How to Send Avax From Coinbase to Metamask - The Complete 2022 Guide

Wondering how to withdraw your AVAX tokens from Coinbase and deposit them into your MetaMask wallet? You‘ve come to the right place!

Transferring cryptocurrency between wallets is one of the most common actions crypto owners make. As a blockchain enthusiast, you likely want to move your AVAX holdings to MetaMask to access the world of dApps, DeFi platforms, and more opportunities on Avalanche.

That‘s why I‘ve created this complete step-by-step tutorial for sending AVAX from Coinbase to MetaMask. I‘ll provide everything you need to know, from explaining the technical nuances between blockchains to giving a detailed walkthrough of the transfer process.

Let‘s get started!

Overview: How Coinbase and MetaMask Work with Avalanche

Before we jump into the steps, it‘s important to understand how Coinbase and MetaMask each integrate with Avalanche. This will make the transfer process smoother.

The Avalanche network is comprised of three separate blockchains:

Contract Chain (C-Chain) – This is Avalanche‘s smart contract platform, similar to Ethereum. It handles dApps and tokens. MetaMask connects to this blockchain.
Exchange Chain (X-Chain) – The X-Chain facilitates creating and trading crypto assets. This is the blockchain Coinbase integrates with.
Platform Chain (P-Chain) – Manages staking, validators, and network participants.

Here is a comparison of how Coinbase and MetaMask fit into this architecture:

Wallet	Blockchain	Use Cases
Coinbase	X-Chain	Buy/sell crypto, basic storage and transfers
MetaMask	C-Chain	dApps, trading on DEXs, yield farming, staking, advanced contracts

To move AVAX between these separate chains, the Avalanche Bridge comes into play. This automatically handles wrapping and unwrapping your AVAX tokens as they transfer across blockchains.

So in summary:

Coinbase uses the X-Chain to interface with Avalanche
MetaMask uses the C-Chain for dApps and DeFi
The Avalanche Bridge connects transfers between them

Understanding this architecture will help the AVAX transfer process make sense. Now let‘s look at the 4 steps to send from Coinbase to MetaMask.

Step 1: Connect MetaMask to the Avalanche C-Chain

Since MetaMask doesn‘t natively include Avalanche, you need to manually add it as a custom network. This allows MetaMask to properly interface with Avalanche‘s C-Chain.

Here are the settings you‘ll need:

Network Name: Avalanche C-Chain

RPC URL: https://api.avax.network/ext/bc/C/rpc

Chain ID: 43114

Symbol: AVAX

Block Explorer: SnowTrace

To add Avalanche to MetaMask:

Open the MetaMask browser extension or mobile app
Click your profile icon > Settings > Networks > Add Network
Enter the details above
Click Save

You should now see "Avalanche C-Chain" appear in your network dropdown menu. Make sure it‘s selected before sending AVAX.

Step 2: Copy Your MetaMask Wallet Address

Now that MetaMask is connected to Avalanche, you need to look up your wallet address to provide to Coinbase.

To find your Avalanche address on MetaMask:

Confirm you‘ve selected the Avalanche C-Chain network
Click your account icon to view your wallet address
Copy the address by clicking the clipboard icon

This is the address you‘ll provide to Coinbase for withdrawing your AVAX. Double check that you‘ve selected the correct network before copying.

Step 3: Initiate AVAX Withdrawal on Coinbase

With your MetaMask address copied, it‘s time to withdraw AVAX from Coinbase.

Log into Coinbase and go to Accounts
Under your AVAX wallet, click Send
Enter the amount to withdraw and paste the MetaMask address
Double and triple check the address is 100% correct
Click Continue and Confirm Withdrawal

Coinbase will submit the withdrawal transaction to Avalanche. You‘ll see it pending under your AVAX account on Coinbase.

Step 4: Check Transaction Status on SnowTrace

Once the withdrawal is processing on Coinbase, you can track its progress on SnowTrace explorer.

Simply search for the transaction ID on SnowTrace to monitor its status.

Within 5-30 minutes, your AVAX should arrive safely in your MetaMask wallet. Then you‘re all set to use it across the Avalanche ecosystem!

And there you have it – a complete walkthrough of sending AVAX from Coinbase to MetaMask! The Avalanche Bridge handles the asset transfer between the C-Chain and X-Chain seamlessly.

Next, let‘s explore some of the top reasons for making this transfer in the first place.

Why Transfer AVAX from Coinbase to MetaMask?

There are several key benefits to withdrawing your AVAX holdings from Coinbase into MetaMask:

Access dApps and DeFi apps – MetaMask allows you to interact with the range of decentralized apps built on Avalanche C-Chain. This isn‘t possible on Coinbase.
Enhanced security – Your private keys are in your full control with MetaMask, compared to 3rd party custody on exchanges.
Lower fees – Transferring AVAX directly on Avalanche is far cheaper than Ethereum gas fees.
Earn yields by staking – MetaMask lets you stake your AVAX to earn up to 11% APY. Not an option on Coinbase.
Use DEXs like Pangolin – You can trade on decentralized exchanges once your crypto is in MetaMask.
Mint NFTs – Create and trade NFTs on Avalanche‘s NFT marketplaces.

So in summary, MetaMask unlocks the full potential of what you can do with your AVAX on Avalanche – lending, trading, staking, NFTs, and much more.

Statistics: The Growth of MetaMask and Avalanche

Looking at data for both MetaMask and Avalanche paints a picture of why transferring AVAX to MetaMask is becoming popular:

MetaMask recently surpassed 30 million monthly active users across mobile and desktop (Source).
In Q3 2022, $162 billion in on-chain volume was facilitated by MetaMask (Source).
Avalanche has seen rapid growth to become a top 15 crypto asset, with a current market cap of $5.9 billion (Source).
In 2022, the number of Avalanche addresses grew from 300k to over 1 million (Source).

This data shows the expanding use of MetaMask as a crypto wallet, along with Avalanche‘s ascent as a blockchain for DeFi and dApps. Transferring AVAX is key to bridging these two together.

Walkthrough: Transferring AVAX from Coinbase Step-by-Step

For a quick recap, here are the steps to withdraw AVAX from Coinbase to MetaMask:

Add Avalanche C-Chain network to MetaMask
Copy your AVAX wallet address on MetaMask
Go to Coinbase and enter amount to withdraw
Paste in MetaMask address and initiate withdraw
Check transaction status on SnowTrace explorer
Receive AVAX in MetaMask within 5-30 minutes

Let‘s go through each step in more detail:

Step 1: Add Avalanche Network to MetaMask

The first step is crucial – making sure MetaMask can talk to Avalanche. Here‘s how:

On MetaMask browser or mobile app, go to Settings > Networks > Add Network
Enter these details:
- Network Name: Avalanche C-Chain
- RPC URL: https://api.avax.network/ext/bc/C/rpc
- Chain ID: 43114
- Symbol: AVAX
Click Save to add Avalanche C-Chain

Once added, you‘ll see Avalanche in your network dropdown menu in MetaMask.

Step 2: Copy Your Avalanche Wallet Address

To find your address to send AVAX to:

Confirm you‘ve selected Avalanche C-Chain network
Tap the account icon to view your wallet address
Click the copy icon to copy the address to your clipboard

Be sure you‘ve double checked you‘re on the correct network before copying the address.

Step 3: Initiate Withdraw on Coinbase

Now you‘re ready to withdraw from Coinbase:

Log into your Coinbase account and go to Portfolios
Click on your AVAX wallet
Tap Withdraw to initiate a send
Enter the amount to withdraw
Paste your MetaMask address into the recipient field
Triple check the address is correct before submitting!

And that‘s it! Coinbase will process and submit the withdrawal to Avalanche.

Step 4: Check Status on SnowTrace Explorer

You can monitor the progress of your withdrawal on SnowTrace:

Copy the transaction ID from Coinbase
Go to SnowTrace.io and search for the TX hash
This will show validity, confirmations, and other transaction details

Within 5-30 minutes, your AVAX should successfully arrive in your MetaMask wallet!

Step 5: Receiving AVAX in Your MetaMask Wallet

Once the explorer shows your transaction has enough confirmations, the AVAX will be spendable in MetaMask.

You may need to manually add AVAX as a custom token to view it. Go to Assets > Add Token > Custom Token and input:

Token Contract Address: 0xB31f66AA3C1e785363F0875A1B74E27b85FD66c7
Other fields will auto-populate

And that‘s all there is to it! With your AVAX now in MetaMask, you can start exploring dApps and DeFi apps to take advantage of all Avalanche has to offer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Let‘s review some common questions when sending AVAX from Coinbase to MetaMask:

Can I use MetaMask mobile for this?

Yes! MetaMask mobile supports adding Avalanche as a custom network. You can then withdraw AVAX from Coinbase directly to your phone‘s wallet.

Do I need AVAX for gas fees?

No, Avalanche uses a different fee mechanism so you only need a tiny amount for transaction fees. AVAX is not used for gas.

Can I send it back to Coinbase from MetaMask?

Absolutely. Just initiate a send on MetaMask to your Coinbase AVAX address. The Avalanche Bridge will transfer it back via the X-Chain.

What if my AVAX hasn‘t arrived in MetaMask yet?

First, check the transaction status on SnowTrace. If still pending, give it more time to validate. If it‘s been over an hour, contact Coinbase support.

How do I add AVAX as custom token in MetaMask?

Go to Assets > Add Token > Custom Token. Input Contract Address: 0xB31f66AA3C1e785363F0875A1B74E27b85FD66c7. The details autofill.

Can I stake AVAX in MetaMask?

Yes! MetaMask lets you stake your AVAX on platforms like BenQi, Ankr, and Pangolin to earn up to 11% APY yield. This opens up staking options not available on Coinbase.

Is this transfer process free?

Yes, transferring AVAX between Avalanche wallets only costs a tiny transaction fee of a fraction of a cent, unlike sky-high Ethereum gas fees. It‘s one of the cheapest ways to move cryptocurrency.

I hope this thorough guide helps you successfully withdraw your AVAX from Coinbase to MetaMask! Please let me know if you have any other questions.