About KRC20 Tokens

KRC20 is a token standard on Kaspa that enables the creation of fungible digital assets using inscriptions.

Understanding KRC20

Token Basics

KRC20 tokens are:

  • Digital assets on the Kaspa blockchain

  • Created using the inscription protocol (commit-reveal)

  • Fungible (each unit identical and interchangeable)

  • Tradeable on Kasanova's integrated marketplace

Think of them like:

  • Digital collectibles

  • Community currencies

  • Project tokens

  • Meme coins

  • Loyalty points

How KRC20 Works

Inscription Protocol: KRC20 uses a commit-reveal pattern:

  1. Deploy - Creator defines token (name, supply, mint limit)

  2. Commit - User locks KAS in special transaction

  3. Reveal - User spends from commit, inscribing data on-chain

  4. Transfer - Tokens move using same commit-reveal pattern

All operations happen on-chain:

  • No smart contracts (Kaspa doesn't have them yet)

  • No centralized servers

  • Pure blockchain inscriptions

  • Verifiable by anyone

KRC20 vs Other Standards

KRC20 vs Bitcoin Ordinals

Similarities:

  • Both use inscriptions

  • Both are fungible tokens

  • Both commit-reveal pattern

Differences:

  • KRC20 on Kaspa (faster, cheaper)

  • Ordinals on Bitcoin (slower, more expensive)

  • KRC20 has explicit token operations

  • Kaspa's BlockDAG enables higher throughput

KRC20 vs Ethereum ERC20

ERC20 (Ethereum):

  • Smart contract-based

  • Programmable logic

  • High gas fees ($5-$100+)

  • Slower confirmations (minutes)

KRC20 (Kaspa):

  • Inscription-based

  • Fixed protocol rules

  • Low fees ($0.001-$0.01)

  • Fast confirmations (seconds)

Trade-offs:

  • ERC20 more flexible (programmable)

  • KRC20 simpler and cheaper

  • KRC20 leverages Kaspa's speed

Token Properties

What Each Token Has

Identity:

  • Ticker - Short symbol (e.g., NACHO, KOGE)

  • Name - Full name (e.g., "Nacho the Kat")

  • Decimals - Precision (usually 8)

Economics:

  • Max Supply - Total tokens that can exist

  • Pre-mint - Tokens minted at deploy (if any)

  • Mint Limit - Max tokens per mint operation

  • Deployer - Address that created the token

Example:

Ticker: NACHO
Name: Nacho the Kat
Max Supply: 1,000,000,000
Decimals: 8
Mint Limit: 10,000 per mint

Token Lifecycle

1. Deploy

  • Creator defines token properties

  • Pays deploy fee (typically 1000 KAS protocol fee + service fee)

  • Token becomes mintable

2. Mint

  • Anyone can mint (up to mint limit per operation)

  • Pays mint fee (typically 1 KAS protocol fee + service fee)

  • Tokens added to minter's balance

  • Continues until max supply reached

3. Trade

  • Tokens traded on marketplace

  • Buy/sell listings

  • Peer-to-peer transfers

4. Transfer

  • Send tokens to another address

  • Similar to sending KAS

  • Requires KAS for fees

Why KRC20 Tokens?

Use Cases

Community Tokens:

  • Project-specific currencies

  • Community governance

  • Member rewards

  • Fan tokens

Meme Coins:

  • Fun, cultural tokens

  • Community-driven value

  • Speculative trading

  • Viral growth

Digital Collectibles:

  • Limited supply assets

  • Collectible series

  • Trading card equivalents

Utility Tokens:

  • Access to services

  • Discount mechanisms

  • Platform credits

Benefits

For Creators:

  • ✅ Easy to deploy (no coding required)

  • ✅ Fair launch (anyone can mint)

  • ✅ Low cost (Kaspa fees are minimal)

  • ✅ Fast (BlockDAG speed)

For Users:

  • ✅ Simple to use (Kasanova handles complexity)

  • ✅ Tradeable on integrated marketplace

  • ✅ True ownership (self-custodial)

  • ✅ Transparent (all on-chain)

KRC20 in Kasanova

Integrated Experience

Kasanova makes KRC20 easy:

  • Deploy wizard (step-by-step token creation)

  • Mint interface (one-tap minting)

  • Marketplace (buy/sell without leaving wallet)

  • Portfolio view (all tokens in one place)

No external tools needed:

  • All operations in-app

  • Biometric security for all actions

  • Real-time price feeds

  • Transaction history

Token Display

In your wallet:

  • Token list with icons

  • Balance for each token

  • Current value in KAS and fiat

  • 24h price change

Token details page:

  • Total supply and circulation

  • Your holdings

  • Recent transactions

  • Market stats

  • Buy/Sell buttons

Getting Started with KRC20

Buying Tokens

The easiest way to get KRC20 tokens:

  1. Browse marketplace

  2. Find token you want

  3. Purchase with KAS

  4. Tokens appear in your wallet

See: Buying Tokens

Creating Tokens

Want to launch your own?

  1. Use Deploy Wizard

  2. Define token properties

  3. Pay deploy fee

  4. Start minting

See: Creating Your Own Token

Minting Tokens

For tokens that allow public minting:

  1. Find mintable tokens

  2. Tap Mint button

  3. Specify amount (within limit)

  4. Pay mint fee

See: Minting Tokens

Transferring Tokens

Send tokens to others:

  1. Select token

  2. Tap Send

  3. Enter recipient and amount

  4. Confirm with biometrics

See: Transferring Tokens

Token Safety

Due Diligence

Before buying tokens:

  • ✅ Check token details (supply, deployer)

  • ✅ Verify ticker isn't impersonating another

  • ✅ Review marketplace activity

  • ✅ Start with small amounts

  • ⚠️ Understand tokens are speculative

Red flags:

  • ❌ Unrealistic promises

  • ❌ Pressure to buy quickly

  • ❌ Unknown deployer

  • ❌ Suspicious tokenomics

Scams to Avoid

Token impersonation:

  • Fake versions of popular tokens

  • Similar tickers (e.g., NACH0 vs NACHO)

  • Always verify deployer address

Pump and dumps:

  • Artificial price inflation

  • Mass selling by insiders

  • Be cautious of hype

Rug pulls:

  • Creator disappears

  • Token value crashes

  • No recourse (decentralized)

Protection:

  • Research before buying

  • Diversify holdings

  • Only invest what you can afford to lose

  • Use Kasanova's verified token list (when available)

Token Economics

Understanding Value

KRC20 tokens have value based on:

  • Community demand

  • Utility or use case

  • Scarcity (limited supply)

  • Market speculation

  • Cultural significance

Value is determined by:

  • Marketplace trading

  • Supply and demand

  • Community strength

  • Broader market trends

Remember:

  • Most tokens are highly volatile

  • Value can drop to zero

  • No guaranteed returns

  • DYOR (Do Your Own Research)

Liquidity

Liquid tokens:

  • Many buyers and sellers

  • Easy to trade

  • Stable prices

  • Lower spread

Illiquid tokens:

  • Few buyers/sellers

  • Hard to trade

  • Volatile prices

  • High spread

Kasanova marketplace:

  • Shows liquidity indicators

  • Order book depth

  • Recent trade volume

  • Price history

Technical Details

Inscription Format

KRC20 operations use JSON inscriptions:

Deploy:

{
  "p": "krc-20",
  "op": "deploy",
  "tick": "NACHO",
  "max": "1000000000",
  "lim": "10000",
  "dec": "8"
}

Mint:

{
  "p": "krc-20",
  "op": "mint",
  "tick": "NACHO",
  "amt": "10000"
}

Transfer:

{
  "p": "krc-20",
  "op": "transfer",
  "tick": "NACHO",
  "amt": "5000"
}

You don't need to understand this - Kasanova handles it automatically.

Commit-Reveal Process

What happens behind the scenes:

  1. Commit Transaction:

    • Kasanova creates P2SH output

    • Locks KAS with inscription script

    • Broadcasts to network

  2. Reveal Transaction:

    • Spends from commit output

    • Reveals inscription data on-chain

    • Indexers detect and process

  3. Indexing:

    • Discovery service reads inscriptions

    • Updates token balances

    • Enforces protocol rules

    • Makes data queryable

Kasanova abstracts this complexity - you just tap buttons.

Next Steps

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