Use BlockVectra RPC in MetaMask and Rabby

Configuring a custom RPC endpoint in EVM wallets like MetaMask and Rabby allows your wallet to communicate directly with dedicated node infrastructure for state queries and on-chain interactions. This guide covers the technical context behind public RPC rate limits from official documentation, required wallet network parameters, step-by-step configuration in MetaMask and Rabby, and key security practices.

1. Why use a custom RPC

Blockchain ecosystems generally provide default public RPC endpoints for basic community usage and developer onboarding. However, official network documentation defines explicit rate limits and usage scope for these endpoints:

• Robinhood Chain: The official documentation page Connecting to Robinhood Chain notes that the public endpoint https://rpc.mainnet.chain.robinhood.com is rate-limited and not recommended for production workloads (The following public endpoints are available but are rate-limited and not recommended for production use. For production, use a provider).
• HyperEVM: The official documentation page Rate limits and user limits specifies an IP-based limit for the public endpoint rpc.hyperliquid.xyz/evm of a maximum of 100 EVM JSON-RPC requests per minute (Maximum of 100 EVM JSON-RPC requests per minute for rpc.hyperliquid.xyz/evm). Additionally, the HyperEVM overview states that the public RPC endpoint currently provides no WebSocket JSON-RPC support.

Wallet traffic patterns and service quotas

When users switch chains, inspect token balances, or interact with decentralized applications, the wallet continuously dispatches JSON-RPC calls in the background, including:

• Fetching the current block height (eth_blockNumber)
• Reading native account balances (eth_getBalance)
• Executing contract state lookups for ERC-20 balances and allowances (eth_call)
• Estimating gas limits before transaction signing (eth_estimateGas)
• Polling transaction receipts after broadcast (eth_getTransactionReceipt)

On public endpoints with strict requests-per-minute or IP-based caps, continuous wallet activity can trigger HTTP 429 (Too Many Requests) errors.

When using BlockVectra as a custom RPC, request limits are governed by predictable plan quotas (for example, the free tier includes an account-wide calls-per-second limit across all chains, and each API key operates with a configured cu_per_sec token bucket rate and burst_cu capacity; accounts that make a payment deposit have the account-wide calls-per-second limit removed; see Pricing for current tiers and billing rules).

2. Required wallet fields and network parameters

EVM wallets require several specific fields when adding or editing a network:

1. Network Name: The human-readable label displayed in the wallet interface.
2. RPC URL: The communication endpoint. The API key must be placed in the URL path, using path /v1/{chain}/{api_key} on api.blockvectra.com:

   Copy Text

   /v1/{chain}/{api_key}

   Important: Wallets like MetaMask and Rabby only accept standard HTTP(S) URLs in their RPC URL field and do not support custom request headers (such as x-api-key: {api_key}). Consequently, wallet connections must supply the API key directly in the URL path. Do not include a trailing slash after {api_key}, and note that requests targeting an unknown {chain} return HTTP 404.

3. Chain ID: The EIP-155 integer chain identifier.
4. Currency Symbol: The symbol of the chain's native gas asset (e.g. ETH, HYPE).
5. Block Explorer URL: The primary web address of the network's block explorer.

Supported chains network parameter table

The network names and Chain IDs in the table below are read dynamically from https://api.blockvectra.com/v1/chains. Because currency symbols and block explorer addresses are not included in the /v1/chains response payload, they link directly to official network documentation sources:

A single BlockVectra API key works across all supported chains by substituting {chain} in the path with the desired chain slug. For details on shared quotas and URL routing, see the One key, many chains guide.

3. Step-by-step wallet instructions

MetaMask configuration steps

Based on the official MetaMask help guide How to add a custom network RPC:

1. Open the MetaMask browser extension or mobile application.
2. Click the network selector dropdown at the top of the interface (or navigate to Settings > Networks).
3. Select Add network, then choose Add a network manually at the bottom.
4. Fill in the network details using the table above:
   • Network Name: Enter the chain name from the table above.
   • New RPC URL: Enter your path-authenticated endpoint, such as https://api.blockvectra.com/v1/robinhood_mainnet/{api_key} (replace {api_key} with your actual API key).
   • Chain ID: Enter the integer chain ID from the table above.
   • Currency Symbol: Enter the native asset symbol from the table above.
   • Block Explorer URL: Enter the official block explorer address from the table above (optional).
5. Click Save to add the network and switch to it.

Editing an existing network: To update the RPC endpoint for a network already in your list, go to Settings > Networks, select the target network, edit or add your BlockVectra URL in the RPC URL field, and save your changes.

Rabby Wallet configuration steps

Based on Rabby documentation and repository guidelines (see Rabby official site and the RabbyHub repository):

1. Open the Rabby extension in your browser.
2. Click More in the bottom-right corner (or open the network selection menu).
3. Select Add Custom Network or Custom RPC.
4. Enter the required parameters: Network Name, RPC URL (using path /v1/{chain}/{api_key} on api.blockvectra.com), Chain ID, Currency Symbol, and Block Explorer URL.
5. Review the entered values and confirm to save.

Note: Rabby employs backend indexing for certain token balances and portfolio tracking. When adding a custom network or testnet, ensure that the Chain ID matches the ID returned by the endpoint to prevent network ID mismatch errors.

4. Security tips and usage management

Keep the following security and billing principles in mind when operating a custom RPC:

[!WARNING] API Key exposure risk: The RPC URL path contains your API key in plain text. Never share screenshots of your wallet's network configuration in public chat rooms or forums, and do not commit URLs containing your live key into public code repositories or documentation.

1. Wallet requests count toward account usage: Opening the wallet, switching accounts, or refreshing asset lists triggers live JSON-RPC calls (such as eth_blockNumber, eth_getBalance, and eth_call). These requests consume capacity according to the called method's CU weight (see the pricing page) against your account limits.
2. Create a dedicated API key for each wallet: In the Console, create a dedicated API key labeled specifically for your wallet (e.g. metamask-desktop or rabby-extension). This keeps your personal wallet traffic isolated from your server applications and automated scripts.
3. Independent revocation on compromise: If you suspect an API key configured in a wallet has been exposed, delete or revoke that individual key in the console immediately without impacting any other running keys or services. If your session expires or a key is lost, refer to Lost your session or API key? in the programmatic sign-up guide to regain control using your Ethereum wallet signature.

5. Related resources

• One key, many chains guide: Detailed URL routing rules, programmatic discovery with GET /v1/chains, and cross-chain quota mechanics.
• Pricing and plan limits: Information on CU weights, throughput replenishment rates, and payment deposit upgrades.

Next steps

• Browse the datasets directory to see every dataset BlockVectra indexes.
• See the free plan and pricing to check what your account includes.
• Log in to the console to create an API key.