Token Types

Understanding the distinction between pure ERC tokens and HTS tokens is crucial when working with token data on Hedera.

In Beta → Hgraph's Hedera ERC Token Data

This new data service is currently in beta and we encourage all users to provide feedback. Please contact us to share your input.

What is HTS?

Hedera Token Service (HTS) is a native token system that provides token functionality at the protocol level. HTS tokens have built-in features like KYC, freeze, and custom fees that don't require smart contract deployment.

Two Types of ERC-Compatible Tokens on Hedera

1. Pure ERC Tokens (Tracked by this Indexer)

These are standard smart contracts deployed directly to Hedera's EVM, just like on Ethereum or other EVM-compatible chains.

Characteristics:

• Smart contracts deployed directly to the EVM
• Generate real Transfer events from contract code execution
• NOT found in Hedera's native token registry
• Follow standard ERC-20/721 implementations
• Examples: amWHBAR, amUSDC, Aave-style tokens deployed on Hedera

EVM Addresses:

• May have leading zeros (e.g., 0x00000000000000000000000000000000002cc823)
• Standard 20-byte Ethereum addresses

2. HTS Tokens with ERC Facades (Not Included)

These are native Hedera tokens that can be accessed through EVM precompiles to provide ERC compatibility.

Characteristics:

• Native Hedera Token Service tokens
• Created through Hedera's native token APIs
• Can be accessed via smart contracts using HIP-218/376 precompiles
• Emit standard ERC events when called via smart contracts
• When executed via HAPI (non-EVM), mirror nodes emit synthetic logs to mimic ERC events
• Examples: USDC (0.0.456858), WHBAR (0.0.1456986), KARATE, HST

Special Addresses:

• Use derived "long-zero" addresses (entity ID padded with 24 zeros)
• Example: Token 0.0.456858 → 0x0000000000000000000000000000000006f89a

How to Identify Token Types

Identifying HTS Tokens

HTS tokens have these characteristics:

• Have a Hedera token ID (e.g., 0.0.456858)
• Use 8-byte topic format consistently in events
• Events emitted via precompile mechanism
• Have native Hedera features (KYC, freeze, custom fees)
• Can be found in Hedera's token registry

Identifying Pure ERC Tokens

Pure ERC tokens have these characteristics:

• Only exist as smart contracts on the EVM
• Use various topic formats in events
• Events emitted directly from contract code
• Standard ERC-20/721 smart contract implementations
• No native Hedera token ID

Why This Distinction Matters

For Developers

1. Different APIs: HTS tokens can be queried through native Hedera APIs, while pure ERC tokens require EVM/contract queries
2. Event Structure: Event topic formats differ between the two types
3. Feature Set: HTS tokens have additional native features not available to pure ERC tokens

For Users

1. Wallet Support: Some wallets may handle HTS tokens differently than pure ERC tokens
2. Transaction Fees: HTS token operations may have different fee structures
3. Compliance Features: HTS tokens can have built-in KYC and freeze capabilities

Examples

Pure ERC-20 Token Query

query GetPureERC20Tokens {
  erc_beta_token(
    where: {
      contract_type: { _eq: "ERC_20" }
      # These are pure ERC tokens deployed as smart contracts
    }
    limit: 10
  ) {
    token_id
    name
    symbol
    decimals
    evm_address
  }
}

Topic Format Variations

When analyzing Transfer events, Hedera account IDs can appear in different formats:

Length	Format	Description	Example (Account 924713)
3 bytes (6 hex)	Compressed	Accounts < 16.7M	0x0e1c29
4 bytes (8 hex)	Padded	Larger accounts	0x000e1c29
8 bytes (16 hex)	HTS Standard	HTS format	0x00000000000e1c29
20 bytes (40 hex)	EVM Address	EVM-native	0x3a6bef9dc803206a...
32 bytes (64 hex)	Full Padding	Ethereum style	0x000000...000e1c29

Pure ERC tokens typically use the 20-byte or 32-byte formats, while HTS tokens consistently use the 8-byte format.

Summary

The Hedera ERC Indexer specifically tracks pure ERC tokens - standard smart contracts deployed to Hedera's EVM. These tokens follow the same patterns as ERC tokens on Ethereum and other EVM chains. HTS tokens, while offering ERC compatibility through precompiles, are native Hedera tokens with additional features and are not included in this dataset.

When querying the GraphQL API, all tokens returned are pure ERC implementations, ensuring consistent behavior and standard ERC interfaces.