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MetaMask vs Trust Wallet
The two most-installed self-custody wallets. MetaMask is the Ethereum default; Trust Wallet covers far more chains.
Both links below are affiliate links — what that means. It does not change what is written here; every entry carries a drawback for the same reason.
Short answer
Choose MetaMask if…You live in the Ethereum and layer-2 ecosystem. Everything supports MetaMask first, so nothing you want to use will turn out to be incompatible.
Visit MetaMask →Choose Trust Wallet if…Your holdings span chains that are not EVM. One wallet holding everything is worth a lot. It is Binance-owned, which matters to some people.
Visit Trust Wallet →Side by side
| MetaMask | Trust Wallet | |
|---|---|---|
| Launched | 2016 | 2017 |
| Based / registered | United States (Consensys) | Owned by Binance since 2018 |
| Who holds the assets | Self-custody — keys stay in your browser or phone | Self-custody — keys stay on your device |
| Identity verification | None for the wallet itself | None for the wallet |
| Available to US residents | Yes | Yes |
| Supports |
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What each one is actually good at
MetaMaskThe default doorway to Ethereum. Practically every EVM application supports it first, so it is the wallet that never turns out to be unsupported.
Worth knowing. Built-in swaps charge a service fee on top of the DEX's own, so routing through an aggregator directly is usually cheaper. And a browser wallet is only as safe as the browser: approval scams and drainers target MetaMask users more than anyone.
Trust WalletCovers far more chains than MetaMask, including non-EVM ones, so it is often the only wallet holding an entire mixed portfolio.
Worth knowing. Binance-owned, and the mobile-first design means the browser extension is the weaker half. Broad chain support also means broad exposure to scam tokens appearing in your balance.
What do they cost?
Both are one-off hardware purchases, and both run several models at different prices. We do not reprint a price list — it would be wrong the next time either runs a sale — so here are the official shops:
Buy direct from the manufacturer, never from a marketplace listing. A hardware wallet bought second-hand or from a reseller can arrive pre-initialised with somebody else’s recovery phrase, and the coins leave the moment you fund it. How to choose one →
Before you commit
Availability changes. Regulators bar platforms, platforms withdraw from markets, and this page was last checked on 2026-08-05 — confirm on the platform’s own terms that it serves your country before you sign up.
And whichever you pick, the device is the easy half. The recovery phrase is what actually protects the coins — how to store one properly matters more than which brand you bought.