MetaMask Adds Native Bitcoin Support, Marking Shift Toward a Cross-Chain Wallet

MetaMask has introduced native Bitcoin support, expanding the Ethereum-focused wallet into a broader multi-chain platform as competition intensifies among crypto wallet providers.

Announced on Monday, the update allows users to buy bitcoin with fiat, transfer BTC on-chain and swap bitcoin directly with assets on Ethereum-compatible networks and Solana. The move represents MetaMask's most direct step yet toward operating as a cross-ecosystem wallet rather than one centered primarily on Ethereum.

The rollout comes amid a period of rapid product expansion for the Consensys-owned wallet. In recent months, MetaMask has added Solana support, launched in-app perpetual futures via Hyperliquid, enabled a Polymarket onramp, introduced a new stablecoin called mUSD and unveiled a physical MetaMask Card powered by Linea, Consensys' Ethereum layer-2 network. Bitcoin integration had been flagged earlier this year as a planned feature, with an initial target of the third quarter.

At launch, MetaMask's Bitcoin support uses native SegWit addresses. Taproot functionality is not yet available but will be added "soon," according to the announcement. Earlier Consensys job listings suggested the company has been building internal Bitcoin expertise, citing experience with the Lightning Network, ordinals, BRC-20 tokens and Bitcoin-focused layer-2 systems such as Stacks and Rootstock as desirable skills.

MetaMask's expansion beyond Ethereum builds on earlier efforts through its Snaps plugin framework, which enabled third-party developers to add non-EVM network support, including integrations related to Bitcoin layer-2 projects. The latest update brings Bitcoin directly into the core wallet, reducing reliance on optional extensions.

The timing also aligns with Consensys' preparations for a potential initial public offering, where product breadth and user retention are likely to be closely scrutinized. A unified, multi-chain wallet experience may strengthen MetaMask's position as users increasingly expect to manage multiple networks within a single interface.

The Bitcoin launch coincides with preparations for MASK, MetaMask's upcoming user rewards program first teased in October. Consensys CEO Joseph Lubin said at the time that the company was actively working on the initiative, describing it as "one of the largest onchain rewards programs ever built," with more than $30 million in LINEA rewards allocated. Monday's announcement confirmed that swapping into BTC through MetaMask will earn rewards points, offering an early indication of how the program may connect activity across different blockchains.

Looking ahead, MetaMask's growing footprint now spans Bitcoin, Solana, Ethereum-compatible networks and Linea, with additional chains accessible via plugins. While the company has not detailed plans for supporting Taproot-based applications or Bitcoin-native assets such as ordinals and BRC-20s, prior hiring signals suggest deeper integration could follow.

The move places MetaMask more squarely in competition with other multi-chain wallets, including Phantom, Coinbase Wallet and OKX Wallet, all of which have been expanding cross-chain features. With its large existing user base, MetaMask's approach could influence where users manage bitcoin transactions and how activity across networks is consolidated within wallet-based reward systems.