Getting ETH & USDC on Arbitrum

Below is a simple step-by-step guide for the easiest ways to get set up with a crypto wallet containing ETH & USDC on the Arbitrum network.

Step 1: Set up a wallet on Arbitrum

1. Install MetaMask (as a browser extension or mobile app) and follow the prompts to securely set up your account. – Note: alternative wallet providers to MetaMask also exist — a complete list can be found here (under the ‘Wallets’ tab).

2. Add the Arbitrum network to MetaMask a. Click the network dropdown menu b. Click the ‘Add Network’ button c. Enter the following details and click ‘Save’: — Network Name: Arbitrum One — New RPC URL: https://arb1.arbitrum.io/rpc — Chain ID: 42161 — Currency Symbol: ETH — Block Explorer URL: https://arbiscan.io/

Step 2: Get ETH onto Arbitrum

1. Decide how much USDC you want on Arbitrum, and calculate the equivalent ETH amount using this calculator.
2. Add an additional 0.01 ETH to cover costs for ~100 transactions on Arbitrum.

3. Follow any of the methods below to get that total ETH amount onto Arbitrum:

Method 1 — Withdraw ETH from a centralized exchange

If you already hold crypto on a supported exchange, we recommend this method.

Withdraw ETH directly to your Arbitrum wallet from a supported exchange (Binance, KuCoin, Huobi, OKX, Bybit, Crypto.com, MEXC).

Method 2 — Bridge ETH from a different chain

If you already hold crypto on a non-Arbitrum chain, we recommend this method.

Bridge ETH from your current chain to Arbitrum using Connext.

Supported chains include Ethereum, BNB Smart Chain, Avalanche, Fantom, Optimism, and more.

Method 3 — Use a Fiat On-Ramp

If you don’t hold crypto on-chain or on a supported exchange, we recommend using a fiat on-ramp, which allows you to convert from fiat currencies into crypto in your wallet.

Note: fiat on-ramps will have higher fees, longer processing times, transaction limits, and will only be available for certain regions / currencies / payment methods.

Go to Ramp and follow the prompts. Make sure to search for and select “ETH on Arbitrum” in the “you get” dropdown list.

Step 3: Swap ETH for USDC on Arbitrum

Now that you have ETH on Arbitrum, you need to swap some of that ETH for USDC (don’t forget to keep 0.01 ETH for transaction costs)!

1. Change your MetaMask network to “Arbitrum One”

2. Go to Uniswap and connect your wallet
3. Swap ETH for USDC

Step 4 (Optional): Import USDC into MetaMask

1. Go to the “Assets” tab in MetaMask and click “Import tokens”

2. Paste 0xFF970A61A04b1cA14834A43f5dE4533eBDDB5CC8 into the “Token Contract Address” field

3. Wait a few seconds for the other fields to be automatically populated (“USDC” for Token Symbol and “6” for Token Decimal), and then click the “Add Custom Token” button

4. Confirm the import by clicking the “Import Tokens” button (your USDC balance should be >0 if you followed this guide)