---
title: "Etherscan API Documentation: Ethereum & EVM Chain Data"
sidebarTitle: "Home"
description: "Explore, query, and analyze Ethereum and 60+ EVM chain data with the Etherscan API — the industry-leading blockchain explorer and data platform."
---

Etherscan is the leading blockchain explorer and API platform for Ethereum and over 60 EVM-compatible networks. With a single API key and the V2 unified endpoint, you can query transaction history, token balances, smart contract data, gas prices, and more across every supported chain — no chain-specific accounts required.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Get Started" icon="rocket" href="/getting-started">
    Create your free account, get an API key, and make your first request in minutes.
  </Card>
  <Card title="API Reference" icon="code" href="/api-reference/overview">
    Browse every available endpoint with parameter descriptions and live examples.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Migrate to V2" icon="arrow-right-arrow-left" href="/v2-migration">
    Already using Etherscan or another EVM explorer API? Migrate to the unified V2 in minutes.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Supported Chains" icon="link" href="/supported-chains">
    View all 60+ mainnet and testnet chains available under a single API key.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## What You Can Build

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Transaction History" icon="clock-rotate-left" href="/api-reference/accounts/transactions">
    Retrieve full normal and internal transaction histories for any address with pagination support.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Token Transfers" icon="money-bill-transfer" href="/api-reference/tokens/erc20-transfers">
    Track ERC-20, ERC-721, and ERC-1155 token movements across all supported chains.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Contract Verification" icon="file-contract" href="/contract-verification/verify-with-hardhat">
    Verify Solidity, Vyper, and Stylus contracts with Hardhat, Foundry, or Remix.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Gas Oracle" icon="gas-pump" href="/api-reference/gas/gas-oracle">
    Get real-time safe, proposed, and fast gas price recommendations for transaction fee estimation.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Address Metadata" icon="tag" href="/metadata/introduction">
    Enrich raw addresses with nametags, entity labels, and categories for analytics and compliance.
  </Card>
  <Card title="AI Integration (MCP)" icon="robot" href="/ai/mcp">
    Connect Etherscan data directly to AI models like ChatGPT and Claude via the MCP server.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Quick Example

Call the Etherscan V2 API with your key and the `chainid` of your target network:

```bash
curl "https://api.etherscan.io/v2/api?chainid=1&module=account&action=balance&address=0xde0B295669a9FD93d5F28D9Ec85E40f4cb697BAe&apikey=YourApiKeyToken"
```

```json
{
  "status": "1",
  "message": "OK",
  "result": "40891626854930000000000"
}
```

<Tip>
  Change `chainid=1` to any supported chain ID — for example, `8453` for Base or `56` for BNB Smart Chain — to query that network with the same API key.
</Tip>

## Getting Started

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create a Free Account">
    [Sign up](https://etherscan.io/register) for a free Etherscan account. No credit card required for the Free tier.
  </Step>
  <Step title="Generate an API Key">
    Go to your [API Dashboard](https://etherscan.io/apidashboard) and click **Add +** to create a new key. One key works for all 60+ supported chains under API V2.
  </Step>
  <Step title="Make Your First Request">
    Use the key in any request by appending `&apikey=YourApiKeyToken`. Test it directly in the browser or with curl.
  </Step>
  <Step title="Explore the API Reference">
    Browse the [API Reference](/api-reference/overview) to find the endpoints your application needs, complete with working examples.
  </Step>
</Steps>