Token Standards Index

ALL 0-9 $A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Sovereign Assets • Layer 1s • Payment Networks

cross-chain token standard reference

Token standards define how digital assets behave on a blockchain—including how they are transferred, stored, and interacted with by smart contracts. These standards create consistency across wallets, dApps, and exchanges, enabling broader interoperability and developer adoption.

Use Case: Token standards ensure that fungible and non-fungible tokens follow a shared set of rules, making them universally usable across tools and platforms.

Key Concepts:

ERC-20 — Standard for fungible tokens on Ethereum
NFT Standards — Protocols for unique, non-fungible assets (e.g., ERC-721, XLS-20)
Fungibility — Whether tokens are interchangeable or unique
Token Interoperability — Seamless use across chains and platforms
Blockchain Ecosystems — Networks where token standards are implemented
Smart Contract Token — Programmable assets created using token standards
Custom Minting — Programmable token creation defined by standards
Metadata — Token information stored according to standard specifications
Interoperability — Cross-platform compatibility enabled by standards

Summary: Token standards provide the foundation for digital asset compatibility, security, and widespread adoption. They enable innovation and liquidity across the global Web3 landscape.

Blockchain	Standard	Type	Examples
Ethereum	ERC-20	Fungible	$USDC, $UNI, $LINK
	ERC-721	Non-Fungible (NFT)	CryptoPunks, BAYC
	ERC-1155	Multi-Token	Gaming assets, mixed collections
XRPL	IOU Format	Issued Currencies	$RLUSD, $ELS, $SOLO
XRPL	XLS-20	Non-Fungible (NFT)	XRPL NFT collections
Solana	SPL	Fungible & NFT	$RAY, $ORCA, Solana NFTs
BNB Chain	BEP-20	Fungible	$CAKE, $BUSD
BNB Chain	BEP-721 / 1155	NFT / Multi-Token	BSC NFT collections
Flare / Songbird	ERC-20 Compatible	Fungible	$sFLR, $EXFI, $CAND
Cardano	Native Multi-Asset	Protocol-Level	$SUNDAE, $MIN, Cardano NFTs

Benefit	Description
Wallet Compatibility	Wallets and exchanges support tokens automatically by implementing standards
Consistent Behavior	Defined rules for security, transfers, approvals, and metadata
Smart Contract Integration	Contracts can trustlessly interact with any compliant token
Composability	DeFi protocols can build on top of standardized token interfaces
Developer Efficiency	No need to reinvent token logic—use battle-tested standards

Token Standard Feature Comparison

capabilities across major standards

ERC-20 (Ethereum)
Fungible tokens only
transfer(), approve(), transferFrom()
balanceOf(), totalSupply()
Most widely adopted standard
Gas-intensive on mainnet
No built-in metadata

ERC-721 (Ethereum)
Non-fungible (unique) tokens
Each token has unique ID
tokenURI() for metadata
ownerOf(), safeTransferFrom()
No native royalty support
Higher gas than ERC-20

ERC-1155 (Ethereum)
Multi-token standard
Fungible + NFT in one contract
Batch transfers supported
Gas efficient for collections
Used in gaming heavily
Complex implementation

XLS-20 (XRPL)
Native NFT on XRP Ledger
Built-in royalty enforcement
No smart contract needed
Near-instant finality
Minimal fees (~0.00001 XRP)
Automatic escrow support

Selection Guide: Choose ERC-20 for fungible utility tokens, ERC-721 for unique collectibles, ERC-1155 for gaming or mixed collections, and XLS-20 for low-cost NFTs with native royalties.

Standard Selection by Use Case

which standard fits your project

DeFi / Utility Token
Best: ERC-20, BEP-20, SPL
Fungible, interchangeable
Easy DEX integration
Staking/governance compatible
Wide wallet support

Art / Collectibles
Best: ERC-721, XLS-20
Unique, provenance-tracked
Metadata for artwork
Marketplace compatible
Royalty considerations

Gaming Assets
Best: ERC-1155, SPL
Mix of fungible + unique items
Batch minting/transfers
In-game economy support
Gas efficiency critical

Stablecoins / RWA
Best: ERC-20, XRPL IOU
Mint/burn capabilities
Compliance features (pause, freeze)
Multi-chain deployment
Regulatory considerations

Cross-Chain Tip: If deploying across multiple chains, use EVM-compatible standards (ERC-20, ERC-721) for consistency. Bridges work best when source and destination use similar standards.

Token Standard Evolution

how token standards have evolved over time

Era	Standard	Innovation
2015	ERC-20 Proposed	First fungible token standard on Ethereum
2017	ERC-721 Finalized	Non-fungible tokens enabled (CryptoKitties)
2018	ERC-1155 Introduced	Multi-token standard for gaming efficiency
2020	SPL Matures	Solana ecosystem token standard adoption
2022	XLS-20 Activated	Native NFTs on XRPL with built-in royalties
2023+	ERC-4337, ERC-6551	Account abstraction, token-bound accounts

Trend: Standards are evolving toward more functionality, better gas efficiency, and native features (royalties, account abstraction). Newer standards often remain backward-compatible with earlier ones.

« Index