Metadata
Sovereign Assets • Layer 1s • Payment Networks
descriptive data layer for digital assets
Metadata is information attached to a digital asset or token that describes its characteristics, ownership, provenance, or other attributes. In the context of blockchain and NFTs, metadata provides the details that make each asset unique—such as an image’s title, creator, description, file link, or traits for collectibles. Metadata can be stored directly on-chain or referenced by a URL or IPFS hash for larger files and complex data.
Use Case: When an NFT is minted on Ethereum or XRPL, its metadata defines its artwork, description, creator, and ownership history—enabling marketplaces and wallets to display rich content and verify authenticity.
Key Concepts:
- NFT Standards — Define how metadata is structured and accessed for unique digital assets
- Token Standards Index — Protocols may mandate metadata formats (e.g., ERC-721, ERC-1155, XLS-20)
- Fungibility — Metadata is what separates non-fungible tokens (NFTs) from fungible assets
- Interoperability — Standardized metadata allows assets to function across marketplaces and apps
- Smart Contract Token — Programmable assets that can include embedded metadata
- Custom Minting — Metadata is defined during the minting process
- XRPL Issued Asset — XLS-20 NFTs on XRPL include native metadata support
- Digital Collectibles — Metadata defines rarity, traits, and provenance for collectibles
Summary: Metadata brings meaning and utility to digital assets, making NFTs unique, verifiable, and valuable in the Web3 ecosystem. Proper standards and structure ensure assets are discoverable, tradable, and recognized everywhere.
On-Chain vs Off-Chain Metadata
where your metadata lives matters
Stored directly on blockchain
Permanent and immutable
Higher gas costs to mint
Limited storage capacity
Fully decentralized
Examples: Art Blocks, some XRPL NFTs
Stored on IPFS, Arweave, or servers
Referenced by URL or hash
Lower minting costs
Larger files supported
Depends on storage provider
Examples: Most PFP collections
Content-addressed storage
Data identified by hash
Pinning required for persistence
No single point of failure
Industry standard for NFTs
ipfs://QmHash…
Stored on company servers
Can be changed or deleted
Single point of failure
If server dies, NFT breaks
Not truly owned
https://company.com/nft/123
Metadata Standards by Network
how different blockchains handle NFT metadata
tokenURI() returns metadata URL
JSON format standard
OpenSea metadata standard common
Supports animation_url
Traits in “attributes” array
Gas-intensive on mainnet
URI field in NFToken
256 bytes max on-chain
IPFS/Arweave recommended
Native royalty in metadata
Fast, low-cost minting
Growing ecosystem support
Metaplex metadata standard
On-chain + off-chain hybrid
Compressed NFTs available
State compression for scale
Fast, cheap minting
Rich ecosystem tools
On-chain metadata standard
Stored in transaction metadata
No external dependencies
Limited by transaction size
Fully decentralized
Native policy IDs
Metadata Security Checklist
verify before you buy
IPFS or Arweave storage
Pinned/permanent content
Metadata matches artwork
Verified creator address
Consistent trait data
Working image/animation links
Centralized URL storage
Broken or missing images
Metadata can be changed
Unverified creator
Copied/stolen artwork
Mismatched trait rarities
Where is metadata stored?
Is the storage permanent?
Can the creator modify it?
Is the artwork original?
Do traits match rarity claims?
Is provenance verifiable?
IPFS Gateway (check pinning)
Etherscan/Solscan (contract)
OpenSea (metadata refresh)
Rarity tools (trait verification)
Reverse image search (copies)
Creator social verification
Metadata JSON Structure (ERC-721 Standard)
typical metadata format for NFTs
Example Attribute: {“trait_type”: “Background”, “value”: “Blue”} — This powers rarity rankings and filtering on marketplaces like OpenSea and Magic Eden.