SPL Token
An SPL token is a fungible or non-fungible asset on Solana implemented via the Solana Program Library’s Token program. USDC on Solana, JitoSOL, and BONK are SPL tokens. SPL is Solana’s equivalent of ERC-20 on Ethereum.
How it works
The SPL Token program is a single on-chain program that all tokens share. Each token has a mint account (metadata plus supply), and each user’s balance lives in a per-user Associated Token Account. Transfers call the Token program with the source and destination accounts and are settled in a single Solana transaction — no per-token contract deployment is needed. Wallets interact with the same program regardless of which token is moving.
Why it matters
The shared-program design gives SPL tokens near-uniform behaviour and predictable costs. Wallets, DEXs, and cross-chain bridges implement the SPL interface once and support the whole token ecosystem. It also constrains what a token can do — no arbitrary custom logic per token, which reduces the attack surface but limits the token programmability that ERC-20 enables.
Related concepts
- ERC-20 Token — ERC-20 is the Ethereum standard for fungible tokens.
- WalletConnect v2 — WalletConnect v2 is an open protocol that lets a wallet on one device connect to a dApp on another — most commonly a mobile wallet paired with a desktop dApp — over an end-to-end-encrypted relay.
- Transaction Simulation — Transaction simulation is a pre-signing check that runs a proposed transaction against a forked node state and reports the expected net asset change to the user before they sign.
- dApp — A dApp — decentralized application — is a frontend that interacts with smart contracts on a public blockchain.
Frequently asked questions
Are SPL tokens compatible with ERC-20?
No — different chain, different interface. Bridges wrap tokens across chains but do not make the underlying standards compatible.
Do I need a separate SPL account per token?
Yes — Solana’s Associated Token Account model creates one per (owner, mint) pair. Wallets create them on demand.
Is SPL Token 2022 the same as SPL?
Token 2022 is an extended program with features like transfer fees and confidential transfers. Wallets support both alongside classic SPL.
In Veyrnox
Veyrnox’s Solana wallet supports SOL and SPL tokens with hardware-bound signing on iOS. See Solana wallet for the full support matrix.