Native Asset
token · layer-1
The primary built-in currency of a blockchain used for fees, incentives, and security.
A native asset is the base currency of a blockchain (e.g., BCH on Bitcoin Cash) issued and accounted for by the chain itself. It pays transaction fees and incentivizes validators/miners.
Native assets secure the network by rewarding miners/validators, enable economic activity via payments, and often serve as the unit of account for on-chain protocols.
A native asset differs from a token or wrapped asset because it is part of the base protocol rather than issued by a contract, bridge, or token system. Losing access to a bridge may affect a wrapped version, but it does not change the native asset on its original chain.
Related terms
Layer-1
→The base blockchain layer that defines consensus, transaction validity, settlement, and data availability.
blockchain · architecture
Mainnet
→Mainnet is the live, production blockchain where real-value transactions occur, as opposed to test networks.
blockchain · environment
Token
→A transferable or accountable unit defined by a blockchain protocol, smart contract, or application ledger.
blockchain · asset