Why you need tBNB before you launch on BNB Chain
BNB Chain is where MoonSale's presale and fair launch contracts were originally deployed and audited, and it remains one of the busiest chains for new token launches. Every deployment, whether it is a token, a presale, or a fair launch, costs real BNB in gas on mainnet, and mistakes in a live transaction cost you that gas whether the outcome is what you wanted or not.
BNB Chain testnet exists to remove that risk entirely. tBNB, the native currency of BNB Chain testnet, mirrors mainnet BNB for gas purposes but carries no market value. Running through Create Token, Create Presale, or Create Fair Launch on testnet first lets you see exactly how the deployment flow works, what your project page looks like, and what a wallet confirmation screen shows, before you spend a single dollar of real BNB.
What tBNB actually is
tBNB is the free, valueless test currency of BNB Smart Chain testnet, chain ID 97. It has unlimited supply by design and exists purely so developers and builders can pay gas while testing contracts and dApps.
Key testnet details:
- Chain ID: 97
- RPC URL:
https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.binance.org:8545 - Block explorer:
https://testnet.bscscan.com - Currency symbol: tBNB
MoonSale's presale factory, fair launch factory, token factory, and token lock contracts are all deployed and verified on BNB Chain testnet, so testing here runs against real, audited contract code rather than a mock environment.
What you need before you start
A wallet. MetaMask or any EVM-compatible wallet.
A small amount of real BNB, for the official faucet only. Unlike some testnet faucets, BNB Chain's official faucet checks for a small mainnet BNB balance, roughly 0.002 BNB, in your wallet before dispensing tBNB. This is an anti-bot measure, not a cost, you are not spending that BNB, the faucet just verifies you hold some. If you do not want to hold any mainnet BNB, skip straight to the Chainlink or QuickNode backups below, neither requires it.
A few minutes.
Step by step: claiming tBNB
Step 1: Copy your wallet address
Open your wallet, switch to (or add, see below) BNB Chain testnet, and copy your address.
Step 2: Try the official BNB Chain testnet faucet
Go to the official BNB Chain testnet faucet, complete the CAPTCHA, and paste your wallet address. The official faucet dispenses up to 0.3 tBNB per address every 24 hours, the largest standard drip of the available options, but it does check for that small mainnet BNB balance mentioned above.
Step 3: Use the Chainlink faucet if you would rather skip the mainnet balance check
Chainlink's BNB Chain testnet faucet connects directly to your wallet and dispenses tBNB without requiring any existing mainnet balance. This is the simplest option if you are starting from a completely empty wallet.
Step 4: Use the QuickNode faucet as a second backup
QuickNode's BNB testnet faucet works the same way, paste your address, submit, and wait for confirmation. Between three independent sources, you should never be stuck without tBNB for long.
Step 5: Confirm the tokens landed
Check your wallet balance, or paste your address into BscScan testnet to see the incoming transaction confirm.
Adding BNB Chain testnet to your wallet
If BNB Chain testnet is not already in your wallet, add it manually. In MetaMask, open the network selector, choose "Add network," then "Add a network manually," and enter:
- Network name: BNB Smart Chain Testnet
- New RPC URL:
https://data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.binance.org:8545 - Chain ID: 97
- Currency symbol: tBNB
- Block explorer URL:
https://testnet.bscscan.com
Save, then switch to the network. When you connect your wallet on MoonSale while this network is selected, MoonSale recognizes it automatically.
What to do with your tBNB on MoonSale
Once your wallet holds tBNB and is switched to BNB Chain testnet, run the full MoonSale flow for free:
Deploy a test token. Create Token works identically on testnet, so you can see your token contract and its page before spending real BNB on mainnet.
Walk through a test presale or fair launch. Create Presale and Create Fair Launch both run on BNB Chain testnet, letting you understand every setting, softcap, vesting schedule, listing rate, before committing to a real launch.
Try locking or vesting tokens. Token Lock and Token Vesting both support testnet too, useful if you want to see how a lock schedule looks before locking real liquidity.
If you are entirely new to testnet tokens across chains, How to Get Testnet Tokens From the Robinhood Chain Faucet covers the same process for MoonSale's Robinhood Chain deployment, and How to Get Sepolia ETH From an Ethereum Testnet Faucet covers Ethereum's testnet.
Frequently asked questions
Does tBNB have any real value?
No. tBNB has unlimited supply and cannot be traded or withdrawn to anything of value. It exists only to pay gas on BNB Chain testnet, chain ID 97.
Why does the official faucet ask for a small mainnet BNB balance?
It is an anti-bot check, roughly 0.002 BNB, meant to confirm you are a real user rather than a script farming free tBNB. You are not spending that BNB, the faucet only verifies it is present.
What if I do not want to hold any mainnet BNB?
Use the Chainlink faucet or the QuickNode faucet instead. Neither requires an existing mainnet balance.
How much tBNB do I need to test on MoonSale?
A single faucet claim, up to 0.3 tBNB from the official faucet, is generally more than enough to deploy a test token and walk through a full presale or fair launch flow.
How long does it take for tBNB to arrive?
Usually under a minute once a faucet confirms the request, though it can take longer during periods of high demand.
Is BNB Chain testnet the same as BNB Chain mainnet?
No. They are separate networks, chain ID 97 for testnet and chain ID 56 for mainnet, with separate balances and separate deployed contracts, though MoonSale's contracts exist on both.
Can I test creating a presale without spending anything real?
Yes. With tBNB in your wallet and BNB Chain testnet selected, Create Presale runs the exact same flow as mainnet at zero real cost.
What do I need to add BNB Chain testnet to my wallet manually?
Chain ID 97, RPC URL data-seed-prebsc-1-s1.binance.org:8545, currency symbol tBNB, and block explorer testnet.bscscan.com, all listed above.
Ready to test your first launch?
With tBNB in your wallet, run the full MoonSale flow on BNB Chain at zero cost: Create Token, Create Presale, or Create Fair Launch. When you are ready to go live, the same audited contracts are already running on mainnet.
