How to Add Kava to MetaMask in 2026 – RPC Setup Guide

So you want to explore the Kava ecosystem — DeFi apps, the Kava Rise rewards program, maybe some cross-chain action — but your MetaMask is sitting there showing only Ethereum. The fix is simple: add Kava as a custom network. It takes about five minutes, it is free, and once you do it you will be able to hold KAVA, interact with Kava dApps, and move funds around the Kava EVM chain like you would on any other network.

In this guide, you will learn exactly what Kava is, why adding it to MetaMask is useful, how to add it two different ways (one-click and manual), how to confirm everything is set up correctly, and how to avoid the most common mistakes — including the phishing scams that target people right at this step.

id=”what-is-kava”>What Kava Is (And Why It Matters)

Kava is a Layer-1 blockchain that runs on the Cosmos SDK and supports the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) through what is called the Kava EVM co-chain. In plain English: it is a blockchain built for DeFi that can run Ethereum-style smart contracts, which means your MetaMask — originally an Ethereum wallet — can connect to it directly.

Kava’s pitch has always been bridging the two worlds: the speed and interoperability of Cosmos with the enormous developer ecosystem of Ethereum. The native token is KAVA, which is used to pay transaction fees (gas) on the network, for staking, and for participating in the network’s governance. If you have ever used BNB for gas on BNB Chain or AVAX for gas on Avalanche, the concept is identical — every network has its own gas token, and on Kava that token is KAVA.

A few things worth knowing about the chain before you add it:

• Chain ID 2222 — this is the unique identifier for Kava’s mainnet EVM chain. MetaMask uses this number to tell networks apart, so it is the most important value in the whole setup. As of this guide’s writing, the official chain ID for Kava EVM mainnet is 2222 (hexadecimal 0x8AE). If you ever see a different chain ID proposed for “Kava,” treat it as suspicious.
• EVM compatibility — Kava’s EVM co-chain runs standard Ethereum smart contracts, so the dApps you already know how to use will feel familiar. Your existing MetaMask address (the one starting with 0x) is the same address on Kava — no new address is created.
• Cosmos roots — Kava also has a native Cosmos-side chain with addresses starting with “kava.” If you withdraw KAVA from an exchange to a “kava1…” address, that is the Cosmos side, and it will not show up on the EVM side automatically. More on this confusion in the mistakes section.
• Low fees — like most alternative networks, transaction fees on Kava are generally a fraction of what you would pay on Ethereum mainnet. That is one of the main reasons people bother adding it.

Why Add Kava to MetaMask?

Adding a network to MetaMask does not cost anything and does not move any funds — it simply teaches your wallet how to talk to that blockchain. Here is why it is worth doing for Kava specifically:

• Access Kava DeFi. Lending protocols, DEXs, and yield apps that live on Kava are invisible to MetaMask until the network is added. Once it is, you can browse and interact with them the same way you would on any chain.
• Hold and transfer KAVA on the EVM side. If you buy KAVA on an exchange and withdraw it via the Kava EVM network, you need the network in MetaMask to see and manage the balance.
• Lower-fee transactions. For everyday DeFi activity, Kava’s fees are typically far lower than Ethereum mainnet’s, so it can be a cheaper place to transact.
• Try things on testnet first. Kava runs a testnet (chain ID 2221, as of this guide’s writing) with worthless test tokens. If you are new to adding networks, practicing on testnet first costs nothing and teaches you the whole flow safely.
• One wallet, many chains. This is the general MetaMask superpower: the same wallet, the same seed phrase, the same address — connected to dozens of networks. If you have already added networks like Polygon, learning Kava’s setup takes about thirty seconds because the steps are identical. Our Polygon setup guide walks through the same pattern if you want a comparison.

There is no real downside. Unused networks can be removed from MetaMask at any time, and adding one never touches your funds or your seed phrase.

Before You Start: What You’ll Need

The requirements are minimal, but getting them right matters:

• MetaMask installed and unlocked. The browser extension or the mobile app both work; the screenshots below follow the desktop extension, but the mobile steps are essentially the same (Settings → Networks → Add Network).
• An up-to-date MetaMask. Older versions still support custom networks, but the interface has changed over time. Update through your browser’s extension page or app store before starting.
• The official network details. Copy them from Kava’s official documentation or a reputable chain directory — never from a random social media post or a DM. The details, as of this guide’s writing, are:
  • Network name: Kava EVM
  • RPC URL: evm.kava.io (Kava’s docs also list evm.kava-rpc.com as an official endpoint)
  • Chain ID: 2222
  • Currency symbol: KAVA
  • Block explorer: explorer.kava.io (some sources list kavascan.com instead)

  Type these addresses into your browser yourself rather than clicking links — more on why below.

• A tiny amount of KAVA for gas (optional). You do not need any tokens to add the network itself. You only need KAVA later, when you actually want to send transactions.

Method 1: One-Click Add (Fastest)

If you trust the source — and that “if” is doing a lot of work, which the warning section will cover — the fastest way to add Kava is through a chain directory that injects the settings into MetaMask automatically.

1. Open your browser with MetaMask installed.
2. Go to a reputable EVM chain directory (the best-known one is chainlist.org — type the address yourself, do not click a link from a stranger).
3. Connect your MetaMask wallet when prompted.
4. Search for Kava in the directory’s search bar.
5. Check that the listing shows Chain ID 2222. This is your safety checkpoint — if the chain ID does not match, stop.
6. Click Add to MetaMask (or the equivalent button). MetaMask will pop up asking you to approve adding the network.
7. Review the details in the MetaMask popup — network name, RPC URL, chain ID — then click Approve.
8. MetaMask will ask whether you want to switch to Kava now. Click Switch network.

That is it. Kava should now appear in your network dropdown at the top of MetaMask. The whole thing takes under a minute.

The one-click method is convenient, but it asks you to connect your wallet to a third-party site, which is a small trust decision. If you would rather not do that, the manual method below keeps everything inside MetaMask.

Method 2: Add Kava Manually (Step by Step)

Manual setup means typing the network details into MetaMask yourself. It takes a couple of minutes and keeps you in full control of exactly what gets saved.

1. Open MetaMask and unlock your wallet.
2. Open the network dropdown at the top-left of the extension (it probably says “Ethereum Mainnet” or whatever network you used last).
3. Click Add network at the bottom of the dropdown.
4. A new tab opens with MetaMask’s network page. Look for Add a network manually (usually at the bottom of the list) and click it.
5. Fill in the fields exactly as follows (as of this guide’s writing — double-check against Kava’s official docs if it is much later):
   • Network name: Kava EVM
   • New RPC URL: https://evm.kava.io
   • Chain ID: 2222
   • Currency symbol: KAVA
   • Block explorer URL (optional): https://explorer.kava.io
6. Click Save. MetaMask validates the entries — if the chain ID is wrong or the RPC is unreachable, it will tell you here rather than saving garbage.
7. MetaMask will offer to switch to the new network. Click Switch to Kava EVM (or whatever name you gave it).

Your wallet is now connected to Kava. The network dropdown should show the Kava network name, and your account balance will display in KAVA (probably 0.00 KAVA if you have not received any yet — that is normal).

Method comparison

If you are new to custom networks, our guide on switching networks in MetaMask safely covers the general habits — like confirming the active network before every transaction — that apply to Kava just as much as any other chain.

How to Verify You Did It Right

Adding a network is only half the job. Spend two minutes confirming it works before you send any real funds:

1. Check the network dropdown. The network you added should appear in the list with the name you gave it, and selecting it should update the wallet view.
2. Confirm the chain ID. In MetaMask, go to Settings → Networks, find your Kava entry, and confirm the chain ID reads 2222. This is the single most important check — a wrong chain ID means you are pointed at the wrong chain (or a fake one).
3. Check the block explorer. Open the explorer URL you saved (typed yourself: explorer.kava.io) and confirm it loads and shows recent Kava blocks. Then paste your own 0x address into its search bar — it should show your address page, even if the balance is zero.
4. Do a tiny test transaction first. Before moving any meaningful amount of KAVA, send a very small amount (or receive one) and confirm it arrives. On a low-fee network like Kava, this costs almost nothing and catches addressing mistakes early.
5. Confirm the currency symbol. Your balance should display in KAVA. If it shows a different symbol, you likely added the wrong network or mistyped a field.

If all five check out, your setup is solid. If anything looks off — wrong chain ID, explorer does not load, balance shows a strange symbol — delete the network entry (Settings → Networks → select it → Delete) and add it again carefully.

7 Common Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

1. Using the wrong chain ID. Chain ID 2222 is Kava EVM mainnet. Chain ID 2221 is the Kava testnet. Mixing them up means your wallet points at a network with worthless test tokens while you think you are on mainnet. Always verify the chain ID in Settings → Networks after adding.

2. Confusing Kava’s Cosmos address with its EVM address. Kava has two sides: Cosmos addresses start with “kava1…” and EVM addresses start with “0x…”. Your MetaMask only understands the 0x side. If you withdraw KAVA from an exchange, make sure you select the Kava EVM network for the withdrawal — sending to a “kava1…” address from MetaMask is not possible and selecting the wrong network at the exchange can strand your funds. When in doubt, do a small test withdrawal first.

3. Copying RPC details from an untrusted source. A malicious RPC endpoint can log your activity and, in some setups, feed you false data. Always get network details from Kava’s official documentation or a well-known chain directory, and cross-check the chain ID across at least two sources.

4. Falling for fake “add network” popups. This is the big one. Scam sites imitate wallet interfaces and show a fake “Add Kava Network” button that actually requests a malicious network — or worse, asks you to approve a transaction or reveal your seed phrase. Real network-add flows happen inside MetaMask’s own popup, and MetaMask will never ask for your seed phrase to add a network. Anyone who does is a scammer, full stop. Our walkthrough of a similar network setup, adding Soneium to MetaMask, covers the same anti-phishing habits.

5. Forgetting you need KAVA for gas. Transactions on Kava are paid in KAVA, not ETH. If you bridge assets to Kava but hold no KAVA, your funds will sit there unusable until you acquire some for gas. Keep a small KAVA balance on the network, the same way you would keep a little ETH on Ethereum.

6. Sending tokens before verifying the setup. The test transaction in the previous section exists for a reason. Skipping it and sending your full balance to an unverified setup is how people lose money to typos. Two minutes of patience beats any amount of regret.

7. Adding the testnet by accident and thinking it is mainnet. Testnet KAVA is worthless, and dApps on testnet are playgrounds. If your balance shows up but nothing you do seems to have real value, check whether you added chain ID 2221 (testnet) instead of 2222 (mainnet).

Frequently Asked Questions

The Bottom Line

Adding Kava to MetaMask is a five-minute task with outsized payoff: one configuration entry unlocks the whole Kava DeFi ecosystem from the wallet you already use. Use chain ID 2222, get your RPC details from official sources, verify the setup with a test transaction, and keep a little KAVA around for gas. Do that, and the network will quietly do its job in your dropdown for years.

This guide is for education only — not financial advice.