The short, definite, smoothereumbrain explanation for Avax C-Chain and X-Chain
I am assuming you know how to use Metamask and have done the duty of exporting your keys, have your seed-phrase and so on.
We are going to be covering the topic over the basic things you need to know about Avax C-Chain and how to transfer stuff between it.
What is AVAX X and C-chain?
The X-Chain acts as a decentralized platform for creating and trading digital smart assets, a representation of a real-world resource (e.g., equity, bonds) with a set of rules that govern its behavior, like “can’t be traded until tomorrow” or “can only be sent to US citizens.”
The X-Chain is an instance of the Avalanche Virtual Machine (AVM).
The C-Chain allows for the creation smart contracts using the C-Chain’s API.
The C-Chain is an instance of the Ethereum Virtual Machine powered by Avalanche.
The bolded parts are the most important. In essence, the Avax wallet that you can make HERE:
- creates two separate wallets; one on the X-Chain and one on the C-Chain.
They run on different virtual machines. X-Chain runs the AVM, and the EVM we all use on Ethereum runs on C.
BUT the C-Chain wallet is NOT connected to the Ethereum mainnet. You have to use the Ethereum-Avax bridge if you want to directly send assets from Ethereum. C-Chain is basically an emulator for the EVM, so you can have the Ethereum functionalities on Avax.
https://pangolin.exchange/tutorials/transfer-from-ethereum
How to get funds ONTO my Avax wallet without the bridge?
You can buy AVAX on your centralized exchange and then drop it onto your Avax wallet. You will simply use the X-Chain address that starts with X as a withdrawal address.
Read the Pangolin tutorial
I promise you, if you follow the tutorial the Pangolin crew so graciously took their time to write, you will be able to transfer your funds to your Metamask wallet, which is only compatible with EVM for now, on the Avax network.
NOTES
Since C-Chain works exactly like Ethereum, and your seed phrase is cross-used for both X and C. Once you own a C-Chain address you can use the seed phrase on your Metamask to own the same address on Ethereum. It also works vice versa.
This is useful if you accidentally send your funds to the address on the Ethereum network even though you wanted it on Avax.
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METAMASK can work on ANY network that supports EVM functionalities. That is why you just have to connect it to a custom RPC with AVAX or xDai, for example.
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You can bridge any ERC-20 tokens onto AVAX over the ETH-AVAX bridge, https://pangolin.exchange/tutorials/transfer-from-ethereum.
The tokens will be WRAPPED. The contract address on the two EVM’s will NOT be the same.
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AVAX = WAVAX, Avax is not native ERC20 and has to be WRAPPED for it to be tradeable on C-Chain.
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Now that you know
Join us, Avax marine rookie!
