Ethereum: Programatically override token symbol with MetaMask wallet_watchAsset

Here’s an article on how to programmatically override token symbols with MetaMask wallet:

Overriding Token Symbols with MetaMask: A Simplified Approach

When working with decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms, tokens play a crucial role in facilitating trading and liquidity provision. However, managing multiple tokens can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to handling complex symbol manipulation. In this article, we will explore a simple solution for programmatically overriding token symbols using MetaMask.

The Issue: Limited Symbol Length

One of the major challenges with DeFi is the limited symbol length for tokens. Currently, Ethereum’s smart contract platform restricts tokens to have a maximum of 11 characters in their symbol. This limitation can lead to compatibility issues when working with various blockchain networks or platforms that support different token standards.

The Solution: Custom Token Symbol Creation

To overcome this limitation, we can leverage MetaMask as the interface for programmatically overriding token symbols. With MetaMask’s advanced wallet features, users can create custom tokens with unique symbol lengths. In this article, we will demonstrate how to achieve this using a step-by-step guide.

Prerequisites:

• Install MetaMask: Ensure that you have installed and configured MetaMask on your Ethereum-compatible hardware.

• Create a New Token: Create a new token using MetaMask’s «Create Token» feature. This will generate a unique address for the token.

• Edit the Token Symbol: In the MetaMask wallet, edit the token symbol by clicking on it and selecting «Edit Token.» This will allow you to modify the symbol length.

Programmatically Override Token Symbols

Once you have created a custom token, you can programmatically override its symbol using the following steps:

• Get the Token Symbol

  : Retrieve the custom token’s symbol from MetaMask.

• Create a New Symbol: Use Web3.js (a JavaScript library for interacting with the Ethereum blockchain) to create a new symbol. You will need to use the createTransaction function to send a transaction to the Ethereum network.

const web3 = require('web3');

const tokenSymbol = 'MY_NEW_SYMBOL';

const provider = new web3.providers.HttpProvider('


// Create a new symbol with custom length

async function createNewSymbol() {

  const transaction = await web3.eth.sendTransaction({

    from: 'YOUR_METAMASK_ADDRESS',

    to: '0x...', // Replace with your recipient address

    gas: '200000', // Set the gas limit

    data: Buffer.from(0x${tokenSymbol.length}${tokenSymbol}, 'hex),

  });


  console.log('New symbol created:', transaction.hash);

}

Note: This is a basic example and should be used with caution. You will need to replace placeholders such as YOUR_METAMASK_ADDRESSandYOUR_PROJECT_ID` with your actual MetaMask credentials and project information.

By following these steps, you can programmatically override token symbols using MetaMask and create custom tokens with unique symbol lengths. This solution provides a convenient way to manage multiple tokens on the Ethereum blockchain without relying on manual editing or updating of existing contracts.