Binance Chain mainnet launch
A chain of its own
Binance Chain mainnet launched. The team separated the technical network start from public use: public access and the BNB mainnet swap window opened on 23 April UTC.
How it happened
BNB was originally an ERC-20 token on Ethereum. Binance planned to convert it into a native asset on Binance Chain and host decentralized trading and related functions on that chain. The announcement on 18 April 2019 confirmed the mainnet had been launched, but public access and the swap were scheduled for a later date.
What it changed
The independent mainnet moved BNB onto a new network, providing the foundation for native transfers, on-chain assets, and Binance DEX. It marked a key step in BNB’s transition from a platform token to blockchain infrastructure.