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Getting started with Cronos

Learn what Cronos is, how it fits into the wider ecosystem and how to connect wallets, dApps and infrastructure in a few guided steps.

Cronos EVM Developers End-users Node hosts
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Overview & key concepts Start here Cronos mainnet & testnet Network setup Step-by-step: connect a wallet Guide

Overview

Cronos is an EVM-compatible blockchain optimised for scalable DeFi, gaming and NFT applications. If you have experience with Ethereum or other EVM networks, you can seamlessly build and use Cronos with the same tools — Solidity, Hardhat, Foundry, Truffle and standard wallets.

This page gives you a practical introduction to Cronos and links you to deeper parts of the documentation such as installation, network background, architecture and developer resources.

By the end of this guide you will:

  • Install a wallet compatible with Cronos.
  • Connect to mainnet or testnet with correct RPC settings.
  • Receive your first test funds.
  • Deploy a basic smart contract using familiar EVM tooling.
TIP For safer onboarding use testnet first — the same steps apply to mainnet with only RPC and Chain ID differences.

Who this guide is for

This page is a universal starting point for users, developers and node operators. Depending on your role, follow the recommended sections:

End-users

Install Cronos Wallet, connect to dApps and learn how to use CRO securely. Continue with the simple setup steps below or open the installation guide.

dApp developers

Understand network parameters, RPC endpoints, contract deployment and recommended tooling. For a deeper dive read the developer resources.

Node & infrastructure operators

Learn how Cronos nodes work, what hardware is required and how the consensus layer behaves. Start with network background or architecture.

Prerequisites

Before getting started, make sure you have:

  • A supported desktop OS (Windows, macOS, Linux) or modern mobile OS.
  • A Chromium-based browser or Firefox.
  • Basic understanding of wallets, seed phrases and gas fees.
  • For developers: Node.js LTS, Git, a code editor and an EVM toolchain.

Cronos networks

Cronos provides two primary networks: mainnet for production and real CRO, and testnet for experimentation. Cronos Wallet supports both networks out-of-the-box and works with custom RPC endpoints.

Mainnet
Live network with real CRO and deployed dApps.
Testnet
Free tCRO for development and testing.
Cronos Wallet
Native support for both networks and custom RPCs.
Network Chain ID Currency RPC endpoint Explorer
Mainnet 25 CRO https://evm.cronos.org https://explorer.cronos.org/
Testnet 338 tCRO https://evm-t3.cronos.org https://explorer.cronos.org//testnet

Step 1 — Install a wallet

To start using Cronos, install the official Cronos Wallet, available for Windows, macOS and Linux. You can download the latest version from the Downloads section on the main site.

  1. Download Cronos Wallet for your OS.
  2. Install and launch the app.
  3. Create a new wallet or import an existing seed phrase.
  4. Write down the seed phrase and store it offline.
SECURITY Never share your seed phrase or private key. Anyone with your seed controls your assets.

Step 2 — Connect to Cronos

Cronos Wallet defaults to mainnet, but you can switch to testnet or add a custom RPC. These parameters also apply to MetaMask or any EVM-compatible wallet.

  • Open Networks in the wallet.
  • Select Cronos Testnet or add the RPC settings manually.
  • Confirm the network switch.
Cronos Testnet RPC (for any EVM wallet)
{ "networkName": "Cronos Testnet", "rpcUrls": ["https://evm-t3.cronos.org"], "chainId": "0x152", "nativeCurrency": { "name": "Test Cronos", "symbol": "tCRO", "decimals": 18 }, "blockExplorerUrls": ["https://explorer.cronos.org//testnet"] }

Step 3 — Get test funds

Developers can request free tCRO using the public testnet faucet.

  1. Open the Cronos testnet faucet.
  2. Enter your wallet address.
  3. Complete verification and submit.
  4. Check your updated balance in the wallet.

Step 4 — Deploy a sample contract

After connecting your wallet and receiving test funds, deploy a basic smart contract using Hardhat or Foundry. This ensures your environment is correctly configured.

hardhat.config.js — Cronos networks
networks: { cronosTestnet: { url: "https://evm-t3.cronos.org", chainId: 338, accounts: [process.env.PRIVATE_KEY] }, cronosMainnet: { url: "https://evm.cronos.org", chainId: 25, accounts: [process.env.PRIVATE_KEY] } }

Now run: npx hardhat run scripts/deploy.js --network cronosTestnet and verify the result in the Cronos Explorer.

Next steps

To continue exploring Cronos: