What is a jetton? A plain guide to tokens on TON
A jetton is a token on the TON blockchain, built under TON's token standard in the same way ERC20 tokens live on Ethereum and TRC20 tokens live on Tron. USDT on TON and Notcoin (NOT) are both jettons, and you receive them at your normal TON address. This guide explains how TON jettons work, what you pay to send them, and how to tell a real jetton from a fake copy.
What is a jetton on TON?
A jetton is a fungible token issued on TON, where every unit is interchangeable with every other unit, like dollars in a bank balance. The name comes from TON's token standard, which sets the rules every jetton follows so wallets and apps can handle them the same way.
Toncoin is different: it is the native coin of the network, not a jetton. Toncoin pays for the network itself, while jettons are assets that projects and issuers create on top of it, from stablecoins to game tokens.
How do TON jettons work?
Every jetton starts with one master contract, a smart contract that defines the token: its name, symbol, decimals and total supply. This master contract is the identity of the token, and its address is what makes a jetton unique.
Here is the part that makes TON different. Your balance of a jetton is not stored in one big shared list. Instead, each holder gets a small separate contract called a jetton wallet, and its address is calculated from two things: your TON address and the jetton's master contract.
You never need to deal with that jetton wallet yourself. When someone sends you USDT on TON, they enter your normal TON address, and the network routes the tokens to the jetton wallet that belongs to you. One TON address is enough for every jetton you hold.
USDT on TON and Notcoin: well-known jettons
The best-known jettons are USDT on TON, the TON version of the Tether stablecoin, and Notcoin (NOT), which reached many people through a Telegram tap-to-earn game and its airdrop. Both follow the same standard, so a TON wallet can hold and send them in the same way.
USDT on TON is still USDT, but it lives only on TON. It cannot be read on Tron or Ethereum, so the receiver must accept USDT on the TON network specifically.
Do you need TON to send a jetton?
Yes. Every transaction on TON, including a jetton transfer, pays its network fee in Toncoin, not in the token you are sending. If your wallet holds USDT on TON but no TON at all, the transfer cannot go out.
Keep a small amount of TON next to your jettons. A jetton transfer involves more than one contract, so its fee is usually a bit higher than a plain TON transfer, and your wallet shows the exact fee before you confirm.
- Fee coin for any jetton: TON
- Receiver needs: a TON address, nothing extra
- Fee shown: on the review screen before you send
When do you need a comment (memo) for jettons?
A comment, or memo, is needed only when you deposit to an exchange that asks for one. Many exchanges use a single shared TON address for all customers and use the comment to know whose deposit it is.
If the deposit page shows both an address and a comment, copy both. When you send jettons to a friend or to your own wallet, no comment is required, because that address belongs to one person.
Jetton vs ERC20 vs TRC20: what's the difference?
Jettons, ERC20 and TRC20 are all token standards, each tied to its own blockchain. The idea is the same, but the network, the fee coin and the address you share are different:
| Standard | Network | Fee paid in | Address format | Memo needed? | Example tokens |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jetton | TON | TON | Starts with UQ or EQ | Only for exchange deposits that ask for a comment | USDT on TON, NOT |
| ERC20 | Ethereum | ETH | Starts with 0x | Usually not | USDT (ERC20), USDC |
| TRC20 | Tron | TRX (or energy) | Starts with T | Usually not | USDT (TRC20) |
How to tell a real jetton from a fake one
A real jetton is identified by its master contract address, not by its name or logo. Anyone can create a new jetton called USDT with the Tether logo in a few minutes, and it will be worth nothing.
Spam and scam jettons are often sent for free to many wallets. Their name or description carries a link to a claim site that asks you to connect your wallet, sign something or enter your recovery phrase.
- Check the master contract address against an official source, not the token name.
- Treat unexpected tokens as spam; do not visit links in their names.
- Never type your 24 words into any site, bot or form to claim tokens.
- If a deal or airdrop needs you to pay first, walk away.
Jettons in Waletifi
Waletifi shows only tokens from its verified token list, and their contracts and decimals come from that list only. On TON that means TON, USDT (Tether) and NOT (Notcoin). Unlisted tokens are not shown, and spam tokens stay hidden.
A hidden token is not deleted. It is still on chain at your address, and because your phrase is a standard TON phrase, you can see it by restoring the same phrase in another standard TON wallet.
Before you send, the review screen shows the recipient and the network fee and warns you about look-alike addresses. Waletifi does not support TON Connect, so it cannot be connected to dApps or mini apps. Where your region allows it, the conversion feature lets you move value between coins and networks.
