When you buy an NFT, youâre not just buying a JPEG or a clip of audio. Youâre buying proof of ownership on a blockchain - and that proof only works because of something called a NFT token standard. Without these standards, your NFT wouldnât be recognizable by wallets, marketplaces, or apps. It would be like having a digital deed to a house that no one else can read. NFT token standards are the rulebooks that make sure everyone speaks the same language when it comes to unique digital assets.
What Exactly Is an NFT Token Standard?
An NFT token standard is a set of technical rules built into a blockchain that defines how a non-fungible token behaves. Think of it like a USB port: no matter what device you plug in - a mouse, a phone, a camera - as long as it follows the USB standard, it works. Same idea with NFTs. If a token follows ERC-721 on Ethereum, any wallet or marketplace that supports ERC-721 can display it, let you transfer it, and verify its ownership. These standards solve a big problem: before they existed, every NFT project had to build its own custom code. That meant your CryptoKitty couldnât be sold on OpenSea unless the creator manually coded compatibility. Standards changed that. They created interoperability. Now, whether you mint your NFT on Ethereum, Solana, or Flow, if it follows the right standard, it just works.ERC-721: The Original NFT Standard
ERC-721 was the first real NFT standard, introduced in early 2017 and officially adopted in 2018. It was created to handle the chaos caused by CryptoKitties - a game where people bred digital cats that sold for thousands. The Ethereum network got so clogged that transaction fees skyrocketed. ERC-721 gave developers a clean, reusable template to create unique tokens without reinventing the wheel. Hereâs what ERC-721 requires:- A unique ID for each token (a number that canât be reused)
- Functions to check who owns a token (
ownerOf) - Functions to transfer ownership safely (
safeTransferFrom) - Approval systems so someone else can sell your NFT on your behalf
ERC-1155: The Efficient Multi-Token Standard
Enter ERC-1155, created by Enjin in 2018 and approved in 2019. This standard changed the game by letting one contract handle multiple types of tokens - both fungible (like ETH) and non-fungible (like NFTs). It uses a single token ID that includes both a type and an instance. Think of it like a barcode that says âType: Rare Sword, Instance: #482â. The big win? Batch transfers. You can send 10 different NFTs in one transaction. Enjinâs tests showed this cuts gas costs by up to 90% compared to ERC-721. Thatâs why games like Splinterlands and big NFT collections like The Sandbox use ERC-1155. Itâs cheaper, faster, and better for projects that need to issue hundreds or thousands of unique items. But thereâs a trade-off. Managing metadata (like the image, name, and attributes of each NFT) is more complex. Each token type needs its own metadata file, and if you mess up the structure, your NFTs might not show up right in wallets. Still, for developers building scalable NFT projects, ERC-1155 is often the smarter choice.ERC-998: Composable NFTs - NFTs That Own Other NFTs
If youâve ever wanted your NFT to be more than just a static image - say, a digital character that owns weapons, armor, and a pet - then ERC-998 is the standard for you. Proposed by Nick Mudge in 2018, it lets one NFT hold other NFTs and even fungible tokens inside it. Think of it like a digital Russian nesting doll. For example: You own a virtual warrior NFT. Inside it, youâve stored a sword NFT and 5 ETH. When you sell the warrior, the sword and ETH go with it - all in one transaction. This opens up entire new worlds for gaming, virtual real estate, and digital identity systems. But itâs not widely adopted yet. The complexity is high. Wallets and marketplaces need special code to understand nested ownership. Only a handful of platforms support it. Still, itâs one of the most promising standards for the future of digital ownership.
Solanaâs NFT Standard: Speed Over Compatibility
Ethereum isnât the only game in town. Solanaâs NFT standard, built by Metaplex, works completely differently. Instead of using smart contracts like ERC-721, it uses separate account structures. Each NFT is its own account on the Solana blockchain, linked to metadata stored on Arweave or IPFS. The result? Blazing speed. Transactions settle in under a second. Fees? Around $0.00025 per NFT mint or transfer. Thatâs why artists and indie creators flock to Solana. You can mint 10,000 NFTs for less than $3. But hereâs the catch: compatibility. Only about 68% of Solana wallets fully support NFTs. Some wallets canât display metadata correctly. Marketplaces are fewer - only about 12 major ones compared to 200+ on Ethereum. And because each NFT is its own account, users sometimes run into âaccount spaceâ errors - a unique Solana problem where wallets need enough space to hold NFTs.Flow: Built for Everyday Users
Flow, created by Dapper Labs (the team behind NBA Top Shot), was designed with one goal: make NFTs easy for regular people. It uses a programming language called Cadence, which enforces strict ownership rules. No one can accidentally spend your NFT. No one can duplicate it. Flowâs biggest advantage? No gas fees for end users. The platform covers transaction costs. Thatâs huge for onboarding non-crypto users. NBA Top Shot sold millions of moments to people who didnât know what a wallet was. Flow also handles 10,000 transactions per second - far more than Ethereum ever could. But adoption is limited. Only 12 marketplaces support Flow NFTs. And while itâs great for sports and collectibles, itâs not as flexible for complex DeFi or gaming use cases.Tezos and Other Standards: Niche but Important
Tezos uses the FA2 standard, which is unique because it supports formal verification - meaning math can prove the code is secure. Thatâs why artists and institutions worried about hacks prefer it. Itâs also energy-efficient, using proof-of-stake. But Tezos has a tiny market share - just 1.2% of NFT volume. Its tools are less developed, and most users donât know how to use it. Other chains like Cardano (CIP-0025) and Polygon (MATIC) have their own standards too. Polygonâs NFTs run on Ethereum but with lower fees, making it a popular bridge for creators tired of gas wars.
Real-World Costs and User Experiences
Letâs talk numbers. In Q2 2023, minting a single ERC-721 NFT on Ethereum cost an average of $82.37 during peak times. On Solana? $0.00025. On Flow? $0.001. On Polygon? Around $1.27. Users arenât blind to this. On Reddit, people routinely share stories of spending hundreds on Ethereum gas - then switching to Polygon or Solana. One user, u/CryptoCollector88, said minting 10 NFTs on Ethereum cost him $823. On Polygon? $1.27. Thatâs not a typo. But cost isnât everything. Artists who sell digital art still prefer Ethereum. Why? Because thatâs where the buyers are. OpenSea, SuperRare, and Foundation are all Ethereum-based. If you want visibility, you need to be where the traffic is.Whatâs Next for NFT Standards?
The future isnât about choosing one standard - itâs about using many. New standards like ERC-6551 (token-bound accounts) let NFTs act like wallets themselves. Imagine an NFT that holds your keys, your assets, and your identity - all in one. Early tests show it cuts complex transactions by 40%. Cross-chain efforts are also gaining steam. The Blockchain Interoperability Alliance is working on a universal NFT metadata standard so your Solana NFT can be viewed on Ethereum wallets without conversion. Enterprise adoption is growing too. Companies like Nike, Adidas, and Starbucks are experimenting with NFTs - mostly on Ethereum or private blockchains. But theyâre asking the same question: âHow do we make this work across systems?âWhich Standard Should You Use?
If youâre a creator:- Want maximum exposure? Use ERC-721 on Ethereum.
- Need to mint 1,000+ NFTs cheaply? Go with ERC-1155 on Ethereum or Polygon.
- Targeting gamers or casual users? Try Solana or Flow.
- Building something complex with nested assets? Experiment with ERC-998.
- Concerned about carbon footprint? Tezos or Flow are your best bets.
- Learn Solidity for Ethereum standards.
- Learn Rust for Solana.
- Learn Cadence for Flow.
Final Thoughts
NFT token standards arenât just technical specs - theyâre the foundation of digital ownership. They determine how much it costs to create an NFT, how easy it is to sell, and whether your asset will even be recognized by the tools people use. Thereâs no single âbestâ standard. The right one depends on your goals: cost, speed, compatibility, or complexity. Right now, Ethereum dominates, but the future is multi-chain. The winners wonât be the chains with the most hype - theyâll be the ones that make NFTs work for real people, not just crypto enthusiasts.What is the difference between ERC-721 and ERC-1155?
ERC-721 is for one-of-a-kind tokens - each NFT has its own unique ID and requires a separate transaction to transfer. ERC-1155 lets you bundle multiple NFTs (and even fungible tokens) into one contract. You can send 10 different NFTs in a single transaction, cutting gas costs by up to 90%. ERC-1155 is more efficient but requires more complex metadata handling.
Why are NFT gas fees so high on Ethereum?
Ethereumâs network gets congested when lots of people are minting or trading NFTs. Each ERC-721 transaction requires separate processing, so if you mint 10 NFTs, you pay 10 times the gas. During peak times, gas prices can spike to over $100 per transaction. Thatâs why many creators now use Layer 2 solutions like Polygon or switch to chains like Solana with lower fees.
Can I transfer an NFT from Ethereum to Solana?
Not directly. NFTs are tied to the blockchain they were created on. To move an NFT from Ethereum to Solana, you need a bridge or a wrapped version - but most platforms donât support this yet. Some marketplaces offer âcross-chain minting,â where you re-mint your NFT on another chain, but you lose the original chainâs history and provenance. True interoperability is still in development.
Which NFT standard is the most secure?
Tezosâ FA2 standard is considered the most secure because it supports formal verification - meaning the code can be mathematically proven to work as intended. Ethereumâs ERC-721 and ERC-1155 are also secure when built with trusted libraries like OpenZeppelin. But security also depends on how the contract is coded. Poorly written contracts on any standard can be hacked - which is why audits are critical.
Do NFT standards affect the value of my NFT?
Not directly. The value of an NFT comes from rarity, creator reputation, and demand. But the standard affects accessibility. An NFT on ERC-721 is more likely to be listed on OpenSea and seen by buyers. An NFT on a lesser-known standard might sit in a wallet with no buyers. So while the standard doesnât make your NFT valuable, it can make it harder to sell.
Is ERC-998 worth using today?
Only if youâre building something advanced - like a game where characters carry gear, or a digital identity system with nested assets. Most wallets and marketplaces donât support it yet. Itâs a powerful concept, but still experimental. For most creators, ERC-721 or ERC-1155 are safer bets.
How do I know which standard my NFT uses?
Check the NFTâs contract address on a blockchain explorer like Etherscan (for Ethereum) or Solana Explorer. Look for the token standard listed in the contract details - ERC-721, ERC-1155, etc. Most NFT marketplaces also display this info on the assetâs page under âContract Details.â
Joy Whitenburg
lol i just minted 5 NFTs on solana for less than a penny... why is everyone still crying about ethereum gas??
Arthur Crone
If you're using anything but ERC-721 on Ethereum you're not a real NFT collector. Everything else is just crypto theater.
Rachel Everson
Honestly? Start with ERC-1155 if you're minting more than 3 NFTs. The gas savings are insane. I saved $200 last month just by switching. No cap.
Michelle Elizabeth
The fact that people still think Solana is "the future" is mildly embarrassing. It's a glitter-covered dumpster fire with 12 wallets that barely work. Real artists still use Ethereum. The rest are just chasing a tax write-off.
Adrian Bailey
i just learned about ERC-998 and my brain exploded đ”âđ« like imagine your nft is a dungeon master and it holds all your gear, potions, and even your pet dragon... it's not just an asset it's a whole damn universe. why isn't this everywhere??
Laura Hall
i get why people hate gas fees but honestly? if you're complaining about $80 to mint one NFT on ethereum... maybe you're not meant to be here? this isn't amazon. this is digital ownership. you want cheap? go buy a sticker.
Johanna Lesmayoux lamare
Check the contract address. Always. I lost a rare Bored Ape because I trusted the marketplace instead of Etherscan. Don't be me.
Joanne Lee
The evolution of NFT standards reflects a deeper philosophical shift: from individual ownership to systemic interoperability. ERC-6551, for instance, redefines the NFT not as a static object but as a dynamic agent of identity. This is not merely technical progress-it is the reimagining of digital personhood.
Kylie Stavinoha
I remember when CryptoKitties broke the Ethereum network. We thought that was chaos. Now we mint 10,000 NFTs in a day and call it normal. We've normalized digital scarcity while forgetting what scarcity actually means. Are we collectors? Or just data farmers?
Rebecca Saffle
Solana users are just trying to escape the truth: they can't afford Ethereum. Stop pretending your $0.00025 NFTs are art. They're not. They're disposable pixels on a broken chain. Real art costs money. Real art has history. Real art is on Ethereum.