Mudassir Khan

EVM chain

BNB Smart Chain — RPC URL, Chain ID, and Wallet Setup

BNB Smart Chain mainnet has chain ID 56 and uses BNB as its native currency. Official documentation lives at docs.bnbchain.org. Common public RPC URLs include https://bsc-dataseed.bnbchain.org and https://bsc-rpc.publicnode.com. The block explorer is bscscan.com.

Chain ID 56Native BNBMainnetVerified 2026-05-15

Quick reference

Copy paste ready values. Verified on 2026-05-15.

Chain name
BNB Smart Chain
Chain ID
56 (hex 0x38)
Network type
Mainnet
Native currency
BNB (BNB) — 18 decimals
Recommended public RPC
https://bsc-dataseed.bnbchain.org
Block explorer
https://bscscan.com
Official docs
https://docs.bnbchain.org/bnb-smart-chain/
Last verified
2026-05-15

Add BNB Smart Chain to MetaMask

One click for injected wallets, or paste the JSON into the manual Add Network form.

{
  "chainIdHex": "0x38",
  "chainName": "BNB Smart Chain",
  "nativeCurrency": {
    "name": "BNB",
    "symbol": "BNB",
    "decimals": 18
  },
  "rpcUrls": [
    "https://bsc-dataseed.bnbchain.org"
  ],
  "blockExplorerUrls": [
    "https://bscscan.com"
  ]
}
Manual steps (no injected wallet)
  1. Open MetaMask, click the network dropdown, then Add Network.
  2. Click "Add a network manually".
  3. Network name: BNB Smart Chain.
  4. New RPC URL: https://bsc-dataseed.bnbchain.org.
  5. Chain ID: 56.
  6. Currency symbol: BNB.
  7. Block explorer URL: https://bscscan.com.
  8. Save and switch.

Free / public RPC URLs

Public RPC URLs for BNB Smart Chain

These endpoints are free, anonymous, and rate limited. They are useful for development, wallet reads, and one off scripts. For production traffic or indexer workloads, pair them with a paid provider so the public list becomes your fallback rather than your primary.

RPC URLHosted byNotes
https://bsc-dataseed.bnbchain.orgBNB Chain FoundationRecommended in official docs.
https://bsc-rpc.publicnode.comAllnodes (publicnode)
https://rpc.ankr.com/bscAnkr
https://bsc.drpc.orgdRPC
https://1rpc.io/bnb1RPC

Paid RPC providers

Production dapps, indexers, and trading systems should use a managed provider with a private API key, archive history, and an SLA. These providers list BNB Smart Chain support on their public pricing pages.

  • Alchemy

    Supernode RPC plus enhanced APIs across 40+ chains.

    Free tier: 30M compute units per month on the Free plan.

  • Infura

    ConsenSys backed RPC, deeply integrated with MetaMask.

    Free tier: 6M credits per day, ~2,000 credits per second throughput.

  • QuickNode

    Globally distributed RPC across 50+ chains.

    Free tier: Seven day free trial with full feature access.

  • Ankr

    Public RPC for 80+ chains plus a Premium tier.

    Free tier: Free public endpoints (rate limited) for 80+ chains, no signup required.

  • GetBlock

    Shared and dedicated nodes across 50+ chains.

    Free tier: Free plan with a daily request cap shared across chains.

  • BlockPI

    Pay as you go RPC with no monthly minimums.

    Free tier: Free public endpoints per chain with shared rate limits.

  • Chainstack

    Region selectable elastic and dedicated nodes.

    Free tier: Free Developer plan with 3M requests per month.

  • Tenderly

    RPC with first class simulation and debugging.

    Free tier: Free plan with simulator access and a small RPC quota.

  • dRPC

    Decentralised RPC across 100+ chains.

    Free tier: Free public endpoints per chain plus a generous metered free tier.

  • NodeReal

    MegaNode RPC with deep BNB Chain support.

    Free tier: Free plan with 3M compute units per day.

Compare every paid RPC provider →

Block explorers and docs

BNB Smart Chain explorers and documentation

When the answer is real

Caveats and things to verify

  • BNB Chain has historically had a small validator set. Treat finality assumptions accordingly for high value flows.
  • opBNB is a separate L2 with chain ID 204 — do not paste 56 if you mean opBNB.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is the BNB Smart Chain chain ID?

BNB Smart Chain mainnet chain ID is 56 (hex 0x38). The BSC testnet is chain ID 97.

Is BNB Smart Chain the same as BNB Beacon Chain?

No. BNB Smart Chain is the EVM compatible chain (chain ID 56). BNB Beacon Chain was a separate Cosmos based chain for BNB token staking and was sunset in 2024. opBNB is a third chain — an OP Stack L2 with chain ID 204.

Sources

Other chains in the directory

  • Ethereum

    Chain ID 1 · Native ETH

    The original smart contract platform. Chain ID 1, native ETH.

  • Arbitrum One

    Chain ID 42161 · Native ETH

    Largest Ethereum optimistic rollup. Chain ID 42161, native ETH.

  • OP Mainnet

    Chain ID 10 · Native ETH

    OP Stack flagship rollup. Chain ID 10, native ETH.

  • Base

    Chain ID 8453 · Native ETH

    Coinbase's OP Stack L2. Chain ID 8453, native ETH.

  • Polygon PoS

    Chain ID 137 · Native POL

    Ethereum sidechain with low fees. Chain ID 137, native POL.

  • Avalanche C-Chain

    Chain ID 43114 · Native AVAX

    EVM compatible primary network. Chain ID 43114, native AVAX.

Page maintained by Mudassir Khan · Last verified 2026-05-15.