chainslist is an EVM network directory for finding chain IDs and RPC endpoints and adding a network to a compatible wallet. The details must match the chain you intend to use; approving a network request only saves a connection, not any funds. Afterward, your wallet can connect to that chain and show assets held there.
What Is chainslist Used For?
It is used to find the connection details for an EVM network and pass them to a wallet such as MetaMask. EVM means Ethereum Virtual Machine: these networks use a common way of running smart contracts, so compatible wallets can connect to many of them. Ethereum.org lists the directory among its resources for finding EVM network IDs.
You might need it when an app asks you to switch networks, or when your wallet does not already list the chain you want. A network entry helps you identify the chain and connect to it; it does not create an account, transfer tokens or move funds between chains. Your wallet may show the same address on two EVM networks while showing different balances on each.
Which Network Details Matter?
The two details to check first are the chain ID and RPC endpoint . A chain ID is the number your wallet uses to distinguish one network from another when signing transactions. An RPC endpoint is the server address your wallet uses to ask that network for balances and transaction data, and to submit a transaction you approve.
For a concrete example, Polygon Mainnet has chain ID 137 . If you mean to use Polygon Mainnet, an entry for a Polygon testnet is the wrong choice even if its name looks similar. Check the network name and chain ID against the network’s official information before accepting a wallet request.
An entry may also give a native currency symbol and a block explorer address. The native currency pays transaction fees on that chain; a block explorer lets you inspect transactions after they are sent. Ethereum Improvement Proposal 3085 describes the network-add request wallets can receive, including its chain ID and RPC URLs, and calls for the wallet to ask for your approval.
How Do You Add a Network to Your Wallet?
Start with the name of the network the app or recipient expects, and decide whether you need its mainnet or a testnet. Open your compatible wallet, then find that network in the directory. If the wallet already has it, select the existing network instead of adding another entry.
At this point, the chain list gives you the details to check against the wallet request. Use chainslist to find the chain ID and RPC endpoint and request a one-click addition to MetaMask or another compatible wallet. Read the network name, chain ID and RPC URL in the wallet’s confirmation before approving; the wallet decides whether to save the request.
Once approved, look for the network among your wallet’s available networks and select it if the wallet has not switched automatically. A normal result is that the wallet connects and loads the balance for that chain. An empty balance can be correct: adding a network does not bring over tokens held on another chain.
If the one-click request cannot reach your wallet, use the wallet’s custom-network option and enter the same network name, RPC URL, chain ID and native currency details manually. Some wallets also accept a block explorer address. Compare what you typed with the intended network before saving, particularly if the wallet reports a chain ID mismatch.
Saving a network is a wallet setting, so it does not require an on-chain transaction or a gas payment. Sending tokens or using an app afterward does require funds on the selected chain and enough of its native currency for gas. If your funds are on a different chain, you need a separate transfer or bridge; switching the wallet’s network will not move them.
What If Setup Does Not Go as Expected?
Most setup problems come down to choosing the wrong network, waiting for a slow RPC endpoint or expecting funds from another chain to appear. Check which chain the app needs and which one your wallet selected before changing anything else.
How long does adding a network take?
Once you have identified the right entry, the wallet request and approval usually take less than a minute. Allow more time to verify an unfamiliar chain ID and RPC URL; that check matters more than the click itself. If the wallet says the network is already added, select it from your network list and continue.
What should I do if the RPC endpoint does not work?
First confirm that your internet connection works and that the saved chain ID matches the network you meant to add. An RPC server can be unavailable or slow even while the chain is running. Try another RPC endpoint for the same chain ID from a source you trust, then check whether your wallet loads the balance. If the wallet reports an ID mismatch, stop and recheck the network details.
I would confirm the intended chain ID, add the network through the directory, then check the selected network in my wallet before sending anything.