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Network profile: Celo

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Celo is an EVM-compatible, Proof of Stake, layer 1 blockchain that differentiates itself from other networks primarily through being mobile-first.

The term 'mobile-first' refers to the network's ability to map blockchain account addresses to phone numbers. If you want to send someone 100 CELO, for example, you could just as easily send it to their mobile phone number as you could to an account address they own. Celo achieves this through a complex identity protocol: each user sends a request to a Celo 'attestation' smart contract asking for an address to be assigned to their number. They are then free to transact with other entities and dapps. (Naturally, we're skipping a few details for brevity's sake.)

Mobile-first design is one aspect of Celo's mission to empower all parts of the globe with control over personal finance. Capitalizing on the fact so that much web3 adoption is driven by inadequate access to traditional banks, Celo also sets itself apart by offering localized stablecoins. cREAL (pegged to the Brazilian Real) and cEUR (the Euro) are available in addition to the standard cUSD, the dollar-pegged stable.

Other notable features of Celo include:

  • As with most EVM-compatible layer 1 chains, Celo offers exceptionally low gas fees that usually amount to a fraction of the cost of similar transactions on Ethereum mainnet.
  • Celo is attempting to become the de-facto home of ReFi (Regenerative Finance), an alternative movement that uses web3 tools to reward people who create positive externalities rather than negative ones, thus reversing the status quo of much of the world's economy. This Celo-sponsored piece and this article by Celo itself cover this topic in greater detail.
  • Celo is carbon negative, and offsets emissions for every confirmed block.
  • Gas can be paid by any ERC-20 token. This contrasts with the majority of networks, where the native token (such as ETH) is the only option.

Using Celo​

Can I use Celo with MetaMask?

Yes — Celo is EVM-compatible, and MetaMask can be used with any EVM-compatible network.

How do I add Celo to MetaMask?

You can use any of the methods detailed here: How to add a custom network RPC

They include:

  • Adding Celo via chainid.network
  • Adding manually by inputting the network details at the top of this article.
What token do I need to pay for gas on Celo?

As mentioned above, you can theoretically pay for gas using any ERC-20 token in your wallet on the Celo network.

Generally, you can select which token you want to use to pay for gas. You can read more here.

Note that this feature is not yet supported in MetaMask.

Do I need to bridge to Celo?

You do not need to bridge to Celo unless you want to get assets you already own onto the network. Celo maintains a list of links to bridges here.

An alternative to bridging is to buy assets directly on Celo. You can do this using the Buy page in MetaMask Portfolio, or via the 'Buy' buttons in MetaMask Extension or Mobile.

However, to use Celo at all, you must either bridge or buy assets. Celo is a separate blockchain from Ethereum and others; having assets in MetaMask on other networks does not mean you have anything on Celo.

Where can I bridge to Celo?

See Celo's list of bridges here.

Unfortunately, MetaMask Portfolio does not yet support bridging to Celo.

Can I use my existing Ethereum address on Celo?

Yes — usually. Here are some rules:

  • If you have an account address in MetaMask, you can send assets to it (and from it, using MetaMask) on Celo. Just change the network to Celo to see the asset. If it doesn't appear automatically, add the token.
    • This only applies to accounts derived (generated) from a MetaMask Secret Recovery Phrase. Most Celo-native wallets use a different derivation path (style of seed phrase) to MetaMask, so if you want to add Celo accounts from other wallets into MetaMask, you'll need to import via private key, rather than importing a seed phrase.
  • Do not send assets directly to Celo from any other network. For example, don't send ETH directly to a Celo address without bridging.
    • If you're sending to an address in a wallet that allows you to access both networks—like MetaMask—then this will be fine, as you can just switch networks.
I sent assets to MetaMask on Celo but I don't see them. Where are they?

The good news is that your assets should be easy to display.

If the address you sent the assets to exists—has already been derived (generated) from your Secret Recovery Phrase by creating an account—and your instance of MetaMask is loaded with that Secret Recovery Phrase, you can:

  1. Switch to the Celo network.
  2. Ensure you have the token added.

For further guidance on this, see our article: A token is missing from my wallet

Can I import a seed phrase from a Celo wallet into MetaMask and vice versa?

No. Celo-native wallets such as Valora use a different derivation path from MetaMask, so their seed phrases look and behave differently.

If you want to import accounts created in Celo-native wallets, you must import the account's private key. See the method for this here.

Useful resources​

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