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Blockchain Glossary

Glossary

BNB Chain

A pair of EVM-compatible chains operated by the Binance ecosystem: a low-cost smart-contract chain (BSC) and a slimmer beacon chain.

Originally launched as Binance Smart Chain in 2020 to give Binance users a cheap EVM-compatible environment, BNB Chain is now an ecosystem that includes the BNB Smart Chain (EVM, low fees), the BNB Beacon Chain (governance, staking), and the opBNB rollup.

BSC uses a 21-validator proof-of-staked-authority consensus that trades decentralization for low latency and cheap fees. Despite the trade-offs, it has consistently ranked among the top chains by daily active users and DEX volume.