The Complete Guide to Building on Binance Smart Chain
EVM-compatible chain with low fees and fast block times, backed by the Binance ecosystem.
Binance Smart Chain (BSC) is a blockchain network built for running smart contract-based applications. Launched in September 2020 by Binance, one of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchanges, BSC runs in parallel with Binance Chain. While Binance Chain is optimized for ultra-fast trading, BSC is designed to bring programmability and interoperability to the ecosystem. BSC achieves ~3 second block times with Proof-of-Staked Authority (PoSA) consensus from 21 validators. Its compatibility with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) allows developers to port their projects over from Ethereum with minimal changes, while benefiting from significantly lower fees and faster transaction times. This has made BSC particularly attractive for DeFi applications, gaming dApps, and NFT projects seeking a more cost-effective environment.
Why Build on Binance Smart Chain?
EVM Compatibility
Full compatibility with Ethereum Virtual Machine enables easy migration of Ethereum dApps and tools with minimal code changes.
Low Transaction Fees
Significantly lower gas fees compared to Ethereum, making it attractive for applications with high transaction volumes.
Fast Block Time
Blocks are produced approximately every 3 seconds, providing faster transaction finality than many other blockchains.
Binance Smart Chain at a Glance
Market Cap
$60+ Billion
Transactions
~7 Million Daily
Block Time
~3 seconds
Consensus
PoSA
Main Language
Solidity
Launch Date
September 2020
Key Technical Features
Consensus Mechanism
Binance Smart Chain uses Proof-of-Staked Authority (PoSA) consensus, a hybrid between Proof of Authority and Proof of Stake. The network is secured by 21 validators who take turns producing blocks. Validators are selected based on their BNB stake and can be voted in or out by other BNB holders, ensuring a balance between decentralization and efficiency.
Transaction Speed
BSC can process around 100+ transactions per second on the base layer, with 3-second block times. This provides significantly faster confirmation times compared to Ethereum's ~15 transactions per second and 12-second block times.
Scalability
BSC is designed for high throughput with its PoSA consensus mechanism. While it doesn't implement sharding, the reduced validator set allows for faster consensus at the cost of some decentralization. BSC aims to scale further through optimizations to the underlying architecture and potential layer 2 solutions.
Interoperability
BSC features a built-in cross-chain compatibility with Binance Chain via the Binance Bridge, allowing assets to flow between the two chains. Additionally, numerous third-party bridges connect BSC to other blockchains like Ethereum, Polygon, and Solana, enabling cross-chain liquidity and application interactions.
Development Considerations
Building on Binance Smart Chain offers unique advantages, but comes with its own set of considerations. Make sure to familiarize yourself with the ecosystem and best practices before diving into development.