NFT Standards

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Sovereign Assets • Layer 1s • Payment Networks

protocols defining non-fungible token creation and behavior

NFT Standards are blockchain protocols that define how non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are created, managed, and transferred. These standards ensure each NFT is unique, interoperable, and universally recognizable by wallets, dApps, and marketplaces. Key standards include ERC-721 and ERC-1155 for Ethereum, XLS-20 for the XRP Ledger, HTS for Hedera, and SPL for Solana. They govern how metadata, provenance, ownership, and functionality are implemented across NFT projects and ecosystems.

Use Case: A digital artist mints an NFT on Ethereum using the ERC-721 standard, ensuring collectors can trade, display, or verify the NFT’s authenticity across multiple marketplaces.

Key Concepts:

Token Standards Index — The foundation for creating any type of digital asset, including NFTs
Fungibility — NFT standards enforce non-fungibility, meaning each token is provably unique
Metadata — Encodes ownership, properties, and provenance directly into the NFT
Interoperability — NFT standards ensure tokens work across wallets and platforms
Smart Contract Token — NFTs are programmable assets created by smart contracts
Custom Minting — NFT standards define how new tokens are created on-chain
NFT — The non-fungible tokens created using these standards
NFT Royalties — Some standards include native royalty enforcement
Digital Collectibles — Primary use case for NFT standards
$HBAR — Hedera’s native token powering HTS NFT transactions

Summary: NFT standards unlock true digital ownership and utility for creators, collectors, and developers by providing a common language for unique, verifiable, and transferable assets on-chain.

Standard	Blockchain	Key Feature	Examples
ERC-721	Ethereum, Polygon	Single unique token per contract	CryptoPunks, Bored Ape Yacht Club
ERC-1155	Ethereum, Polygon	Multi-asset (NFTs & fungibles in one contract)	Enjin, The Sandbox assets
XLS-20	XRPL (XRP Ledger)	Native NFTs, on-chain royalty logic	XRP NFTs, onXRP collections
HTS (Hedera Token Service)	Hedera	Native NFTs, enterprise-grade, carbon negative	HashAxis, Zuse Market, SentX
SPL (Metaplex)	Solana	Fungible & non-fungible on Solana	DeGods, Solana Monkey Business
BEP-721 / BEP-1155	BNB Chain	NFT and multi-asset standards	Pancake Squad NFTs

ERC-721 vs ERC-1155 Deep Dive

Ethereum’s two primary NFT standards compared

ERC-721
One token = one contract call
Each NFT fully unique
Simple, proven standard
Higher gas per mint
Best for: 1/1 art, PFPs
Function: ownerOf(), tokenURI()

ERC-1155
Batch operations supported
Mix fungible + non-fungible
More complex implementation
Lower gas for collections
Best for: Gaming, editions
Function: balanceOf(), uri()

When to Use ERC-721
Unique 1-of-1 artworks
PFP collections (10k style)
Individual provenance matters
Simple marketplace listing
Maximum compatibility
OpenSea, Blur, Foundation

When to Use ERC-1155
Gaming items (1000 swords)
Edition drops (100 copies)
Mixed fungible/NFT economy
Gas efficiency critical
Complex item systems
Enjin, The Sandbox, Immutable

Hybrid Approach: Many projects use ERC-721 for rare items and ERC-1155 for common items within the same ecosystem, optimizing for both uniqueness and efficiency.

XLS-20 & HTS Spotlight (Native NFT Standards)

protocol-level NFT support on XRPL and Hedera

XLS-20 (XRPL)
Native protocol-level support
No smart contract needed
Built-in royalty enforcement (0-50%)
~$0.0001 minting cost
3-5 second finality
Automatic escrow for trading

HTS (Hedera)
Hedera Token Service NFTs
No smart contract required
Native royalty + custom fees
~$0.0001-$0.001 minting cost
3-5 second finality
Carbon negative network

XLS-20 Ecosystem
onXRP marketplace
XRP Cafe
Sologenic DEX
xrp.cafe
Growing creator community
Cross-chain bridges emerging

Hedera NFT Ecosystem
HashAxis marketplace
Zuse Market
SentX
Kabila
Enterprise adoption focus
Brand partnerships (NFL, etc.)

Why Native Standards Matter: Both XLS-20 and HTS enforce royalties at the protocol level—creators are guaranteed their percentage on every sale. No marketplace can bypass this, unlike Ethereum where royalties are optional.

Hedera HTS NFT Deep Dive

enterprise-grade NFTs on the Hedera network

Key Advantages
Predictable, low fees ($0.0001-$0.001)
10,000+ TPS capacity
Carbon negative (ESG compliant)
Enterprise governance council
No smart contract complexity
Native treasury management

Technical Features
TokenCreate for NFT collections
TokenMint for individual NFTs
Custom fees (royalties, fixed)
Pause/freeze capabilities
KYC flags for compliance
Metadata via IPFS or HCS

Royalty & Fee Options
Royalty fee (% of sale)
Fixed fee (flat amount per transfer)
Fractional fees supported
Multiple fee collectors allowed
Enforced at protocol level
Cannot be bypassed

Enterprise Use Cases
Ticketing (NFL, Live Nation)
Brand loyalty programs
Supply chain verification
Digital credentials
Gaming assets (GameStop)
Real-world asset tokenization

Enterprise Appeal: Hedera’s governance council includes Google, IBM, Boeing, and LG. This enterprise backing makes HTS NFTs attractive for brands requiring regulatory compliance, predictable costs, and sustainability credentials.

NFT Standard Feature Matrix

comparing capabilities across major NFT standards

Feature	ERC-721	ERC-1155	XLS-20	HTS (Hedera)
Uniqueness	✓ Each unique	✓ Configurable	✓ Each unique	✓ Each unique
Batch Minting	✗ One at a time	✓ Native	✓ Multiple/tx	✓ Native
On-Chain Royalties	✗ Optional	✗ Optional	✓ Enforced	✓ Enforced
Semi-Fungible	✗ No	✓ Native	✗ No	✗ No
Gas/Fees	$5-$50+	$2-$20+	~$0.0001	~$0.001
Smart Contract	Required	Required	Not needed	Not needed
Compliance Features	Custom	Custom	Limited	✓ KYC flags

Selection Guide: ERC-721/1155 for Ethereum liquidity, XLS-20 for low-cost + royalties, HTS for enterprise compliance + sustainability.

NFT Royalty Enforcement by Standard

how different standards handle creator royalties

ERC-721/1155 (Ethereum)
Royalties NOT in standard
Marketplace-enforced only
OpenSea, Blur can bypass
EIP-2981 adds royalty info
But enforcement optional
Creator royalties declining

XLS-20 (XRPL)
Royalties in protocol
Set at mint (0-50%)
Cannot be bypassed
Enforced on every transfer
Immutable once set
Creator always paid

HTS (Hedera)
Custom fees at protocol level
Royalty + fixed fee options
Cannot be bypassed
Multiple fee collectors
Fractional fees supported
Enterprise-grade enforcement

Metaplex (Solana)
Royalties in metadata
Marketplace-enforced
Creator can freeze
Programmable ruleset
Some bypass exists
Improving over time

Creator Advice: If royalties are critical to your business model, consider XLS-20 or HTS—both enforce royalties at the protocol level. On Ethereum, royalties are increasingly optional.

Choosing the Right NFT Standard

decision framework for creators and developers

Choose ERC-721 If:
Maximum liquidity needed
Targeting Ethereum collectors
1/1 or unique PFP art
OpenSea/Blur primary market
Prestige > cost efficiency
Established collector base

Choose ERC-1155 If:
Gaming items or editions
Mix of rare and common items
Gas efficiency critical
Batch operations needed
Semi-fungible use cases
Complex item economies

Choose XLS-20 If:
Royalties must be enforced
Low-cost minting essential
Building on XRPL ecosystem
Fast finality required
No smart contract expertise
Creator-first economics

Choose HTS (Hedera) If:
Enterprise/brand partnership
Compliance requirements (KYC)
Carbon negative matters (ESG)
Predictable, low fees
Ticketing or credentials
Regulatory clarity needed

Choose Solana/Metaplex If:
High-volume collections
Speed and low cost matter
Active Solana community
Compressed NFTs needed
Gaming or generative art
Magic Eden primary market

Multi-Chain Strategy
Start where audience is
Bridge to other ecosystems
Different chains = different buyers
Diversify marketplace risk
Test on cheaper chains first
Scale to Ethereum for prestige

2024-2025 Trend: Enterprise NFTs are growing on Hedera (ticketing, loyalty), creator-focused NFTs on XRPL (royalties), and high-value collectibles remain on Ethereum despite fees.

NFT Analytics Resources

top platforms for tracking NFT activity and metrics

Platform	Best For	Coverage
CryptoSlam	Sales rankings, volume, top buyers/sellers	50+ chains
NFTGo	AI-powered trending, market analytics	Multi-chain
DappRadar	Collection rankings, floor prices	Multi-chain
NFT Price Floor	Floor tracking, historical charts	Ethereum-focused
Nansen	Smart money tracking, wallet labels	Multi-chain (paid)
Dune Analytics	Custom SQL dashboards, deep research	Multi-chain

Chain-Specific Tools
XRPL: onXRP, XRP Cafe, Sologenic
Hedera: HashAxis, Zuse Market, SentX
Solana: HowRare.is, HelloMoon
Ethereum: Etherscan, OpenSea, Blur

What to Track
Floor price trends
Sales volume (24h, 7d, 30d)
Unique holders count
Whale wallet activity
Wash trading detection
Rarity distribution

Pro Tip: Use CryptoSlam for quick market overview, DappRadar for cross-chain discovery, and Dune for custom research. Chain-specific tools give the deepest insights for XRPL, Hedera, and Solana NFTs.

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