Library · Crypto, word by word · Tokens and supply
What is ERC-1155?
ERC-1155 is an Ethereum standard that lets one contract manage many kinds of token at once—some interchangeable like coins, some one-of-a-kind like NFTs. Each kind has its own ID, and several can be sent in one batch transfer, which costs less in fees than sending them separately.
What it means for you
An ERC-1155 item can have a supply of more than one, so owning a given token ID may mean holding one copy among many rather than a unique piece; check the supply for that ID. As with ERC-721, setApprovalForAll gives one address control of every token you hold in that contract.
How it works
Where ERC-20 and ERC-721 need a separate contract per token, one ERC-1155 contract manages many token types, fungible and non-fungible, each under its own ID. A batch transfer moves several IDs in one transaction, and balanceOfBatch reads many balances in one call. The only approval is setApprovalForAll, which grants an operator your entire set of tokens in that contract; there is no per-ID or per-amount approval. Metadata URIs can use an {id} placeholder filled in for each token, and receiving contracts must implement a hook to accept transfers.
Source: EIP-1155: Multi Token Standard · checked 4 October 2026
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