM - Block Explorer URL:
https://ftmscan.com
Once entered, click Save. MetaMask will automatically switch over to Fantom Opera network meaning you‘re now connected to Fantom mainnet!
Step 3 – Send and Receive FTM
With Fantom integrated, transacting in FTM is a breeze.
Any FTM sent to your MetaMask wallet address will show up in your balances. And sending FTM anywhere on Fantom Opera network just takes a few clicks.
To receive FTM:
- Confirm network shows Fantom Opera
- Copy your MetaMask wallet address
- Share address to receive FTM
To send FTM:
- Click "Send" in MetaMask
- Paste recipient‘s address
- Enter FTM amount
- Confirm details and send!
That‘s it! Whether you want exposure to Fantom tokens or take part in Fantom DeFi, you now have full functionality through the power of MetaMask.
Understanding The Booming Fantom DeFi Landscape
With Fantom connected on MetaMask, an exciting new world of DeFi apps opens up to you! Fantom‘s growth has been nothing short of epic:
| Category | Growth Statistic |
|---|---|
| Total Value Locked | $3.7 billion (up 750% since July 2022) |
| dApps | 55+ dApps (top 8 shown below) |
| Staking | 2.3 million FTM staked currently |
| Transactions | 2.2+ million transactions in last 30 days |
And here‘s a peek at some of the leading dApps driving this growth:
| dApp | Category | TVL |
|---|---|---|
| SpookySwap | DEX/AMM | $83M |
| SpiritSwap | DEX/Yield Farm | $469M |
| Tomb Finance | Algorithmic stablecoin | $1.15B |
| Tarot | Lending/yield farming | $475M |
| Scream | Lending/yield farming | $542M |
| Geist Finance | Yield optimizer | $751M |
| Fantom Wallet | Staking | n/a |
| Curves Finance | DEX/yield farming | $23M |
Between lightning fast transactions, minimal fees, generous staking rewards up to 13% APY, and constant new innovations – it‘s never been a more exciting time to jump into Fantom!
How Fantom Compares to Other Leading Layer 1s
When evaluating blockchain platforms, the "trilemma" balancing act between decentralization, security and scalability is always top of mind.
Fantom has found the sweet spot focusing on scalability and speed while maintaining sufficient decentralization. Let‘s see how it stacks up:
| Metric | Ethereum | Solana | Avalanche | Fantom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg. Tx Fee | $10-50 | $0.01 | $0.20 | $0.001 |
| Speed (Tx/sec) | 15 | 2000 | 4500 | 5000 |
| Language Support | Solidity | Rust | Solidity | Solidity |
| Consensus | PoW (-> PoS) | Proof of History | Snowman | aBFT |
| Market Cap | #2 | #9 | #15 | #44 |
| DeFi TVL | #1 ($22B) | #11 ($1.3B) | #6 ($6.4B) | #17 ($3.7B) |
While Solana and Avalanche offer impressive throughput, Fantom beats them out slightly on raw speed. And leveraging Solidity and EVM puts Fantom a leg up for onboarding Ethereum developers.
The one downside is decentralization tradeoffs on Fantom using the aBFT consensus. But plans to transition consensus algos and embrace L2 scaling solutions will continue improving in this realm.
Wrapping Up: Powering Up With Fantom + MetaMask
After following this guide, you should now be able to:
- Send, receive, and pay gas fees in FTM seamlessly
- Access leading Fantom dApps like SpookySwap, Tomb Finance etc.
- Stake your FTM for yield up to 13% APY
- Swap tokens via DEX aggregators integrated with MetaMask
- Leverage the full functionality of Fantom DeFi
With over 50 DeFi platforms and $3.7 billion value locked so far, Fantom‘s rise has just begun. Integrating Fantom with your MetaMask wallet positions you for the opportunities ahead in this ultra-fast network.
Whether you‘re holding FTM for price upside, staking rewards, or actively compounding yield – MetaMask dramatically simplifies tapping into the Fantom ecosystem. The doors to fast and affordable DeFi are now wide open.
What area of the Fantom ecosystem are you most excited to explore first with your wallet connected? Which dApps or tokens are on your radar? Let me know in the comments!
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