When someone asks how to add MATIC to MetaMask, they usually mean one of two things and cannot always tell which. This page pulls the two tasks apart and walks through each one, using safe sources, so you end up with the wallet you actually wanted.
The two tasks behind one question
MetaMask starts life as an Ethereum wallet. It shows Ethereum accounts, holds ETH, and moves ERC-20 tokens on the Ethereum network. Polygon is a separate chain that MetaMask can connect to, but has to be told about.
The two things people mean by adding MATIC:
- Add the Polygon network. You want to use Polygon — trade, bridge, hold stablecoins there. You need MetaMask to know about the chain and to show your MATIC balance on it.
- Add the MATIC token contract on Ethereum. You already hold MATIC on Ethereum mainnet as an ERC-20 token, and MetaMask is not showing it. You need to import the token contract manually so the balance appears.
Nine times out of ten the answer is the first one. See how to add polygon to MetaMask, step by step for the fuller walk-through.
Adding the Polygon network
The safest source for network settings is Polygon's own documentation site. Do not paste RPC settings from a random search result — malicious RPCs can serve fake balances and steer you toward drainer sites.
The settings you paste look like this:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Network name | Polygon Mainnet |
| New RPC URL | The public RPC URL from Polygon's docs |
| Chain ID | 137 |
| Currency symbol | MATIC |
| Block explorer URL | The Polygonscan URL from the same docs page |
Once you save, switch MetaMask to Polygon Mainnet using the network dropdown. Your account address is the same across chains; the balance is what changes. To fund the wallet with a first fee, see the small-tap discussion at MATIC polygon mainnet faucet.
Adding the MATIC token on Ethereum
This is the rarer case. If someone sent you MATIC as an ERC-20 on Ethereum mainnet, MetaMask may not show it until you import the token contract by hand.
The safe path:
- Switch MetaMask to Ethereum Mainnet.
- Look up the MATIC contract address on Etherscan, using the token page linked from Polygon's own docs.
- In MetaMask, use Import Tokens and paste the contract address. Symbol and decimals autofill.
- Save. The balance appears on the Ethereum view of your account.
Never accept a MATIC contract address pasted in a chat message from a stranger. Fake contracts with the same ticker exist and pretend to be the real thing.
Which one do you actually need
A short decision tree:
- Do you want to swap or hold tokens on Polygon? Add the Polygon network.
- Are you trying to send MATIC from a Polygon wallet to your MetaMask, and it is not showing? Add the Polygon network first, then check the balance on the Polygon view.
- Did you receive MATIC via an Ethereum-only exchange withdrawal, and the wallet is set to Ethereum? Import the MATIC token on Ethereum, or better, withdraw again on the Polygon network to save fees.
- Do you want to trade MATIC against ETH on Ethereum? You can, but fees are high. Doing the same trade on Polygon is usually cheaper.
See hot wallet vs cold wallet for the wider picture of where to actually keep the tokens once you have them.
Tell the two tasks apart once, save a lot of time
Almost every stuck new user is stuck at the same fork: they added the Polygon network but expected MATIC balances to appear on Ethereum, or they imported the MATIC token on Ethereum and expected it to work on Polygon. The two tasks are unrelated in the wallet. Do the first one to use the Polygon chain. Do the second one only when a specific exchange or dApp forces MATIC through Ethereum mainnet. Sort out which task you are on before you paste any addresses, and the rest is a two-minute setup.