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What is MetaMask?

The most popular Ethereum wallet, and the scams built to look like it.

BeginnerAbout 6 minutesReviewed October 26, 2026
The short answer

MetaMask is a free self-custody crypto wallet, available as a browser extension and a phone app, mainly for Ethereum and compatible networks, plus Solana and Bitcoin. It holds your keys, lets you send and receive tokens, and connects to crypto apps. Because it's so popular, fake MetaMask extensions, emails and support accounts are common scams.

What it does

  • Holds your keys for Ethereum and compatible networks (such as Base, Arbitrum, Optimism, Polygon and Linea), and since 2025 for Solana and Bitcoin too. It's self-custody: MetaMask the company can't see or recover your funds.
  • Sends and receives ETH and tokens.
  • Connects to apps (decentralized exchanges, NFT markets and so on) so you can approve transactions.
  • It's made by Consensys and has been around since 2016.

Installing the real one

  1. Go to metamask.io by typing it yourself, and use its links to your browser's extension store or your phone's app store.
  2. Check the publisher is MetaMask/Consensys and the download count is in the millions. Copycat extensions with similar names and logos appear regularly.
  3. When you create a wallet, write the 12-word Secret Recovery Phrase on paper. Never type it anywhere else.

The scams aimed at MetaMask users

MetaMask will never…
  • email or message you to "upgrade," "verify" or "sync" your wallet. Around New Year 2026, a fake "mandatory MetaMask upgrade" email circulated at the same time as hundreds of wallets were drained of small amounts.
  • ask for your Secret Recovery Phrase, through support chat, a form or a pop-up.
  • have support staff who contact you first on social media or Telegram.

The other big risk is approvals. When a site asks you to approve a token, you may be letting a contract move it later. Read every request, prefer spending limits over "unlimited," and remove old approvals with a tool such as Etherscan's token approval checker or Revoke.cash.

Good habits

  • Keep only spending money in MetaMask; keep savings on a hardware wallet (MetaMask can connect to one).
  • Bookmark the apps you use instead of clicking ads or links.
  • Leave MetaMask's built-in security alerts switched on.
  • If you ever typed your phrase into a website, create a new wallet on a clean device and move everything immediately.

Frequently asked questions

Is MetaMask safe?

The wallet itself is widely used and well established. Most losses come from fake versions, phishing, sharing the recovery phrase, or approving malicious contracts.

Can MetaMask recover my wallet?

No. It's self-custody, so only your Secret Recovery Phrase can restore it. MetaMask staff can't reset it.

Does MetaMask work with Bitcoin?

Yes. Since December 2025 MetaMask supports Bitcoin directly, and it also supports Solana alongside Ethereum-style networks.

Where to next

Sources

  1. MetaMask (official site)
  2. MetaMask rolls out Bitcoin support (The Block)
  3. Hundreds of MetaMask wallets drained: what to check before you 'update' (CryptoSlate, January 2026)
  4. Ethereum wallets (ethereum.org)

Written for beginners and checked against the sources listed. Last reviewed October 26, 2026. This page is educational and is not financial, tax or legal advice. How we write and check pages.