Metis

Metis (METIS) is an Ethereum Layer 2 optimistic rollup, formerly known as MetisDAO, whose early network was called Andromeda. It is best known for being one of the first rollups to launch a decentralized sequencer, and has more recently positioned itself around an AI-focused execution layer. METIS is used for gas and to secure the sequencer. The token trades far below its 2022 peak.

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What Is Metis?

Metis (ticker METIS) is an Ethereum Layer 2 that uses optimistic rollup technology to process transactions off Ethereum's base layer while settling to Ethereum for security. The project was originally branded MetisDAO, and its first production network was named Andromeda, a name still used for its general-purpose chain and its longest-running block explorer. Today the project refers to itself simply as Metis. METIS is the native token, used to pay gas on the network and to help secure its sequencer.

Overview - Table of Contents
What Is Metis?
Getting Started With Metis
How To Get A Metis Wallet?
Metis Resources
How To Buy Metis?
Latest Metis News

The feature most often associated with Metis is its work on decentralizing the sequencer, the component that orders transactions and produces blocks. Most rollups have historically run a single, project-operated sequencer, which is a point of centralization and potential failure. In March 2024 Metis completed the first phase of a proof-of-stake decentralized sequencer upgrade, and it has described itself as the first rollup to decentralize this role. Node operators stake METIS to participate, and a liquid staking token (artMETIS, issued by the third-party protocol Artemis Finance) emerged so that holders could stake without running a node. As with any young decentralization effort, how far the process has progressed at any given moment is best checked against Metis's own documentation.

More recently Metis has repositioned toward an "AI economy" narrative, using the tagline "AI Aligned, Human Defined." Its materials describe a dual-network design: Andromeda for general-purpose applications and a newer high-performance layer, Hyperion, aimed at AI-optimized execution, alongside a modular Metis SDK for building app-specific chains and an AI-focused effort branded LazAI. Several of these are presented as recent or upcoming launches rather than long-established products, so readers should treat roadmap items as plans and verify their status before relying on them.

Metis was co-founded in 2019 by Elena Sinelnikova, Kevin Liu, and Yuan Su, and the token launched in November 2021. The project is also widely associated with Natalia Ameline, who is the mother of Ethereum co-creator Vitalik Buterin and who co-founded the blockchain education non-profit CryptoChicks with Sinelnikova. Ameline has been reported as a co-founder or advisor and is linked to the project's ecosystem fund. This connection drew significant attention and some skepticism in Metis's early days, and it is worth weighing on its own merits rather than as an endorsement of the token.

METIS has a fixed maximum supply of 10 million tokens, with roughly 7.5 million in circulation as of mid-July 2026. The market has repriced the token sharply since its early cycle: it reached an all-time high of around $323 in January 2022 and, at the time of writing, trades near $2.75 with a market capitalization in the low tens of millions of dollars, roughly $20 million to $21 million. That is a decline of well over 90 percent from the peak, a reminder that early Layer 2 hype does not guarantee lasting value and that these figures move constantly.

Getting Started With Metis

Using Metis means bridging onto the network and connecting an Ethereum-compatible wallet:

Step 1: Set up an EVM wallet such as MetaMask and add the Metis Andromeda network.
Step 2: Bridge assets from Ethereum to Metis using the official bridge, and hold some METIS to pay for gas.
Step 3: Explore Metis applications, and if you want exposure to the network's staking, research options such as staking METIS to help secure the sequencer.
Step 4: Track network activity and contract addresses through the official Metis explorer.

How to Get a Metis Wallet?

METIS is an EVM token, so any wallet that supports Ethereum and can be pointed at the Metis network will work.

MetaMask

MetaMask is the most common choice for Metis. Add the Metis Andromeda network in its settings to hold METIS and interact with Metis applications.

Rabby

Rabby is a DeFi-oriented wallet with multi-chain support and transaction previews, and it works with Metis applications.

Hardware Wallets

A Ledger device can be paired with MetaMask or Rabby to keep your private keys offline, which is recommended for larger holdings.

Metis Resources

How to Buy Metis?

METIS can be bought on centralized exchanges or swapped for on the Metis network itself.

Centralized Exchanges

METIS is listed on a number of centralized exchanges, including Binance, OKX, and Bybit, typically against USDT. Availability and trading pairs vary by exchange and region, so confirm current listings before you trade.

Decentralized Exchanges

As an EVM Layer 2 token, METIS also trades on decentralized exchanges within the Metis ecosystem. Bridge assets to Metis, connect an EVM wallet, and swap into METIS. Always verify the correct token contract before trading to avoid impostor tokens.

Latest Metis News

Metis's most notable milestone in recent years was the phased rollout of its decentralized sequencer beginning in March 2024, which it framed as a first among rollups and paired with a sizeable ecosystem fund to bootstrap staking and applications. Since then the project's public messaging has shifted heavily toward artificial intelligence, centered on the Hyperion execution layer, the Metis SDK for app-specific chains, and the LazAI initiative. Several of these were still being launched or refined heading into 2026, so their real-world traction remains to be seen.

Set against that technical roadmap is a token that trades far below its early-cycle high, with a market capitalization in the low tens of millions of dollars. For the current state of the network, the progress of sequencer decentralization, the status of the AI-focused products, and up-to-date token details, the official website, documentation, and X account are the most reliable sources. As always, this article is educational and not financial advice; a small, well-established narrative can fade as easily as it can revive, and holders should do their own research.