Today's topic: Coins vs. Tokens. Let's dig in 👇
We're starting things off with the simplest way to think about it:
👉 A coin is the "main money" of a blockchain.
It's native. It's part of the chain's DNA.
👉 A token is built on top of a blockchain.
It's something created using that chain's tools (usually smart contracts). Tokens can do tons of different jobs beyond "being money."
And now, let's go deeper...
Part 1: What is a coin?
A coin is the official currency of a blockchain network.
Coins typically do 3 big jobs:
1️⃣ They're the chain's base asset
Because coins are native, they often become the default asset people:
👉 Trade against;
👉 Hold as the ecosystem's core asset;
👉 Use as collateral in that chain's economy.
2️⃣ They pay for activity on the network (fees / gas)
Anytime you do something on a blockchain (send funds, interact with a contract, move assets), there's usually a small fee. That fee is paid in the chain's coin.
👉 On Bitcoin, fees are paid in BTC;
👉 On Ethereum, fees are paid in ETH;
👉 On BNB Chain, fees are paid in BNB.
3️⃣ They help secure the blockchain
Blockchains need people (or machines) to keep them running and honest. Coins help reward those participants:
👉 On Bitcoin, miners earn BTC for validating and securing transactions.
👉 On Proof-of-Stake networks, validators stake the coin and earn coin rewards for helping run the chain.
Part 2: What is a token?
Tokens are like the Swiss Army knives of crypto.
A token is created on an existing blockchain (like Ethereum, Solana, BNB Chain, etc.) using smart contracts.
Tokens don't need to build an entire new blockchain from scratch - they just live on one that already exists.
And they can represent all kinds of stuff:
1️⃣ Utility tokens
These are "use this token to access features" tokens.
Think: membership card / game currency / platform credits.
2️⃣ Governance tokens
These are "vote on the project's decisions" tokens.
Think: shareholder voting energy.
3️⃣ Asset-backed or stable tokens
Some tokens represent something else, like:
👉 A real-world currency (stablecoins like USDT, USDC, etc.);
👉 Tokenized assets (in some cases).
4️⃣ NFTs
Yes - NFTs are also tokens. They're just non-fungible tokens (each one is unique).
The easiest "spot the difference" checklist:
1/ Does it have its own blockchain?
👉 Yes → probably a coin;
👉 No → it's a token.
2/ What does it mainly do?
👉 Pay fees, secure network, be the base currency → coin;
👉 Does a special job inside an app/protocol → token.
"Cool cool cool... but why should I care?" - you, maybe.
Glad you asked.
You should care because coins and tokens often behave differently:
👉 Coins are tied to the health and usage of their blockchains.
(More activity = more fees = more demand for the coin in many cases.)
👉 Tokens are tied to the specific project they belong to.
(Great tokenomics + real users + strong product = better odds of survival.)
It also helps you avoid confusion when someone says:
"New coin launching!"
... and it's actually just a token on Ethereum with a logo and a dream.
Source: Binance News / #BitDegree / Coinmarketcap
"Place a trade with us via this post mentioned coin's & do support to reach maximum audience by follow, like, comment, share, repost, more such informative content ahead"
#coin #Token #Difference $BTC $ETH $BNB #USDT
