Blockchain Crypto Tokens, and How Do They Work?

Saleem Raza
3 min readAug 31, 2023

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In the context of blockchain, a token is a digital asset that represents a specific value or utility. Tokens are created, distributed, and managed on a blockchain network. They are usually created using smart contracts, which are self-executing computer programs that automatically execute when certain conditions are met.

TOKENS are digital assets defined by a project or smart contract and built on a specific blockchain. Token can be UTILITY TOKENS or SECURITY TOKENS. UTILITY TOKENS are also called consumer or incentive tokens.
TOKENS are digital assets defined by a project or smart contract and built on a specific blockchain.

Tokens can represent a wide range of assets and utilities, and based on their characteristics and use cases, they can be broadly classified into several types:

  1. Security Tokens: Security tokens represent ownership in an underlying asset or company. They often embody a specific investment, such as a share in a company or a voting right. These tokens are subject to securities regulations and can be programmed with an array of unique characteristics and ownership rights gemini.com.
  2. Utility Tokens: These tokens provide access to a specific product or service within a blockchain ecosystem. They are integrated into a protocol and used to access the services of that protocol. Utility tokens do not represent ownership in an asset or company but are designed to be used within a specific ecosystem to provide access to products or services coinlocally.com.
  3. Payment Tokens: Payment tokens are used to pay for goods and services on the blockchain. Their value is directly linked to their distribution mechanism and underlying blockchain network. Examples include Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies gemini.com.
  4. Asset Tokens: These tokens represent a specific tangible or intangible asset. They can represent assets like gold, real estate, and art, or intangible assets like voting rights, ownership rights, or content licensing gemini.com.
  5. Stablecoins: Stablecoins are a type of cryptocurrency that is designed to maintain a stable value, as opposed to the significant volatility seen in the prices of other popular cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum. They are often pegged to a reserve of assets, such as a specific fiat currency like the US dollar or a commodity like gold coinlocally.com.
  6. Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs): NFTs are unique tokens that represent a unique asset or a piece of content. Unlike other tokens, each NFT has a unique value and specific information that cannot be replaced with another NFT. They are commonly associated with digital art, collectibles, and other unique items medium.com.
  7. Governance Tokens: Governance tokens allow holders to vote on changes to a protocol’s rules or other governance matters. They provide holders with the right to influence the direction of the protocol coinlocally.com.

Each of these token types serves a unique purpose in the blockchain ecosystem and brings different benefits. The specific type of token used in a blockchain network will depend on the purpose of the network and the specific use case coinlocally.com.

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