30 guides to the Ethereum token standards that matter for builders — what each one does, where it fits, where it doesn’t, and which to choose for real-world asset tokenization.
| Standard | What it is | Ideal use cases |
|---|---|---|
| ERC-20 | Fungible token interface — balances, transfers and allowances | Stablecoins, payment and settlement coins, tokenized fund units, governance and utility tokens |
| ERC-721 | Non-fungible token (NFT) standard — one unique ID per token | Property titles and deeds, e-bills of lading, certificates, unique collectibles, loan or lease agreements |
| ERC-1155 | Multi-token standard — many fungible and non-fungible IDs in one contract | Property portfolios, energy and carbon units, mixed asset pools, gaming items, tickets |
| ERC-3643 | Permissioned security token (T-REX) with ONCHAINID identity and modular compliance | Tokenized equity, bonds, fund units, real estate SPV shares, any regulated security |
| ERC-1400 | Security token framework: partitions, restrictions, documents, controller actions | Share classes and tranches, vesting and lock-up partitions, legacy STO platforms |
| ERC-1404 | Minimal restricted-token extension to ERC-20 with restriction codes and messages | Private placements, employee equity, simple whitelisted securities, closed investor clubs |
| ERC-1643 | Document management interface — named documents with URI and hash attached to a token | Prospectuses, term sheets, valuation reports, property title documents, investor notices |
| ERC-4626 | Tokenized vault standard — shares representing a claim on an underlying ERC-20 | Yield vaults, tokenized money-market and credit funds, staking wrappers, treasury products |
| ERC-7540 | Asynchronous extension of ERC-4626 with deposit/redeem requests and claims | Tokenized money-market, credit and real-estate funds with settlement delays or redemption windows |
| ERC-7575 | Extension separating the vault share token from entry points, enabling multi-asset vaults | Funds accepting several stablecoins, cross-currency share classes, modular RWA vault architectures |
| ERC-7943 | Minimal compliance interface (uRWA) for ERC-20, ERC-721, ERC-1155 and ERC-6909 tokens | Adding interoperable compliance to any RWA token; multi-standard platforms; venue and wallet integrations |
| ERC-7518 | ERC-1155-based security token proposal with partitions, locks, payouts and interoperability | Multi-class securities, funds with share classes, cross-chain security tokens |
| ERC-3525 | Semi-fungible token — ERC-721-compatible tokens carrying a slot and a transferable value | Bonds and notes, vesting schedules, structured products, invoices, insurance policies |
| ERC-3475 | Abstract storage bond standard — classes, nonces and on-chain metadata in one contract | Tokenized bonds and notes, debt issuance programmes, coupons and amortising instruments |
| ERC-2981 | NFT royalty information standard (receiver and amount per sale) | Creator royalties, licensed IP and media, music rights, revenue sharing on secondary sales |
| ERC-4907 | Rental extension for ERC-721 with an expiring user role | Leasing of property access, equipment, vehicles, gaming items, memberships and licences |
| ERC-6551 | Token bound accounts — a smart-contract wallet owned by an NFT | Asset bundles (property + documents + income), vehicle histories, gaming characters, portfolio NFTs |
| ERC-5192 | Minimal soulbound (non-transferable) NFT interface | Credentials, accreditation and KYC attestations, certificates, memberships, reputation |
| ERC-4337 | Account abstraction via UserOperations, bundlers, EntryPoint and paymasters | Gasless onboarding, smart wallets for investors, recovery, batched investment flows, spending policies |
| ERC-2612 | Signature-based ERC-20 approvals (permit) using EIP-712 | One-click subscriptions and payments, gas-sponsored flows, DvP settlement with stablecoins |
| ERC-2771 | Secure protocol for native meta-transactions via a trusted forwarder | Gas-sponsored investor actions, enterprise users without crypto, relayed admin operations |
| ERC-1271 | Standard isValidSignature check for contract accounts | Institutional multisig investors, smart wallets, DAO treasuries, off-chain order and permit signing |
| ERC-777 | Advanced fungible token with send/receive hooks and operators (ERC-20 compatible) | Largely legacy; lessons for hook-based compliance and payment notifications |
| ERC-6909 | Minimal multi-token interface without callbacks, with per-ID allowances and operators | Internal accounting of many assets, DEX/AMM claims, high-volume RWA units, protocol receipts |
| ERC-1967 | Standard storage slots for proxy implementation, admin and beacon addresses | Upgradeable token, marketplace and distribution contracts; regulated platforms needing fixes over time |
| ERC-2535 | Multi-facet proxy (Diamond) routing selectors to many implementation contracts | Large modular platforms, marketplaces with many features, systems exceeding contract size limits |
A practical comparison of the three foundational Ethereum token standards — fungibility, gas, tooling, compliance and ideal real-world asset use cases — with a decision table.
ERC-1155 gives you many asset classes in one efficient contract; ERC-3643 gives you identity-gated, regulator-ready transfers. Here is how to choose between them for real-world assets.
ERC-3643 offers identity-based compliance and a finalised standard; ERC-1400 offers partitions and controller operations. Compare architecture, ecosystem, use cases and migration paths.
ERC-4626 vaults settle instantly; ERC-7540 vaults use request-and-claim flows for funds with settlement delays. Compare mechanics, integrations and the right choice for RWA funds.
ERC-20 is the interface behind stablecoins, governance tokens and most tokenized funds. Learn how it works, where it fits real-world assets, and why regulated securities usually need more.
ERC-721 gives every token a unique ID and owner. Learn how it works and why it is the right model for property titles, bills of lading, certificates and other one-of-a-kind real-world assets.
ERC-1155 lets one contract manage many fungible and non-fungible tokens with batch transfers. See how it works and why we used it for property, energy and carbon tokenization.
ERC-3643 ties every token holder to an on-chain identity and checks compliance rules on every transfer. Learn its architecture, agent controls, use cases and implementation pitfalls.
ERC-1400 bundles partitions, transfer validation, document management and controller operations for security tokens. Learn its components, where it is still used and how it compares with ERC-3643.
ERC-1404 adds two functions to ERC-20 so a token can block non-compliant transfers and explain why. Learn how it works, where it fits and its limits versus ERC-3643 and ERC-7943.
ERC-1643 links prospectuses, term sheets and notices to a token with URIs and content hashes. Learn how it works and how we anchor RWA documents on IPFS and on-chain.
ERC-4626 standardises deposit, withdraw and share accounting for yield-bearing vaults. Learn how it works, its use in tokenized funds and private credit, and its risks.
ERC-7540 extends ERC-4626 with request-and-claim flows so tokenized funds can handle settlement delays, redemption windows and KYC. Learn the lifecycle and design choices.
ERC-7575 lets several ERC-4626 vault entry points share one share token, so a fund can accept USDC, EURC or tokenized cash in parallel. How it works and when to use it.
ERC-7943 (uRWA) is a minimal, Final interface for compliant RWA tokens across ERC-20, ERC-721 and ERC-1155: transfer checks, freezing and forced transfers. How it works and when to use it.
ERC-7518 builds a security token on ERC-1155 with partitions, time locks, payouts, forced transfers and cross-chain wrapping. Learn how it works and when it fits.
ERC-3525 gives each token an ID, a slot and a value, so financial instruments can be split, merged and partially transferred. See how it works and where it beats ERC-20 and ERC-721.
ERC-3475 lets one contract issue many bond classes and issuances with flexible on-chain metadata. Learn the class/nonce model, use cases in tokenized debt, and limitations.
ERC-2981 lets an NFT tell marketplaces who should receive royalties and how much. Learn how royalty info works, why payment is voluntary, and how to use it for creators and licensed assets.
ERC-4907 adds a time-limited “user” role to ERC-721 so NFTs can be rented without transferring ownership. Learn how it works and its uses in property, equipment, gaming and subscriptions.
ERC-6551 gives every ERC-721 NFT its own smart-contract wallet. Learn how the registry and accounts work and how token bound accounts can bundle documents, income and sub-assets for RWAs.
ERC-5192 marks NFTs as non-transferable (soulbound). Learn how it works, how it compares with ERC-5484 and ONCHAINID, and where soulbound tokens help in compliance and RWA platforms.
ERC-4337 brings smart-contract wallets with gas sponsorship, social recovery and batched actions to Ethereum without protocol changes. How it works and why it matters for RWA investor onboarding.
ERC-2612 adds a permit function so ERC-20 approvals can be signed off-chain. Learn how it works, how it improves subscription flows on tokenization platforms, and the phishing risks.
ERC-2771 lets a trusted forwarder relay signed requests so users interact with contracts without paying gas. How _msgSender works, when to use it and the security pitfalls.
ERC-1271 lets contracts — multisigs, smart wallets, DAOs — prove they approved a message. Learn how isValidSignature works and why institutional tokenization platforms need it.
ERC-777 added send/receive hooks and operators to fungible tokens. Learn how it works, the re-entrancy problems that led to its decline, and what to use instead for RWA tokens.
ERC-6909 is a leaner alternative to ERC-1155 with no callbacks, no batching and granular approvals. Learn how it works and when it suits tokenization and DeFi platforms.
ERC-1967 standardises proxy storage slots used by transparent and UUPS upgradeable contracts. Learn how upgrades work, governance safeguards regulators expect, and common pitfalls.
ERC-2535 Diamonds route function calls to multiple facet contracts behind one address. Learn how they work, when a tokenization platform benefits, and the complexity trade-offs.
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