What is 'Smart Transactions'?

Smart Transactions replaces & expands upon the previously offered Smart Swaps feature in MetaMask Swaps.

MetaMask Smart Transactions explained

MetaMask Smart Transactions is a comprehensive update to the transaction experience. You will now have better insights into the status of your submitted transaction and benefit from a new way to land your transaction on the blockchain that keeps your transactions safe from fails and reverts. Smart Transactions utilize a more efficient process to land on chain, improving the safety and reliability of your transactions.

Smart Transactions means saving money on gas, getting better execution for token swaps, and having peace of mind knowing that transactions are using the most advanced system to be submitted on-chain.

When can I use Smart Transactions?

Smart Transactions is available on Ethereum Mainnet with MetaMask Extension 11.15 and up, and will be added to the MetaMask Mobile application soon.

Please note that configuring a custom Ethereum RPC within your network settings will override Smart Transactions.

How do I manage my Smart Transactions settings?

1. To begin, look for the three vertical dots in the upper-right corner of your MetaMask window. Click on these dots to reveal a drop-down menu. Click ‘Settings’, and find the ‘Advanced’ button.

2. From there, you can toggle Smart Transactions on or off.

Is there a fee for Smart Transactions?

The Smart Transactions feature is optional and completely free. We’re able to offer this capability by auctioning transactions to a network of trusted block builders, who may bid for the opportunity to include them in a block. Block builders can earn money from some transactions by backrunning them, which doesn’t affect the price of your trade. Backrunning involves bringing liquidity pools back to equilibrium after a trade is completed.

Are there risks to using Smart Transactions?

Smart Transactions is designed to be safer than regular transactions, providing additional protections against MEV. While the system substantially lowers the risk of negative outcomes associated with MEV, no system can eliminate these risks entirely. Currently, Smart Transactions can not be manually canceled or ‘sped up’.

For more information on the risks associated with Smart Transactions, please refer to our risk disclosures.

Can I view pending transactions when using Smart Transactions?

When you’ve sent a transaction using Smart Transactions, you’ll be able to view its status in MetaMask Extension and MetaMask Portfolio. Note that you might not be able to view transactions on third-party block explorers while they’re still pending confirmation; these will be visible once confirmed on the blockchain.