Exchange glossary

BEP20

BEP20 is the token standard on BNB Smart Chain. The fee is paid in BNB and usually amounts to a fraction of a dollar. The address looks exactly like an Ethereum address, starting with 0x, so the network has to be selected and checked by hand when you send.

BNB Smart Chain was built on the Ethereum model, so its addresses and rules almost coincide. That is both its main convenience and its main danger.

Matching addresses

The same address 0x… exists on both Ethereum and BNB Smart Chain. Sending BEP20 funds to such an address while expecting Ethereum will go through: the network confirms the transfer, but the tokens end up somewhere other than where they are awaited. The owner of the address usually still sees them, provided their wallet can switch networks.

Recovery in that situation is possible when the address belongs to a person rather than an exchange. If the address is an exchange deposit address, you cannot control it directly, and the matter is settled only through their support.

When this network is chosen

For the cost of the transfer: it is comparable to TRON and noticeably lower than Ethereum. The limitation is support on the recipient's side, since not every exchange service and not every platform accepts BEP20.

What the fee is paid in

In BNB. As in other networks, the token sitting in your balance does not cover the cost of sending itself: you need a small reserve of the native coin. The amount is usually measured in cents, but without it the transfer will not move.

What to check before sending

Different services write the network name differently: "BSC", "BNB Chain", "BNB Smart Chain", "Binance Smart Chain" all mean the same thing. But "Binance Chain" marked BEP2 is a different network, and its addresses look different. The matching first words are misleading, and this is where people lose money most often.

If you are unsure, send a small test amount first. The fee here is so low that the check costs less than any mistake.

Read more: How to choose a network for a USDT transfer

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