What Is Gnosis Chain?
Gnosis Chain is an EVM-compatible Ethereum sidechain that mirrors Ethereum's architecture, secured by its own proof-of-stake consensus with over 145,000 validators as of 2026 - one of the most decentralized validator sets outside Ethereum itself. Blocks confirm in about five seconds and transactions cost fractions of a cent. The network started in 2018 as xDai Chain and merged with the Gnosis project in December 2021, forming today's community-owned chain governed by GnosisDAO. For the basics, see A Beginner's Guide to Gnosis Blockchain.
GNO and xDAI: The Two-Token Model
Gnosis Chain separates money from security. xDAI - a bridged version of DAI pegged 1:1 to the US dollar - is the native gas token, so every fee is predictable in dollar terms and a transfer costs well under a cent. GNO is the staking and governance asset: validators stake GNO to secure the network and earn rewards, and GNO holders vote in GnosisDAO on protocol decisions and the treasury.
| Parameter | GNO | xDAI |
|---|---|---|
| Role | Staking and governance | Native gas and payments token |
| Value | Market-priced | Pegged 1:1 to USD (bridged DAI) |
| Used for | Running validators, GnosisDAO voting | Gas fees, transfers, everyday payments |
Data source: What Is The Gnosis Chain?
What Is a Gnosis Wallet?
A Gnosis wallet is an app that stores the private keys to your address on Gnosis Chain and lets you hold, send, and receive GNO, xDAI, and other tokens on the network. Because the chain is EVM-compatible, a Gnosis address is a standard 42-character 0x address - the same format as an Ethereum wallet address.
Gem Wallet is a self-custodial Gnosis wallet: your keys are generated and stored on your device, protected by a single 12-word recovery phrase that also covers every other supported network - no accounts, no tracking.
The Gnosis Ecosystem
Gnosis started in 2017 as one of Ethereum's earliest projects and has grown into an ecosystem centered on payments and decentralized infrastructure. Gnosis Pay connects on-chain balances to a Visa debit card, letting users spend directly from the chain, while the Gnosis Bridge moves tokens between Ethereum and Gnosis. Combined with sub-cent fees and dollar-denominated gas, this makes the network well suited for everyday payments and DeFi alike.
Why Gem Wallet for Gnosis
- Self-custody: only you control the private keys to your GNO and xDAI - Gem Wallet never has access to your assets.
- Open source: the wallet's code is fully public, so anyone can verify how the Gnosis Chain integration works.
- Buy GNO: buy GNO with a credit or debit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay through integrated fiat on-ramp providers.
- Swap: exchange GNO and xDAI for ETH, USDT, and other assets through a built-in DEX aggregator that routes each trade for the best rate.
- Cheap transfers: send tokens on Gnosis Chain in about five seconds for a fraction of a cent, with the fee shown upfront in dollar-pegged xDAI.
- One app, 100+ chains: manage Gnosis alongside Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and every other supported network with one recovery phrase.
Download Gem Wallet and set up your Gnosis wallet in under two minutes - GNO, xDAI, and the whole Gnosis Chain ecosystem with your keys always in your hands.









