MetaMask (which, like an editorially independent Decrypt, is funded by Ethereum incubator ConsenSys) is a browser plugin that serves as an Ethereum wallet and is installed like any regular plugin. Once it's installed, it allows users to store Ether and other ERC-20 tokens, enabling them to make transactions to any Ethereum address.

By connecting to Ethereum-based Dapps, users can spend their coins in games, stake tokens in gambling applications, and trade them on decentralized exchanges. It also provides users with an entry point into the emerging world of decentralized finance, or Defi, providing a way to access Defi apps such as Compound and PoolTogether.