Native Asset
A native asset is the asset built directly into a blockchain protocol rather than issued by a token smart contract.
✦ Key Insight
Users often need the native asset to pay fees even when transferring a different token.
✕ Common Misconceptions
Do not confuse a network's native asset with tokens that merely use the same network.
Detailed Explanation
In Practice
Dig Deeper
Token
An asset created by a smart contract on an existing blockchain rather than being that blockchain's native currency.
Bitcoin
The first cryptocurrency, launched in 2009, with a supply capped at 21 million coins.
Ethereum
A blockchain designed to run programs, called smart contracts, with ETH as the currency that pays for the computation.
Network Fee
A network fee is the amount paid to have a blockchain transaction processed and included according to that network's fee rules.
Gas Fee
A gas fee is the network fee paid for computation and transaction execution on blockchains that use a gas-based fee model.