A Complete Beginner’s Guide to BSC and BEP-20: Build, Deploy, and Interact on BNB Smart Chain

Blockchain development has become more accessible than ever, and one of the most popular platforms for developers is BNB Smart Chain (BSC). With its low transaction fees, fast block times, and Ethereum compatibility, BSC empowers developers to launch decentralized applications (dApps) and custom tokens efficiently. This guide walks you through setting up your environment, writing a BEP-20 token contract, deploying it on BSC, and interacting with your smart contract—all from scratch.

Whether you're a beginner or brushing up on blockchain skills, this step-by-step tutorial covers everything you need to know about BSC development, BEP-20 tokens, and using essential tools like MetaMask and Remix.

Setting Up Your Development Environment

Before diving into smart contract creation, you need a secure and functional development setup. The first step is installing MetaMask, a widely used cryptocurrency wallet that supports Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)-compatible networks like BNB Smart Chain.

Install MetaMask on Chrome

1. Open the Chrome Web Store.
2. Search for "MetaMask" and install the official extension.
3. Follow the setup wizard to create a new wallet. Be sure to securely back up your seed phrase—this is crucial for recovering your account.

Once installed, MetaMask will appear as an icon in your browser toolbar. It allows you to manage digital assets, connect to dApps, and sign transactions directly from your browser.

👉 Start building on BNB Smart Chain with a secure wallet setup today.

Note: While some users may manually install extensions via chrome://extensions/, always download MetaMask from official sources to avoid security risks.

Connecting MetaMask to BNB Smart Chain

By default, MetaMask connects to the Ethereum network. To interact with BSC, you must manually add the BNB Smart Chain network:

1. Click on the network dropdown in MetaMask.
2. Select "Custom RPC".

3. Enter the following details:

   • Network Name: BNB Smart Chain
   • New RPC URL: https://bsc-dataseed.binance.org/
   • Chain ID: 56
   • Symbol: BNB
   • Block Explorer URL: https://bscscan.com

After saving, your wallet will connect to BSC, allowing you to send BNB, interact with dApps, and deploy smart contracts.

Writing Your First BEP-20 Token Contract

The BEP-20 token standard is BSC’s equivalent of Ethereum’s ERC-20. It defines a set of rules for fungible tokens, enabling them to be traded across exchanges and integrated into wallets and DeFi protocols.

We’ll use Remix IDE, a browser-based Solidity development environment, to write and deploy our contract.

Step 1: Open Remix IDE

Navigate to remix.ethereum.org (do not enter any URLs here; use only official links). No installation is required—Remix runs entirely in your browser.

Step 2: Create a New File

In the file explorer panel:

• Click the "File" icon.
• Create a new file named MyToken.sol.

Paste the following Solidity code into the editor:

pragma solidity ^0.4.16;

interface tokenRecipient {
    function receiveApproval(address _from, uint256 _value, address _token, bytes _extraData) public;
}

contract TokenERC20 {
    string public name;
    string public symbol;
    uint8 public decimals = 18;
    uint256 public totalSupply;

    mapping (address => uint256) public balanceOf;
    mapping (address => mapping (address => uint256)) public allowance;

    event Transfer(address indexed from, address indexed to, uint256 value);
    event Approval(address indexed owner, address indexed spender, uint256 value);
    event Burn(address indexed from, uint256 value);

    function TokenERC20(uint256 initialSupply, string tokenName, string tokenSymbol) public {
        totalSupply = initialSupply * 10 ** uint256(decimals);
        balanceOf[msg.sender] = totalSupply;
        name = tokenName;
        symbol = tokenSymbol;
    }

    function _transfer(address _from, address _to, uint _value) internal {
        require(_to != 0x0);
        require(balanceOf[_from] >= _value);
        require(balanceOf[_to] + _value > balanceOf[_to]);
        uint previousBalances = balanceOf[_from] + balanceOf[_to];
        balanceOf[_from] -= _value;
        balanceOf[_to] += _value;
        Transfer(_from, _to, _value);
        assert(balanceOf[_from] + balanceOf[_to] == previousBalances);
    }

    function transfer(address _to, uint256 _value) public returns (bool success) {
        _transfer(msg.sender, _to, _value);
        return true;
    }

    function transferFrom(address _from, address _to, uint256 _value) public returns (bool success) {
        require(_value <= allowance[_from][msg.sender]);
        allowance[_from][msg.sender] -= _value;
        _transfer(_from, _to, _value);
        return true;
    }

    function approve(address _spender, uint256 _value) public returns (bool success) {
        allowance[msg.sender][_spender] = _value;
        Approval(msg.sender, _spender, _value);
        return true;
    }

    function approveAndCall(address _spender, uint256 _value, bytes _extraData) public returns (bool success) {
        tokenRecipient spender = tokenRecipient(_spender);
        if (approve(_spender, _value)) {
            spender.receiveApproval(msg.sender, _value, this, _extraData);
            return true;
        }
    }

    function burn(uint256 _value) public returns (bool success) {
        require(balanceOf[msg.sender] >= _value);
        balanceOf[msg.sender] -= _value;
        totalSupply -= _value;
        Burn(msg.sender, _value);
        return true;
    }

    function burnFrom(address _from, uint256 _value) public returns (bool success) {
        require(balanceOf[_from] >= _value);
        require(_value <= allowance[_from][msg.sender]);
        balanceOf[_from] -= _value;
        allowance[_from][msg.sender] -= _value;
        totalSupply -= _value;
        Burn(_from, _value);
        return true;
    }
}

This contract includes core functionalities:

• Token creation with name, symbol, and supply
• Transfer and approval mechanisms
• Burn functionality to reduce supply

Deploying Your Smart Contract

Step 1: Compile the Contract

1. Go to the "Solidity Compiler" tab in Remix.
2. Click "Compile MyToken.sol".
3. Ensure there are no errors.

Step 2: Deploy Using Injected Web3

1. Switch to the "Deploy & Run Transactions" tab.
2. Under Environment, select "Injected Web3"—this connects Remix to your MetaMask wallet.
3. Choose the TokenERC20 contract from the dropdown.

4. Enter constructor parameters:

   • Initial Supply: e.g., 1000000
   • Token Name: e.g., "MyToken"
   • Token Symbol: e.g., "MTK"

Click "Deploy".

👉 Deploy your first BEP-20 token with confidence using trusted developer tools.

MetaMask will prompt you to confirm the transaction. Review gas fees and click "Confirm".

Verifying Deployment and Exploring Your Contract

After confirmation:

• Wait a few seconds for the blockchain to process the transaction.
• In Remix, under "Deployed Contracts", you’ll see your contract address.
• Click it to open interaction options like transferring tokens or burning supply.

To verify deployment:

1. Copy the contract address.
2. Visit BscScan.com (official block explorer).
3. Paste the address into the search bar.

You’ll see:

• Transaction history
• Token details
• Verified source code (optional verification step)
• Holder distribution

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is the difference between BSC and BEP-20?

A: BNB Smart Chain (BSC) is the blockchain network that supports smart contracts and dApps. BEP-20 is a token standard used on BSC for creating fungible tokens—similar to how ERC-20 works on Ethereum.

Q: Do I need real BNB to deploy a contract?

A: Yes. Deploying a smart contract requires gas fees paid in BNB. Make sure your MetaMask wallet has enough BNB before deploying.

Q: Can I upgrade my BEP-20 token after deployment?

A: No. Once deployed, the contract code is immutable unless you’ve built upgradeability features (e.g., using proxy patterns), which requires advanced knowledge.

Q: How can I distribute my token?

A: You can transfer tokens directly via MetaMask or integrate them into liquidity pools on decentralized exchanges like PancakeSwap.

Q: Is Remix safe for production contracts?

A: Remix is excellent for learning and testing. For production-grade deployments, consider using local environments with Hardhat or Foundry and thorough audits.

Q: Why does my transaction keep failing?

A: Common causes include insufficient BNB for gas, network congestion, or incorrect network settings in MetaMask. Double-check that you’re connected to the correct BSC network (Chain ID 56).

Final Thoughts

Building on BNB Smart Chain opens doors to decentralized finance, NFTs, gaming, and more. With tools like MetaMask and Remix, even beginners can create functional BEP-20 tokens in under an hour. As you advance, explore topics like contract security, audit practices, and DeFi integrations to maximize your project’s potential.

Whether you're launching a community token or prototyping a dApp idea, mastering BSC development gives you a competitive edge in the fast-evolving Web3 space.

👉 Take your blockchain skills further—start experimenting with real-world deployments now.