How to use gas included transactions
MetaMask offers you the ability to include the gas fee (also known as the network fee) in your transaction, without needing to hold the network's native token. This feature is referred to as gas included transactions, or MetaMask Gas Station.
Networks like Ethereum typically require a small fee to cover the cost of processing your transaction. If you don't have enough of the network's native token, like ETH, to cover this fee, your transaction will fail.
With gas included transactions, MetaMask covers the network fee as part of your transaction. For Swaps, MetaMask deducts a small amount of the token you're swapping from to cover the network fee. For Send and Dapp transactions, you can select a different token to cover the network fee.
For example,if you're swapping USDC into mUSD on Ethereum Mainnet, you would typically need to have enough ETH to cover the network fee. However, with MetaMask, if you don't have enough ETH to cover the network fee, MetaMask will automatically include the network fee in your transaction. In this example, the network fee will be paid in USDC, which is the token you're swapping from.
MetaMask Gas Station is currently available on Ethereum Mainnet and BNB Smart Chain for the following transactions:
- MetaMask Swaps
- Send
- Dapp transactions
To use MetaMask Gas Station, you need to have the following:
Smart Transactions enabled
MetaMask Extension - version 12.6 or later (or version 7.43 or higher of MetaMask Mobile for MetaMask Swaps)
'Estimate balance changes’ enabled - this setting is on by default. To find it, go to Settings > Security & privacy, and toggle ‘Estimate balance changes’ on.
Use MetaMask for gas included transactions
MetaMask Swaps
If you don’t have enough of the native token to cover your swap’s network fee, MetaMask includes the fee in your swap quote. To do so, MetaMask uses the token you’re swapping from to process the network fee in your transaction.
Let’s say you want to swap 400 PEPE into USDT, but you don’t have enough ETH to cover the network fee. If the network fee is estimated to be $3.41, that amount is subtracted from the amount of PEPE you are swapping.
Any extra ETH or BNB from executing the transaction will be added to your wallet following the completion of your transaction.
What tokens can I use MetaMask Gas Station with for MetaMask Swaps?
You can use most popular tokens for gas included swaps. Tokens you can use include:
- mUSD - USDT - USDC - DAI - ETH - wETH - wBTC - wstETH - wSOL
Most popular tokens not listed above (e.g., PEPE, SPX), can be used with MetaMask Gas Station, depending on liquidity pairs and depth at the time of the swap.
Dapp transactions and send
You can also use gas included transactions with Send and dapp transactions. When you’re confirming a dapp transaction, contract interaction or using MetaMask’s send feature, MetaMask gives you the option to select what token you’d like to use to pay the network fee.
You can pay the network fee with the following tokens:
- mUSD
- USDT
- USDC
- DAI
- ETH
- wETH
- wBTC
- wstETH
- wSOL
- sUSDS
- cbBTC
- rETH
If you don’t have enough ETH or BNB to pay the network fee, MetaMask Gas Station will automatically select an eligible token for you. If you would like to use a different token, click the token dropdown menu next to ‘Network fee’.
You’ll see the eligible token balances you have on the transaction’s network and the estimated network fee for each token, including a small MetaMask fee.
Select your preferred option, and the transaction screen will update to reflect your choice.
Frequently asked questions
What if the value of my swap is less than the cost of gas?
You’ll be unable to use the MetaMask Gas Station if the value of your swap is less than the cost of gas. In this case, you can always buy more ETH or BNB to cover gas.
Can I use MetaMask Gas Station on other networks?
MetaMask Gas Station is only available on Ethereum Mainnet and BNB Smart Chain at this time, with other popular networks to come in the future. For other networks, MetaMask offers the ability to purchase tokens with fiat via the MetaMask Buy feature, or you can swap tokens from another network using the bridge. This provides you with a convenient way to top-up your gas balance and continue with your swap.
Can I use MetaMask Gas Station if I have enough gas already?
If you’re using MetaMask Swaps and have enough gas, you will not have the option to use MetaMask Gas Station. If you’re executing a dapp transaction or a send and have enough gas, you can always choose to select a different token to pay the network fee in.