Results for “ERC-20 vs ERC-721”

ERC-20

ERC-20 is the common rulebook for fungible tokens on Ethereum, where every unit is identical, like dollars. It sets a shared list of functions—check a balance, send tokens, let another address spend them for you—so any wallet or exchange can handle any ERC-20 token the same way.

What it means for you. The approve function lets you give an app permission to move your tokens later, often for an unlimited amount, and that permission stays until you revoke it. Anyone can deploy an ERC-20 contract with any name or symbol, so the contract address, not the ticker, identifies the token you hold.

Source: EIP-20: Token Standard · checked 4 October 2026

ERC-721

ERC-721 is the Ethereum standard for non-fungible tokens, where each token is one of a kind. Every token has its own ID number inside its contract, and the standard defines how to look up its owner, transfer it, and point to a description of what it represents.

What it means for you. The token usually points to its image or file through a link (the tokenURI) rather than holding it; if that link goes offline, the picture can vanish while you still own the token. The setApprovalForAll function hands one address control of every token you hold from that contract, so granting it to the wrong address can cost you all of them.

Source: EIP-721: Non-Fungible Token Standard · checked 4 October 2026