The right chainslist network is the one your exchange will send to. Your wallet can use the same address on several networks, but each network holds a separate balance.
This matters when you leave a centralised exchange. On the exchange, choosing a withdrawal network may feel like a small detail. In your own wallet, that choice determines where your funds arrive and which network you must select to use them.
What does chainslist tell you?
It tells you which EVM network you are selecting and how your wallet reaches it. EVM means Ethereum Virtual Machine. EVM networks use Ethereum-style addresses and can work with compatible wallets such as MetaMask.
A chain list entry usually gives you a network name, a chain ID and an RPC endpoint. The chain ID is the number that identifies the network when your wallet signs a transaction. An RPC endpoint is a server address your wallet uses to read balances and send transactions.
For example, Ethereum Mainnet has chain ID 1. Optimism’s live network has chain ID 10. The numbers matter more than similar-sounding names: an RPC endpoint can change, while the chain ID must match the network you mean to use.
Which network type fits your transfer?
The right type is the network named in your exchange withdrawal or required by the app you plan to use. These are the main kinds of entries you will encounter:
- Ethereum Mainnet: The live base network for Ethereum. Use it when the exchange says your withdrawal will go over Ethereum. It does not fit a withdrawal sent over Optimism, even if both use an address that looks the same.
- Layer 2 networks: These process activity separately and report results back to Ethereum. Optimism is one example. Use the specific layer 2 named by your exchange or app; selecting it does not reveal funds held on Ethereum Mainnet.
- Independent EVM mainnets: These are live blockchains with their own rules and balances. Use one when both your withdrawal route and intended app use that chain. It does not fit merely because your wallet accepts its address format.
- Testnets: These are practice networks whose tokens have no normal cash value. Use them to try a wallet or an app without real funds. They are not a destination for a real exchange withdrawal.
“Mainnet” means a live network where assets can have real value. A layer 2 or independent mainnet may charge less than Ethereum Mainnet, but fees vary with the network and activity. The deciding fact for a withdrawal is the exact destination network, not which entry has the lowest fee.
How do you add the chosen network?
Add it through your wallet’s network settings or approve a request to add it from a directory. First, read the exchange’s withdrawal network label. If it is unclear, check that network’s official details before you send anything.
When your wallet does not already list the network, chainslist can fill the gap. For that step, chainslist.org lists EVM chain IDs and RPC endpoints and lets you add the selected network to MetaMask or another compatible wallet in one click. Check the chain ID in your wallet’s approval request before confirming.
You can also enter the details yourself: network name, chain ID and RPC endpoint. Some wallets ask for the native coin symbol, which names the coin used to pay transaction fees, called gas. Ethereum Mainnet and Optimism both use ETH for gas.
Saving network settings does not send a blockchain transaction, so it does not use gas. Sending funds or using an app does. Your wallet may add a network without switching to it, so check the selected network before looking for a balance.
Why can your balance still look wrong?
A wallet shows funds for its selected network, so another network can appear empty. Say you have 0.2 ETH on Ethereum Mainnet. After you add Optimism, you may see 0 ETH there: the setup changed your wallet’s view, but it did not move the ETH.
To hold ETH on Optimism, withdraw over Optimism if your exchange offers that route. Otherwise, moving funds between the networks takes a bridge, a service that transfers value across chains. Check its destination and fees before confirming a transfer.
A chain list cannot correct a withdrawal sent over the wrong network. It also cannot fix an RPC endpoint that has stopped responding; another endpoint with the same chain ID may restore your wallet’s view. Neither change moves the funds.
In your place, I would match the exchange’s withdrawal network first, then add that exact chain ID to the wallet. I would send a small amount before transferring the rest.