Sending AVAX from Coinbase to MetaMask (Complete 2022 Guide)

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Using Coinbase to send AVAX to MetaMask

Did you recently purchase AVAX (aka Avalanche) using Coinbase but you aren’t sure how or even if you can transfer AVAX from Coinbase to your MetaMask Wallet?

As a general rule of thumb, you can send AVAX (aka Avalanche) from Coinbase to MetaMask. However, if you’ve never done it before, it can be a little confusing since you have to connect to the Avalanche Network and ensure your wallet is set up properly.

The last thing you want to do is make a mistake and lose the crypto you’re trying to send forever (which sadly many people do).

Using a wallet to store your crypto more securely is a must and MetaMask is a commonly used wallet to do just that.

In this post, I show you exactly how to transfer your AVAX to your MetaMask wallet and do so without worrying about losing anything. I’ll also answer some of the more common questions related to using Coinbase with MetaMask including what fees you’ll need to pay and if there are any limits on how much you can send.

In general, this process will be identical for nearly all coins/tokens with the main difference being what network you need to connect to.

In This Post:

How to Install and Set Up MetaMask (Step-By-Step)

Before you can send AVAX to MetaMask, you first have to ensure you have MetaMask installed and properly set up on your preferred device.

To install and set up MetaMask:

  • Step 1: Go to the MetaMask website and download MetaMask for your preferred device. MetaMask is available for Chrome, FireFox, Brave, and Edge browsers as well as iOS and Android devices.
  • Step 2: Next, open the MetaMask and click on the plus sign (+) located in the top left corner of the page.
  • Step 3: Click [Create a Wallet] to develop your MetaMask wallet, or [Import wallet] to use your seed phrase to import a previous wallet.
  • Step 4: Select the type of wallet you want to create (Ethereum, Bitcoin, ERC20 Tokens, etc.)
  • Step 5: Enter the name of your wallet and choose a strong password.
  • Step 6: Now, you should see a pop-up window asking you to confirm your wallet creation. Click confirm.

Now you should have MetaMask installed and ready to go. However, before we can transfer AVAX to MetaMask, we have to connect MetaMask to the Avalanche network.

To connect MetaMask to the Avalanche Network:

  • Step 1: Login into your MetaMask account and click on the network dropdown at the top of the extension and click on “Add Network”.
  • Step 2: Enter the following information:
  • Step 3: Click “Save”. Now you’ll be able to connect to and from the Avalanche Network by selecting it from the dropdown menu at the top of the extension (or tapping on it from the app).

Now that you have your MetaMask connected to the Avalanche network, we can start sending AVAX. But how do you send it using Coinbase and what are some important things to watch out for?

How to Send AVAX from Coinbase to MetaMask (Step-By-Step)

To send AVAX to a MetaMask wallet, you first have to ensure that you have MetaMask installed and properly set up.

If you aren’t sure if you have MetaMask installed or set up properly, review the section of this post directly above where I cover exactly what you need to do.

Now let’s go over what you need to do to send AVAX to MetaMask using several popular crypto exchanges.

  • Step 1: Open the Coinbase app or website and log in to your account.
  • Step 2: Click on “Send” (or “Send/Recieve” if using the website.
  • Step 3: Change the asset that you’re paying with from Bitcoin to AVAX.
  • Step 4: Enter the dollar amount of how much AVAX you want to send to your MetaMask wallet and then click “Continue”. If this is your first time sending AVAX to MetaMask using Coinbase, it is recommended that you start out with a small amount to ensure things are working properly.
  • Step 5: Locate your MetaMask wallet address and copy it. The process is similar when using either the MetaMask extension or the app. I cover how for both below.
    • From within the MetaMask extension: Ensure you are on the Avalanche network by selecting it from the dropdown at the top of the extension (if it isn’t selected already). Then copy the code directly beneath the dropdown (when you hover over your wallet address, it will prompt you with a “copy to clipboard” message). Click on it to copy the wallet address.
    • From within the MetaMask app: Ensure you are on the Avalanche network by selecting it by clicking at the top of that app (if it isn’t selected already). Copy the code (which is your wallet address) directly below your current balance by tapping on the code.
  • Step 6: Paste your wallet address that you just copied into the “To” field for where you are sending AVAX. Important: Make sure that the wallet address you’re using is accurate because if it isn’t, you will lose your AVAX for good and there is no way to recover it. If the wallet address is correct, click on “Preview Send” to continue.
  • Step 7: Review everything is correct in the amounts and fees you will be charged and then click to send your AVAX to your MetaMask wallet.

How Long Does it Take for AVAX to Show Up in MetaMask?

As a general rule of thumb, when sending AVAX from Coinbase to your MetaMask wallet, the transfer can take anywhere from a few seconds up to 3 minutes depending on how much network congestion there is.

Are There Fees for Sending AVAX to MetaMask?

Yes, there are fees associated with sending AVAX to MetaMask. These fees range between 0.1% and 0.5%. For example, if you were to send $100 worth of AVAX to MetaMask, you would pay approximately $0.05.

The transaction fees depend on the cryptocurrency exchange platform you use. Some platforms may charge lower fees than others. You can find more information about the fees associated with each platform by visiting their respective websites.

Are There Limits for How Much AVAX I can Send to MetaMask?

Yes and no. There are no limits to how much AVAX you can send to your MetaMask wallet, per se. However, depending on how recently you purchased AVAX with Coinbase, you may need to wait for your purchase to clear which can take several days.

What Should I Do If I Have Problems Sending AVAX to MetaMask?

If you have problems sending AVAX to MetaMask using Coinbase, in most cases, your best course of action will be to contact support for either Coinbase or MetaMask.

  • To contact Coinbase customer support: Call 1 (888) 908-7930 to speak to a representative 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Alternatively, you can message Coinbase customer support by going to this page and clicking on “Message Us”.
  • To contact MetaMask customer support: Go to this website and either search for an answer to the issue you are having or go to submit a request to ask for help with a specific question. It’s important to know that you should never give out your login information or your secret phrase – even to MetaMask customer support.

Wrapping Up

Using MetaMask with Coinbase to store your AVAX in a wallet is always a good idea. The process of sending AVAX to MetaMask can be confusing at first but once you understand how it’s relatively simple.

There are some fees for sending AVAX to MetaMask from your Coinbase account but the same is true no matter what crypto exchange or wallet you use.

If you ever have any problems, your best bet is to contact Coinbase or MetaMask customer support directly.

References

  • https://academy.binance.com/en/articles/how-to-add-avalanche-to-metamask
  • https://coinmarketbag.com/how-to-send-avax-to-metamask-from-crypto-com/