KRC-20 is the fungible token standard on Kaspa — the shared format behind every new Kaspa token. Think ERC-20, but on Kaspa's fast BlockDAG, fair-launch by default, and with no smart contract to write. Here's how it actually works.
KRC-20 is a standard — a set of rules every fungible token on Kaspa follows so that wallets, explorers, and tools all recognize it. When you hear about a new Kaspa memecoin or utility token, it's almost certainly a KRC-20. The "20" mirrors Ethereum's ERC-20; the "KR" is for Kaspa.
The clever part is how it works. Instead of deploying a smart contract like ERC-20 does, a KRC-20 token is created by broadcasting a few standardized operations — a deploy, then many mints — that an indexer layer (Kasplex) reads off the Kaspa BlockDAG and tallies into balances. Mechanically it's closer to Bitcoin's BRC-20 than to an EVM contract.
Because there's no contract to write, launching is fast and cheap — which is exactly why a wave of new tokens followed the Toccata upgrade, which added native KRC-20 issuance at Kaspa's base layer.
Whether it's a serious project or a meme, every KRC-20 token is defined by the same handful of rules. Here's what they mean for you.
Each token has a unique ticker (4–6 letters), a fixed max supply, and a per-mint limit. These are set once at deploy and can't be changed — so the total that can ever exist is public from day one.
After deploy, anyone can mint — each mint claims one limit-sized chunk for a small network fee (~1 KAS) — until max supply is reached. First come, first served. That open race is what makes a classic KRC-20 a fair launch.
The deployer can allocate a pre-mint to themselves before minting opens. Zero pre-mint = a true fair launch. A large pre-mint is a classic rug signal — which is exactly what the Fair-Launch Radar grades A–F.
Same idea — a shared token standard — three different chains and mechanics. The short version:
| KRC-20 (Kaspa) | ERC-20 (Ethereum) | BRC-20 (Bitcoin) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it's made | Standard deploy/mint ops, read by an indexer | A smart contract you write & deploy | Ordinal inscriptions, read by an indexer |
| Code required | None — set 5 parameters | Yes — write & audit a contract | None — inscribe JSON |
| Base layer speed | Fast BlockDAG, sub-second blocks | ~12s blocks | ~10 min blocks |
| Typical launch style | Open, fair-launch minting | Anything (pre-sale, LP, airdrop…) | Open, fair-launch minting |
Comparison is a simplification of common practice, not a rule — any standard can be launched in many ways. Always verify a specific token's on-chain parameters before you mint.
Coming from Ethereum? See the full KRC-20 vs ERC-20 breakdown → · From Bitcoin Ordinals? KRC-20 vs BRC-20 →
The same low friction that makes KRC-20 exciting also makes it risky. When launching costs almost nothing and needs no code, the barrier for a bad actor is just as low as for an honest one. During a launch wave, a fair launch and a rug look identical for the first few minutes — same countdown, same hype.
The difference is always in the numbers: the pre-mint, the mint progress, the holder spread, the deployer's grip on supply. Our free Fair-Launch Radar reads those signals off public on-chain data and grades every live launch A–F, and the live dashboard shows the whole wave in real time. If you're worried about getting burned, start with how to spot a KRC-20 rug pull.
And when you do decide to mint, the tool fee matters. The dominant minting bots quietly take 5%. Minting through the radar is a flat 1.75% — nearly 3× cheaper — and non-custodial, so you sign every transaction from your own wallet.
Every KRC-20 mint carries a tool fee on top of the ~1 KAS network cost, and the dominant bots take 5%. The Fair-Launch Radar mints the same on-chain token for a flat 1.75%, non-custodial. Over a wave of mints, that gap is real money kept in your wallet.
KRC-20 is the fungible token standard on Kaspa — the shared format every new Kaspa token uses to define its ticker, supply, and mint rules. It's the Kaspa equivalent of ERC-20 on Ethereum: a set of conventions that wallets, explorers, and tools all recognize, so any KRC-20 token behaves the same way.
ERC-20 tokens are smart contracts you write and deploy on Ethereum. KRC-20 works differently: instead of a contract, you broadcast standardized deploy and mint operations that Kaspa's indexer layer interprets. It's closer to Bitcoin's BRC-20 in mechanics, but runs on Kaspa's fast BlockDAG — and after Toccata, Kaspa gained native token issuance at the base layer.
By design, a classic KRC-20 launch is fair: the deployer sets a max supply and a per-mint limit, then anyone can mint until supply runs out, each paying the same small network fee. But a launch is only a true fair launch if the deployer's pre-mint is zero. Some pre-mint a large allocation — a common rug signal the Fair-Launch Radar grades A–F.
Connect a Kaspa wallet like KasWare or Kastle, pick an open token, and sign a mint that pays roughly 1 KAS in network fee plus a small tool fee. Linkrra's Fair-Launch Radar mints open KRC-20 tokens for a flat 1.75% — nearly 3× cheaper than the 5% the dominant bots charge — and it's non-custodial. New buyers should read how to buy a KRC-20 token.
No. Unlike ERC-20, launching a KRC-20 token doesn't require writing or auditing a smart contract. You define five parameters — ticker, max supply, per-mint limit, decimals, and pre-mint — and broadcast a standardized deploy operation. Full walkthrough: how to create a KRC-20 token.
Now you know what KRC-20 is — watch new ones deploy in real time. Check each launch's fairness grade before you touch it, and mint from your own wallet at a flat 1.75%.