On the blockchain, an address is like a digital bank account number where your assets (cryptocurrencies, tokens) are stored.
Wallet apps like MetaMask (MM) and Coinbase (CB) are tools that help you interact with the blockchain. They allow you to see and manage the assets stored in your blockchain addresses.
Besides wallet apps, there are other tools specifically designed to visualize the content of blockchain addresses. Each network typically has its own explorer (like Etherscan for Ethereum, or Explorer for Vitruveo) that lets you view addresses, transactions, and other details on the blockchain.
Additionally, there are dedicated apps such as Scope on the Vitruveo Network that provide convenient ways to visualize on-chain addresses and their contents.
When you "import" or "add" a token to MM or CB, you are not moving or transferring anything. Instead, you are just telling the wallet app to display the assets associated with your blockchain address.
Think of it like logging into your online bank account to view your balance. You’re not transferring money to the bank's website; you’re just using the website to see what’s in your account.
When you send tokens to someone, you are transferring ownership on the blockchain. This is different from just visualizing tokens. The transaction is recorded on the blockchain and the balance at the sender and receiver addresses are updated.
Importing tokens into a wallet app does not involve sending. It’s merely setting up the app to recognize and display tokens that are already in your address on the blockchain.
If you own 1 token in an address, and you import this address into MetaMask, you will see the token in MetaMask. You did not transfer this token to MetaMask; it was always in your address on the blockchain. MetaMask is just a window through which you can view and manage it.
Wallet apps like MetaMask and Coinbase do not hold your assets. They provide a way for you to interact with and see the assets stored on the blockchain. Importing tokens to these apps does not transfer them; it only allows you to view them through the app.
Similarly, blockchain explorers and other dedicated apps offer various convenient ways to visualize and interact with the contents of on-chain addresses without transferring any assets.
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