How to Donate BNB to Charity
BNB has lived on more than one network, and that is where most mistakes happen. We accept BNB only on BNB Smart Chain (BEP-20). This guide shows how to pick it on any exchange or wallet, why our address won't warn you if you pick the wrong one, and what sending costs.
By Global Relief Group · Last updated:
BNB is the native coin of BNB Smart Chain, often shortened to BSC. Sending it is fast and almost free. The one decision that matters is the network, because exchanges and wallets may offer several that all say “BNB”.
Which “BNB”? Choosing the network
| Network | What it is | Accepted? |
|---|---|---|
| BNB Smart Chain (BEP-20) | BNB’s main network, where BNB is the native coin | Yes |
| opBNB | A separate, faster “layer 2” network built on top of BNB Smart Chain | No |
| Ethereum (ERC-20) | A token version of BNB on Ethereum | No |
| BNB Beacon Chain (BEP-2) | BNB’s original network, with addresses starting bnb1. It was shut down permanently on 19 November 2024 | No (closed) |
Names differ between apps. Binance shows “BNB Smart Chain (BEP20)”, Trust Wallet shows “BNB Smart Chain”, and MetaMask lists it as “BNB Chain”. They are all the same network.
Why our address won’t warn you
Our BNB address starts with 0x, and it is the same address we use for ETH and USDC on Ethereum. That’s normal: BNB Smart Chain, opBNB, Ethereum and many other networks share the same address format. The catch is that a 0x address is valid on all of them, so your app won’t stop you if you choose the wrong network. BNB sent on opBNB or Ethereum lands on that network instead of BNB Smart Chain, where it isn’t credited to your donation. Our guide to choosing the right network explains this in more detail.
Sending from an exchange
- Start on our homepage: choose a cause, select BNB and the amount, then copy our
0xaddress. - Start a BNB withdrawal and choose BNB Smart Chain (BEP-20). If the exchange lists opBNB or Ethereum as well, don’t choose them.
- Paste our address and compare it in full.
- Leave any memo field empty, enter the amount, and check the exchange’s fee and minimum.
- Confirm, then submit the transaction hash:
0xfollowed by 64 letters and numbers.
Robinhood only allows BNB withdrawals to BNB Smart Chain addresses, so the choice is made for you there. Coinbase and Kraken have both listed BNB more recently. Coinbase lists BNB on both BNB Smart Chain and Ethereum, so check that the network shown is BNB Smart Chain before you confirm.
Sending from MetaMask or Trust Wallet
- Switch to the BNB Smart Chain network. In MetaMask it is called BNB Chain; if it isn’t in your list, open the network menu and add it from Additional networks.
- Make sure you hold BNB on that network. Fees on BNB Smart Chain are paid in BNB, so keep a little back from the amount you send.
- Choose Send, paste our address, enter the amount and confirm.
If MetaMask says “insufficient funds” or the Confirm button stays grey, you don’t have enough BNB to cover the fee as well as the amount. Reduce the amount slightly and try again.
Check the whole address
Binance’s security team lists BNB Smart Chain, along with Ethereum, Polygon and Avalanche, among the networks particularly vulnerable to address poisoning, where scammers plant look-alike addresses in your history with tiny transfers. Always copy our address from the donation screen, check the whole address, and consider sending a small test amount first if you are giving a large sum.
Fees and speed
Since an upgrade on 14 January 2026, BNB Smart Chain produces a block about every 0.45 seconds, and transactions are typically final within one to two seconds. Network fees are very low: at the typical gas price of 0.05 gwei, a plain BNB transfer, which uses 21,000 units of gas, costs about 0.000001 BNB, a tiny fraction of a cent. If you withdraw from an exchange, its withdrawal fee will be much higher than that and is shown before you confirm.
Tax (US donors)
BNB you have held for more than a year is generally deductible at its fair market value when you give it; BNB held a year or less, at the lower of cost and market value. If your crypto gifts of the same kind total more than $5,000 in a year, you need a qualified appraisal, and from 2026 only the part of your charitable deductions above 0.5% of your adjusted gross income counts. Note that the new deduction for people who don’t itemize, starting in 2026, applies to cash gifts only, so crypto donations don’t qualify for it; you need to itemize to deduct a crypto gift. This is general information, not tax advice; see our US crypto donation tax guide.
Common questions
I still have BNB at a bnb1 address. Can I donate it?
Not directly. The BNB Beacon Chain has shut down and no longer accepts transactions. BNB Chain has provided a token recovery tool that moves eligible BNB from a Beacon Chain address to a BNB Smart Chain address after a 7-day wait. Use only the official link on bnbchain.org and check it is still available; once the BNB is on BNB Smart Chain, you can donate it as normal.
I sent BNB on opBNB or Ethereum by mistake. What now?
Contact us straight away with the transaction hash. The funds land at our address on a different network, so recovery may be possible, but it takes manual work and isn’t guaranteed.
Can I donate tokens on BNB Smart Chain, like USDT or CAKE?
No. On BNB Smart Chain we accept BNB only. We accept USDT on TRON and USDC on Ethereum.