BEP-20: Binance Smart Chain token standard

In the rapidly evolving landscape of blockchain technology, the standardization of tokens has been a pivotal development, laying the groundwork for the burgeoning ecosystem that characterizes the modern blockchain space. Platforms like Ethereum and Binance Smart Chain (BSC) have paved the way for decentralized applications (DApps), each powered by its own unique token. These tokens, beyond being mere assets, serve as the lifeblood of DApps, facilitating utility functions, economic transactions, and governance activities within the ecosystem.

Tokens adhere to specific frameworks known as Token Standards, which are essentially a compilation of rules and protocols embedded within the smart contracts. This adherence ensures seamless interoperability and integration across various applications, including wallets and exchanges, thereby fortifying the ecosystem's cohesion. Without compliance to these standards, tokens risk isolation by failing to interact with the broader network of applications.

Among the myriad of blockchain platforms, each has developed its own token standards to which DApps must conform. The Ethereum network, for instance, introduced the ERC-20 standard, a blueprint for creating tokens on its platform. In a similar vein, the Binance Smart Chain has established the BEP-20 standard, setting the stage for token development within its ecosystem.

Moreover, the transition to Web3 and the integration of blockchain technology necessitates a degree of adaptability and innovation. Utilizing BSC and its BEP20 standard not only broadens the scope for project development but also enriches the ecosystem with possibilities for cross-chain and multi-token functionalities.

This overview seeks to demystify the BEP-20 standard, offering insights into its role within the BSC and Binance Chain ecosystems, and underscoring the benefits of leveraging advanced development for creating and deploying tokens on BSC.

What Is Binance Smart Chain?

The Binance Smart Chain (BSC) is a sophisticated blockchain platform designed to support smart contract functionality, operating alongside the Binance Chain, which is tailored for high-speed trading with superior transaction capacity. This dual-chain architecture facilitates a versatile and efficient ecosystem, catering to a broad range of blockchain applications.

Launched in 2019 by Binance, one of the foremost centralized cryptocurrency exchanges, the Binance Chain was developed to underpin the decentralized exchange (DEX) variant, Binance DEX. Focused on speedy and decentralized trading, Binance Chain introduced the BNB token, capped at 200 million units, serving as the network's utility token.

The primary limitation of Binance Chain is its deliberate exclusion of smart contract capabilities to avoid network congestion, a decision aimed at maintaining high transaction speeds for trading. This trade-off became particularly notable in the context of blockchain games like CryptoKitties, which significantly slowed down the Ethereum network due to its popularity.

To address this, Binance unveiled the Binance Smart Chain in September 2020. BSC is a parallel blockchain that enables smart contract execution and is fully compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), allowing for straightforward migration of EVM-based projects. Unlike typical sidechains or Layer-2 solutions, BSC is an autonomous blockchain that remains operational independently of the Binance Chain.

EVM compatibility ensures that developers can easily transfer their decentralized applications (DApps) to BSC, while users continue to enjoy familiar interfaces such as MetaMask for interacting with the blockchain. This compatibility leverages the extensive development and user base of the Ethereum ecosystem, fostering growth and innovation on BSC.

BSC employs the Proof of Staked Authority (PoSA) consensus mechanism, a variant of Proof-of-Stake (PoS), to secure the network. This model allows for approximately 3-second block times, significantly faster than Ethereum, by requiring validators to stake BNB tokens. Validators are compensated through transaction fees from the blocks they validate, rather than traditional block rewards, emphasizing the deflationary nature of BNB through a fixed supply and periodic token burns by the Binance team.

The synergy between Binance Chain and BSC is encapsulated in their dual-chain architecture, enabling seamless asset transfers across both chains through compatible wallets such as the Binance Chain Wallet or Trust Wallet. This cross-chain functionality enhances user experience, providing flexibility in asset management and application interaction within the Binance ecosystem.

What Is BEP-20?

The BEP-20 token standard represents a pivotal advancement in the Binance Smart Chain (BSC) ecosystem, building upon the ERC-20, Ethereum's widely recognized token framework. This standard serves as a comprehensive blueprint for token development on BSC, facilitating a broad spectrum of functionalities including spending mechanisms, ownership rules, and other key operational guidelines. Its design ensures compatibility not only with Ethereum's ERC-20 tokens but also with BEP-2 tokens from the BNB Beacon Chain, fostering a versatile and interconnected blockchain environment.

BEP-20 aims to offer developers the flexibility to craft a diverse range of tokens, from digital representations of equity in a company to stablecoins backed by real-world assets. The innovation doesn't stop there; it extends to the creation of "Peggy" coins, which are BEP-20 tokens that mirror the value of other cryptocurrencies, enhancing BSC's utility by incorporating assets from different blockchains.

The essence of the BEP-20 framework is its emphasis on cross-chain compatibility and efficiency. Transactions involving BEP-20 tokens require BNB for gas fees, incentivizing validators to process transactions swiftly. This mechanism underscores BSC's dual-chain architecture, where the BSC operates alongside the BNB Beacon Chain, each serving distinct functions within the Binance ecosystem. The BSC is optimized for running decentralized applications (DApps) without overloading the Beacon Chain, which is tailored for rapid trading operations.

Token creation under the BEP-20 standard is accessible and user-friendly, thanks to tools like CoinTool, which streamline the process for those without extensive programming expertise. Parameters such as the ability to mint, burn, pause transactions, or blacklist addresses provide token creators with significant control over their tokens' operational dynamics, balancing flexibility with security.

For individuals and developers keen on diving deeper into the BEP-20 standard or considering launching their own tokens on the BSC platform, resources like the draft proposal on GitHub offer invaluable insights. Whether for tokenized securities, stablecoins, or innovative Peggy Coins, the BEP-20 standard lays a solid foundation for exploring the full potential of blockchain technology and the expansive Binance Smart Chain ecosystem.

Parameters in BEP20 Token Standard

Understanding the BEP-20 standard involves more than just knowing its basic definition; it requires a deep dive into the specific parameters that outline the functionalities of BEP-20 tokens. These parameters play a crucial role in determining how BEP-20 tokens operate within the Binance Smart Chain ecosystem. Key parameters of the BEP-20 standard include:

Blacklist: This feature allows for the exclusion or banning of suspect BEP-20 addresses or those identified as malicious, enhancing the security of the ecosystem.

Can Mint: Acting as an inflationary mechanism, the "Can Mint" parameter outlines the conditions under which new tokens can be created, thereby increasing the total supply of the BEP-20 tokens.

Can Burn: As a deflationary counterbalance to "Can Mint," the "Can Burn" parameter provides the ability to permanently remove tokens from circulation, effectively reducing the total token supply.

Can Pause: This innovative feature offers a critical safeguard against malicious activities or unforeseen downtime by allowing the suspension of all operations related to BEP-20 tokens. This function, however, centralizes control to the token creator or designated authorities, who are the only ones able to initiate a pause in the token's activities.

These parameters collectively define the operational landscape for BEP-20 tokens, offering a blend of security, flexibility, and control that underpins the utility and functionality of tokens within the Binance Smart Chain network.

Dual Chain Architecture

The innovative dual-chain architecture employed by Binance, encompassing both the Binance Chain and the Binance Smart Chain (BSC), stands out as a key feature for users managing BEP20 wallet addresses and transactions. This setup allows the two chains to operate concurrently, utilizing the BNB token as a shared native asset across both ecosystems.

Distinctly, each chain functions independently, with the dual-chain design acting as a bridge facilitating the smooth transfer of assets and ensuring interoperability between the chains. The Binance Bridge plays a pivotal role in this architecture, offering a sophisticated mechanism that enables the seamless movement of assets across the two platforms. Despite their close integration, it's crucial to recognize that BSC operates autonomously from the Binance Chain.

This separation introduces unique token standards applicable to each chain. Specifically, the BEP20 standard is designated as the native token standard for the Binance Smart Chain. The BEP20 standard is instrumental in defining the functionality and interoperability of tokens within the BSC ecosystem, offering a wide range of uses from simple transfers to complex smart contract functions.

Differences between BEP-20 and BEP-2 tokens

While BEP-20 and BEP-2 token standards share similarities and can be swapped with relative ease, they possess distinct characteristics that cater to their respective blockchain environments. BEP-2 is the foundational token standard for the original Binance Chain, designed primarily to facilitate fast and efficient trading. On the other hand, BEP-20 is tailored for the Binance Smart Chain (BSC), supporting the decentralized finance (DeFi) ecosystem with its compatibility for smart contracts and decentralized applications (DApps).

One of the key differences between these two standards lies in their wallet address formats and operational specifics. For BEP-2 tokens, the wallet addresses commence with "bnb" and necessitate the use of a MEMO—a unique identifier essential for correctly allocating funds to the intended account, especially within the Binance exchange platform.

Conversely, BEP-20 wallet addresses begin with "0x", aligning with the address format used by Ethereum and its tokens. This similarity is due to BEP-20's design to ensure compatibility with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), facilitating a seamless transition for developers and users within the Ethereum ecosystem.

These differences extend to the usage of various wallets, such as Trust Wallet, where the distinction between BEP-2 and BEP-20 addresses plays a crucial role in managing assets across the Binance Chain and Binance Smart Chain. Understanding these distinctions is vital for anyone engaged in transferring, receiving, or holding tokens within the Binance ecosystem, ensuring that transactions are correctly executed and assets are securely managed.

Difference between BEP-20 and ERC-20 tokens

For those new to blockchain terminology, the distinction between BEP-20 and ERC-20 tokens might not be immediately clear. At their core, the primary difference between these two types of tokens lies in the blockchain networks they are built upon. BEP-20 tokens are native to the Binance Smart Chain (BSC), while ERC-20 tokens are developed on the Ethereum blockchain. Despite this fundamental difference, the two types of tokens share a lot in terms of functionality.

BEP-20 and ERC-20 tokens are designed to facilitate similar operations within their respective ecosystems, such as representing value, facilitating transactions, and interacting with smart contracts. Moreover, BEP-20 tokens are designed to be compatible with ERC-20 tokens, allowing for relatively easy swaps between the two, thanks to BSC's compatibility with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). This interoperability is a significant advantage for users and developers looking to bridge assets between Binance Smart Chain and Ethereum.

This compatibility stems from Binance's strategic decision to create the Binance Smart Chain as a parallel blockchain that complements its existing Binance Chain. Essentially, Binance utilized the foundational principles of the Ethereum blockchain to forge BSC, incorporating the EVM to ensure compatibility with Ethereum's well-established developer ecosystem. Over time, Binance has introduced unique features to BSC, differentiating it from Ethereum and tailoring it to the platform's specific needs, particularly in the realm of decentralized finance (DeFi) and beyond. This approach has allowed Binance to leverage the robustness of Ethereum's architecture while offering enhancements and optimizations to cater to its growing user base.

How to receive BEP-20 tokens?

Receiving a BEP-20 token is straightforward; it involves directing the token to your Binance Smart Chain (BSC) address. An interesting point to note is that the format for BEP-20 token receive addresses mirrors that of Ethereum addresses, both starting with "0x…". This similarity underscores the importance of clear communication with the sender regarding the specific token you wish to receive, as well as the network on which you expect to receive it. Given the cross-compatibility between Ethereum and BSC, ensuring clarity on these details can prevent potential confusion or misdirected transactions, helping to ensure that the tokens reach the intended destination on the correct blockchain network.

How to send BEP-20 tokens?

Transferring a BEP-20 token essentially involves signaling to the token's smart contract on the Binance Smart Chain (BSC) that a transaction needs to be executed. For this transaction to take place, the smart contract necessitates a small amount of BNB to cover the network fees. This requirement is why BNB is utilized as the transaction fee when you're sending BEP-20 tokens.

Moreover, the reliance on BNB for transaction fees is the reason behind the inability to send BEP-20 tokens if your BNB balance is depleted. Without a sufficient BNB balance, the blockchain does not have the necessary "fuel" to process and validate the transaction. This underscores the importance of keeping a modest amount of BNB in your wallet to facilitate ongoing transactions within the Binance Smart Chain ecosystem, ensuring smooth and uninterrupted token transfers.

Please note that Plisio also offers you:

Create Crypto Invoices in 2 Clicks and Accept Crypto Donations

12 integrations

6 libraries for the most popular programming languages

19 cryptocurrencies and 12 blockchains