# Metamask

By [Vanuhi](https://paragraph.com/@vanuhi) · 2024-01-17

---

**MetaMask** is a [software](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software) [cryptocurrency wallet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptocurrency_wallet) used to interact with the [Ethereum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethereum) [blockchain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blockchain). It allows users to access their Ethereum wallet through a [browser extension](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browser_extension) or [mobile app](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_app), which can then be used to interact with [decentralized applications](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decentralized_application).[\[1\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MetaMask#cite_note-1)[\[2\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MetaMask#cite_note-:0-2) MetaMask is developed by [ConsenSys Software Inc.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ConsenSys), a blockchain [software company](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_company) focusing on [Ethereum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethereum)\-based tools and infrastructure.[\[3\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MetaMask#cite_note-Newsweek_2018-3)[\[4\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MetaMask#cite_note-4)

Overview\[[edit](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=MetaMask&action=edit§ion=1)\]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MetaMask allows users to store and manage account [keys](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_\(cryptography\)), broadcast transactions, send and receive [Ethereum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethereum)\-based [cryptocurrencies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryptocurrency) and tokens, and securely connect to [decentralized applications](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decentralized_application) through a compatible [web browser](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_browser) or the [mobile app](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_app)'s built-in browser.[\[5\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MetaMask#cite_note-bloomberg20200902-5)[\[6\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MetaMask#cite_note-CNET_2018-6)

Websites or other decentralized applications are able to connect, [authenticate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authentication), and/or integrate other [smart contract](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_contract) functionality with a user's MetaMask wallet (and any other similar blockchain wallet browser extensions) via [JavaScript](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JavaScript) code that allows the website to send action prompts, signature requests, or transaction requests to the user through MetaMask as an intermediary.[\[7\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MetaMask#cite_note-7)

The application includes an integrated service for exchanging [Ethereum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ERC-20) tokens by aggregating several [decentralized exchanges](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decentralized_exchange) (DEXs) to find the best [exchange rate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exchange_rate). This feature, branded as MetaMask Swaps, charges a service fee of 0.875% of the transaction amount.[\[8\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MetaMask#cite_note-:1-8)

As of November 2021, MetaMask's browser extension had over 21 million monthly active users, according to [Bloomberg](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloomberg_News)

---

*Originally published on [Vanuhi](https://paragraph.com/@vanuhi/metamask)*