๐ ERC-1155 Multi-Token Standard
An Ethereum token standard that lets a single smart contract create and manage many token types at once: fungible currencies, unique NFTs, and semi-fungible items. Nicknamed the Multi-Token Standard.
๐ The simple version โ one backpack for every kind of item
Picture a video game's inventory backpack run by a single system. It holds stacks of identical gold coins (every coin is interchangeable), one legendary sword that nobody else owns, and a bundle of healing potions that are identical until you drink one. ERC-1155 is the standard that lets a single smart contract on Ethereum track all three at once โ and hand a friend several of them in a single move.
๐งฉ How one contract holds three kinds of token
Inside an ERC-1155 contract, every token has an ID, and the supply you mint for that ID decides its nature.
| Token type | Supply | Behaves like |
|---|---|---|
| ๐ช Fungible | Large supply | An in-game currency or reward points โ every unit is interchangeable |
| โ๏ธ Non-fungible (NFT) | Supply of 1 | A one-of-a-kind item that only one person can own |
| ๐งช Semi-fungible | Many identical, then split | Event tickets or consumables that start interchangeable, then become distinct once used or redeemed |
๐ฆ Batch transfers โ its signature feature
The standout ability of ERC-1155 is batch operations. A single function call (safeBatchTransferFrom) can move many different token types in one transaction, and the same goes for checking balances and granting approvals. Doing this in one move instead of one transfer per item cuts gas costs.
โฝ You may see claims of "up to 90% gas savings." The real saving depends on what you're moving, so treat any exact percentage as a rough estimate, not a guarantee.
๐ก๏ธ Built-in safety
ERC-1155 includes safe-transfer protections and receiver hooks. When tokens are sent to a smart contract, that contract gets a chance to react and confirm it can handle them, so tokens are less likely to get stuck when sent to an incompatible address.
๐น๏ธ Where a beginner meets it
ERC-1155 grew out of NFT and gaming needs โ it was proposed in 2018 in EIP-1155, led by Witek Radomski and the Enjin team to fix limits of the earlier ERC-20 and ERC-721 standards. Today it is the dominant standard for blockchain gaming and metaverse assets and for bulk NFT drops. You'll bump into it when you mint or buy game items, browse mixed NFT collections, or see a marketplace list "ERC-1155 editions" โ multiple identical copies of one NFT. The Sandbox is one well-known project whose in-game assets use it.
๐จ Things beginners should know
- ๐ Not an NFT-only standard โ It handles fungible, non-fungible, and semi-fungible tokens, not just NFTs
- ๐ค Doesn't replace ERC-20 or ERC-721 โ Simple projects still use those; ERC-1155 is for when you need many types together
- ๐ฎ Built for gaming โ Its biggest payoff is in games and metaverse worlds that mix currencies and unique items
- โ๏ธ It's a rulebook, not a coin โ ERC-1155 is a token standard on Ethereum; you don't buy "ERC-1155" itself
โ FAQ
- Is ERC-1155 just another NFT standard that replaces ERC-721?
- No. ERC-1155 is a multi-token standard: one contract can hold fungible coins, unique NFTs, and semi-fungible items together. It does not retire ERC-20 or ERC-721 โ many projects still use those when they only need one token type. ERC-1155 shines when you need several types at once, which is mostly gaming.
- How can one contract be both a currency and a unique NFT?
- Each token ID has its own supply. A token ID minted with a large supply behaves like a fungible currency, while a token ID with a supply of exactly 1 is a unique NFT. The same contract can hold both kinds side by side.
- Why do games and NFT drops like ERC-1155?
- Games need both currencies and unique items, and ERC-1155 handles both in one place. Its batch transfers move many different token types in a single transaction, which cuts gas costs compared with sending each item one at a time. That makes it well suited to bulk NFT drops too.