Overview
BNB is the native token of BNB Chain (formerly Binance Smart Chain), the blockchain infrastructure built and operated primarily by Binance. Originally launched as an ERC-20 utility token on Ethereum in 2017, BNB migrated to its own chain in 2019. BNB Chain is the second-largest EVM-compatible smart contract platform by total value locked and consistently ranks among the top chains by daily active users, driven by low fees and Binance's massive user base.
Who Created BNB?
BNB was created by Changpeng Zhao and launched in 2017. It is a Layer 1 cryptocurrency using Proof of Staked Authority consensus.
Key Use Cases
BNB Chain primarily serves as the fee token for Binance DEX and PancakeSwap (the largest DEX on the chain), and provides discounted trading fees on Binance exchange. It targets cost-sensitive DeFi users and emerging market participants who find Ethereum gas fees prohibitive, offering familiar EVM tooling at a fraction of the cost.
Key Features
- +Sub-cent transaction fees with full EVM compatibility — lowest-friction onboarding for Ethereum developers
- +PancakeSwap is the largest DEX on BNB Chain with billions in weekly trading volume
- +Quarterly BNB Auto-Burn creates consistent deflationary supply pressure
- +Direct integration with Binance exchange — 200M+ users have a direct on-ramp to BNB Chain
- +opBNB Layer 2 scales to 4,000+ TPS for gaming and high-frequency applications
- +BNB Greenfield decentralized storage provides data infrastructure for the ecosystem
Official Resources
Official website: https://bnbchain.org