When you buy an NFT or trade a token on Ethereum, you're often interacting with a ERC-1155, a smart contract standard that lets one contract handle multiple types of tokens—both fungible and non-fungible—in a single transaction. Also known as the multi-token standard, it’s the quiet engine behind many modern NFT projects, gaming assets, and DeFi tools that used to need dozens of separate contracts.
Before ERC-1155, every NFT needed its own contract, and every token like USDT or ETH needed another. That meant higher gas fees, more code to audit, and slower transactions. ERC-1155 changed that by letting one contract hold hundreds of token types. Think of it like a single warehouse that stores everything from apples to cars—you don’t need a separate building for each item. This is why projects like Enjin and Splinterlands moved to ERC-1155: they needed to issue hundreds of in-game items as tokens without breaking the bank on gas.
It’s not just about saving money. ERC-1155 enables things that were impossible before. You can send a bundle of tokens in one click—a rare NFT, five fungible coins, and a collectible badge—all at once. That’s why blockchain games use it: players get loot drops that include multiple asset types without waiting for five separate transactions. It also makes it easier to create tokenized real-world assets, like event tickets or loyalty points, where some are unique and others are interchangeable.
But it’s not perfect. Because one contract handles so much, a single bug can affect every token inside it. That’s why audits matter more than ever. And while ERC-1155 is great for efficiency, it doesn’t solve everything—like how NFT metadata gets stored or how royalties are enforced. Those still depend on other systems. Still, if you’re looking at any project that issues both NFTs and tokens, chances are it’s built on ERC-1155.
Below, you’ll find real-world examples of how this standard shows up in crypto projects—from NFT airdrops that vanished to exchanges using it behind the scenes. Some posts expose scams hiding under the guise of new token standards. Others show how smart teams use ERC-1155 to build faster, cheaper systems. You won’t find fluff here—just what’s real, what’s broken, and what’s working in 2025.
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