Token Standard
A set of rules for creating and managing tokens on a blockchain.
[Token standards](/en/terms/token-standards) ensure interoperability between different tokens and applications like wallets and exchanges. Without standards, each token would need unique code to be handled. The most famous is Ethereum's ERC-20 for fungible tokens, but others exist like ERC-721 (NFTs), ERC-1155 (Multi-Token), and standards on other chains like Solana's SPL.
graph LR
Center["Token Standard"]:::main
Rel_erc_20["erc-20"]:::related -.-> Center
click Rel_erc_20 "/terms/erc-20"
Rel_erc_721["erc-721"]:::related -.-> Center
click Rel_erc_721 "/terms/erc-721"
Rel_smart_contract["smart-contract"]:::related -.-> Center
click Rel_smart_contract "/terms/smart-contract"
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❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Why are token standards important?
They allow wallets and exchanges to support thousands of different tokens with a single codebase.
What is the most common standard?
ERC-20 on Ethereum is the most widely adopted standard for fungible tokens.
Can I upgrade a token standard?
Once deployed, the contract is immutable, but new standards (like ERC-223 or ERC-777) can be created to improve upon old ones.