{"id":10095,"date":"2023-03-09T10:29:02","date_gmt":"2023-03-09T10:29:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/?p=10095"},"modified":"2025-09-10T15:24:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-10T15:24:09","slug":"what-is-metamask","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/en\/what-is-metamask","title":{"rendered":"What is MetaMask?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-transparent ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Alternar tabla de contenidos\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #ffffff;color:#ffffff\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #ffffff;color:#ffffff\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/en\/what-is-metamask\/#how_does_metamask_work\" >How does Metamask work?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/en\/what-is-metamask\/#advantages_of_metamask\" >ADVANTAGES OF METAMASK<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/en\/what-is-metamask\/#disadvantages_of_metamask\" >Disadvantages of METAMASK<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/en\/what-is-metamask\/#metamask_today\" >Metamask today<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Tiempo de lectura:<\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 3<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutos<\/span><\/span><p><b>MetaMask is an Ethereum based web browser\u00a0<\/b><strong>extension<\/strong>\u00a0compatible with Google Chrome, Firefox, Brave, Opera and Vivaldi, whose purpose is to\u00a0<strong>facilitate access to decentralized applications (\u00d0app)<\/strong>, being quite tedious and difficult to use for users.<\/p>\n<p>In other words, MetaMask acts as a wallet that allows web applications to easily communicate with the Ethereum blockchain.<\/p>\n<div class=\"is-divider divider clearfix\"><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"how_does_metamask_work\"><\/span>How does Metamask work?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"is-divider divider clearfix\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"row-1921578013\" class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col small-12 large-12\">\n<div class=\"col-inner text-center\">\n<div id=\"image_1861468947\" class=\"img has-hover x md-x lg-x y md-y lg-y\">\n<div class=\"img-inner dark\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"attachment-large size-large ls-is-cached lazyloaded\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Qu%C3%A9-es-metamask2.jpg\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Qu\u00e9-es-metamask2.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Qu\u00e9-es-metamask2-300x205.jpg 300w\" alt=\"C\u00d3MO FUNCIONA METAMASK Bitnovo\" width=\"768\" height=\"526\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Qu\u00e9-es-metamask2.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Qu\u00e9-es-metamask2-300x205.jpg 300w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Qu\u00e9-es-metamask2.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"is-divider divider clearfix\"><\/div>\n<p>As we have advanced in the previous paragraph, MetaMask allows Dapps to communicate with the Ethereum blockchain in an easy way.<\/p>\n<p>How does it achieve this? Well,\u00a0<strong>by acting as a wallet<\/strong>\u00a0where users can store not only cryptographic tokens but also Ethereum-related data (public addresses, private keys) like any other wallet. In addition<strong>\u00a0MetaMask allows you to interact with websites running Ethereum based applications and smart contracts,<\/strong>\u00a0turning your web browser into an Ethereum browser.<\/p>\n<p>In other words,\u00a0<strong>MetaMask allows users to do anything Ethereum related<\/strong>\u00a0by simply running a browser extension and\u00a0<strong>without users having to run all the Ethereum software,<\/strong>\u00a0as MetaMask runs it for them on their servers.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"uppercase\"><strong><span data-text-color=\"primary\">SO HOW DOES METAMASK WORK?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>MetaMask is a browser extension or plugin that works as an Ethereum wallet and installs like any normal add-on.<\/p>\n<p>To use it, you will need a\u00a0<strong>Chromium based browser<\/strong>\u00a0such as Google Chrome, Brave or Firefox.<\/p>\n<p>Once you have downloaded and installed the<a href=\"https:\/\/metamask.io\/\">\u00a0Metamask extension<\/a>\u00a0compatible with your browser, you will need to create a new vault,\u00a0<strong>set up a password and save the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/en\/what-is-the-security-seed\/\">security seed<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0(or 12-word security phrase) that allows you to restore the wallet on another device or recover your wallet if you lose its password.<\/p>\n<p>Once you have set up your MetaMask wallet, you can start using it to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span data-text-color=\"primary\"><b>Receive and send Ether or other ERC-20 tokens<\/b><\/span>. To send tokens simply click \u201cSend\u201d and enter the recipient\u2019s public address, making sure you have enough tokens to send and the transaction fee.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span data-text-color=\"primary\"><b>Connect to Ethereum based Dapps<\/b><\/span>\u00a0and spend your tokens in games, gamble and exchange them on decentralized exchanges.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span data-text-color=\"primary\"><b>Buy tokens.<\/b><\/span>\u00a0The purchase process is very simple. You just need to click \u201cBuy\u201d in the MetaMask interface and select one of the integrated exchanges (ShapeShift or Coinbase).<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span data-text-color=\"primary\"><strong>Explore DApps on Ethereum platforms<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0without running a full Ethereum node.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"is-divider divider clearfix\"><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"advantages_of_metamask\"><\/span><strong>ADVANTAGES OF METAMASK<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"is-divider divider clearfix\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"row-642705116\" class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col small-12 large-12\">\n<div class=\"col-inner\">\n<div id=\"image_769815291\" class=\"img has-hover x md-x lg-x y md-y lg-y\">\n<div class=\"img-inner dark\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"attachment-large size-large lazyloaded\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Qu%C3%A9-es-metamask.jpg\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Qu\u00e9-es-metamask.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Qu\u00e9-es-metamask-300x205.jpg 300w\" alt=\"VENTAJAS DE METAMASK Bitnovo\" width=\"768\" height=\"526\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Qu\u00e9-es-metamask.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Qu\u00e9-es-metamask-300x205.jpg 300w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/Qu\u00e9-es-metamask.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>If after having discovered the main features of MetaMask, you are still wondering what are its advantages, below you will find a list of\u00a0<strong>the main benefits of this interesting tool.<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">It is an\u00a0<strong>open source software<\/strong>\u00a0and, therefore, has the support of a large community that contributes to its development.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">The MetaMask wallet uses hierarchical deterministic configurations that help users\u00a0<strong>back up<\/strong>\u00a0their accounts.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">It has an<strong>\u00a0intuitive user interface<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>It allows you to save space<\/b>\u00a0as users do not have to download run a full Ethereum node.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">It has excellent\u00a0<strong>customer support.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"is-divider divider clearfix\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"is-divider divider clearfix\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"is-divider divider clearfix\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"is-divider divider clearfix\"><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"disadvantages_of_metamask\"><\/span><b>Disadvantages of METAMASK<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"is-divider divider clearfix\"><\/div>\n<p>Like any technology, MetaMask also has some small disadvantages that you will find below.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Instead of being a complete node, MetaMask relies on external nodes that sometimes\u00a0<strong>have downtime<\/strong>\u00a0that can cause the application to stop working.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">While MetaMask does not have access to your information, the browser you are using has access, which\u00a0<strong>could compromise privacy<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>MetaMask is limited only to interact with the indicated smart contracts and Dapps. It cannot do much more, such as redoing or writing a new smart contract.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"is-divider divider clearfix\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"is-divider divider clearfix\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"is-divider divider clearfix\"><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"metamask_today\"><\/span><strong>Metamask today<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"is-divider divider clearfix\"><\/div>\n<p>As you have seen, MetaMask has provided an\u00a0<strong>easy access point to the decentralized Dapps space<\/strong>\u00a0and, given the growing number of users using these apps, it is a great tool for the public interested in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/en\/what-is-defi-o-decentralized-finance\/\">decentralized finance (DeFi)<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Along with the development of new services in the Dapps ecosystem, the number of users is increasing exponentially, so much so that, last February 2020, it was announced with a tweet that\u00a0<strong>MetaMask had already reached 1,000,000 users<\/strong>\u00a0who had installed the extension on Google Chrome.<\/p>\n<p>This major milestone has seen MetaMask become\u00a0<strong>one of the most in demand cryptocurrency extensions for ERC-20 token<\/strong>\u00a0holders and has been a sign that Ethereum adoption is increasingly accelerating.<\/p>\n<p>In terms of new developments, last September 2020, MetaMask launched\u00a0<strong>MetaMask Mobile, its first smartphone app<\/strong>, available for Android and iPhone.<\/p>\n<p>This App allows access to MetaMask, providing the same functionalities as the desktop version, so that users can manage digital assets and access Dapps such as Uniswap and Compound from their own cell phone.<\/p>\n<p>With the expansion into the mobile market, the number of MetaMask users interested in using DeFi products could skyrocket even further in the coming months.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Tiempo de lectura:<\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 3<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutos<\/span><\/span>MetaMask is an Ethereum based web browser\u00a0extension\u00a0compatible with Google Chrome, Firefox, Brave, Opera and Vivaldi, whose purpose is to\u00a0facilitate access to decentralized applications (\u00d0app), being quite tedious and difficult to use for users. In other words, MetaMask acts as a wallet that allows web applications to easily communicate with the Ethereum blockchain. How does Metamask [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8120,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[185],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10095","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blockchain-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10095","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10095"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10095\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24687,"href":"https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10095\/revisions\/24687"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8120"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10095"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10095"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bitnovo.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10095"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}