← All guides
Beginner • 7 min
Wallet Setup
A crypto wallet is the app that holds your funds and signs transactions. Riverforge supports MetaMask and Coinbase Wallet — pick whichever you prefer.
1
Install a wallet extension
Pick one (or both):
- MetaMask — install from metamask.io. Available for Chrome, Edge, Brave, Firefox.
- Coinbase Wallet — install from coinbase.com/wallet. Available for Chrome and Edge.
Only install from official sites. Fake wallet extensions in the Chrome Store have stolen millions. Always verify the URL.
2
Create a new wallet
After installing, click the wallet extension icon in your browser toolbar (top-right). Click Create a new wallet and follow the prompts:
- Set a strong password (this only unlocks the extension on your device)
- Save your seed phrase (12 or 24 words) somewhere offline and safe
- Confirm the seed phrase
Never store your seed phrase digitally (no screenshots, no email, no cloud notes, no password managers tied to email accounts that can be hacked). Write it on paper and store it in a safe place. Anyone with your seed phrase can steal your funds.
3
Get your wallet address
Open the wallet extension. At the top you'll see a long address starting with 0x... followed by 40 hexadecimal characters. Click it to copy.
This is your public address — safe to share. People can send you crypto using this.
4
Fund your wallet
You need crypto in your wallet before you can swap. Two ways to get some:
Buy directly in the wallet:
- MetaMask: click Buy — uses MoonPay, Transak, etc.
- Coinbase Wallet: click Buy or transfer
Transfer from an exchange (Coinbase, Binance, Kraken):
- Open your exchange account
- Click Withdraw or Send
- Pick the network (e.g., Ethereum, Polygon, Base)
- Paste your wallet address
- Enter the amount and confirm
Tip: For your first swap, start with a small amount ($10-50) on a cheap chain like Polygon, Base, or Arbitrum. Ethereum mainnet has high gas fees ($5-30 per transaction).
5
Add networks (if needed)
By default, MetaMask only has Ethereum mainnet enabled. To swap on other chains you may need to add them:
- Open MetaMask → click the network selector at the top → Add network
- Pick from the popular networks list (Polygon, Arbitrum, Optimism, Base, BNB Chain)
- Approve adding it
Coinbase Wallet auto-supports most major networks, but if you don't see one, go to Settings → Networks and enable it.
6
Connect to Riverforge
On the Riverforge dashboard, find the My Wallets card and click Connect Wallet. Pick your wallet from the popup.
Your wallet extension will pop up asking you to approve the connection — click Connect. You'll see your address appear in the My Wallets card.
