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Layer 1

BNB Chain

A fast, cheap EVM chain with enormous retail volume.

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Networks
All networksLayer 1Layer 2Layer 3BitcoinEthereumSolanaBNB ChainXRP LedgerCardanoAvalancheTRONPolkadotCosmos HubNEAR ProtocolAptosSuiTONLitecoinHederaAlgorandMoneroCelestiaInjectiveBaseArbitrum OneOP MainnetPolygon PoSzkSync EraStarknetScrollLineaBlastMantleModeTaikoopBNBRobinhood ChainImmutable zkEVMXaiApeChainDegen ChainSankoB3RARI ChainOrderly NetworkBlock explorersName servicesBridgesSwap guides
By the Orca Crypto teamUpdated 2026-09-28How we check this5 min readReference
The short answer

A fast, cheap EVM chain with enormous retail volume. BNB Chain trades some decentralization for speed and cost. It has a small validator set, which is exactly why blocks are fast and fees are low.

Live market data

LiveCoinGecko
Price
$758.83
-1.53% 24h
Market cap
$101.04B
24h volume
$1.01B
Rank
#4
All time high
$1,369.99

Prices as of September 29, 2026, replaced by live figures as the page loads. Prices move constantly and are for orientation only.

What BNB Chain is for

BNB Chain trades some decentralization for speed and cost. It has a small validator set, which is exactly why blocks are fast and fees are low.

Technical summary

PropertyValue
LayerLayer 1
Launched2020
ConsensusProof of staked authority
ThroughputAround 100
FinalityAbout 3 seconds
Native tokenBNB pays gas and is used across the Binance ecosystem

Block explorers

An explorer lets you verify any transaction, address or contract on this network yourself. Learning to read one is the fastest way to stop taking anyone's word for anything.

BscScanOKLink

How to read a block explorer

Wallets that support it

MetaMaskRabbyCoinbase WalletLedger

What to be aware of

  • Validator concentration varies widely between layer 1s and is worth checking rather than assuming.
  • Newer chains have shorter track records under real adversarial pressure.
  • Crypto assets are volatile. Drawdowns of seventy percent or more have happened on every network in this list, including the largest.
  • Sending to an address on the wrong network can lose funds permanently. Always send a small test amount first.

Nothing on this page is investment advice. We describe how networks work, not whether you should buy anything.

Other networks at this layer

Same job, different tradeoffs. Each of these has its own page covering what it is actually for, who runs it and where it struggles.

XRP LedgerCardanoAvalancheTRONPolkadotCosmos HubAll of them

Common questions

Is BNB Chain the same thing as Binance?
They are closely related and not identical. Binance is the exchange. BNB Chain is a network the exchange created and still heavily influences, with a small validator set, and BNB is used for fees on the chain and for benefits on the exchange.
How decentralized is BNB Chain?
Considerably less than Ethereum, and this is the honest tradeoff. A small number of validators is what makes it fast and cheap, and it also means fewer parties would need to cooperate to affect the network.

Where to go next

Compare all networksHow the layers fit together.Block explorer directoryEvery chain, every explorer.Wallets by chainThe right wallet for this network.Mining and stakingHow blocks actually get made and who gets paid.

New to BNB Chain?

We can get you set up with the right wallet, funded, and through a first transaction on this network in about an hour, on a screen share.

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