What is light-token?
Light-token is like SPL token stored more efficiently to reduce account creation cost while being more CU efficient than SPL on hot paths. Users receive and send the same tokens.| Creation Cost | SPL | Light |
|---|---|---|
| Mint Account | ~1,500,000 lamports | 15,000 lamports |
| Token Account | ~2,000,000 lamports | ~17,000 lamports |
| CU Performance | light-token CU | SPL-token CU | p-token CU |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATA Creation | 4,348 | 14,194 | 14,194 |
| Transfer (base path) | 312 | 4,645 | 79 |
| Transfer (rent-free hot path) | 1,885 | 4,645 | 79 |
Can I start using the Light-Token Standard?
Light-token is currently deployed on devnet and undergoing security audits.Do I need to change my client code significantly?
No. Thelight-token-sdk follows similar patterns to SPL.
Can light-token accounts hold SPL tokens?
Yes, light-token accounts can hold tokens from light, SPL, or Token 2022 mints. SPL tokens can be deposited into light-token accounts and withdrawn back to SPL token accounts via thetransferInterface method.
Do light-token accounts require rent?
Rent is paid over time when accounts are accessed via a custom rent config instead of the full rent-exemption upfront:- The rent-exemption for light-token account creation is sponsored by Light Protocol.
- Transaction payer’s pay rent
to keep accounts “active”. - “Inactive” accounts, where rent is below one epoch, are compressed
and the rent-exemption can be claimed by the rent sponsor. - Transfers to inactive accounts (decompress).
| Event | Total Cost | Payer | Time of Rent funded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Account Creation | Transaction payer | Funds 24h rent | |
| Automatic Top ups (when rent < 3h) | 776 lamports | Transaction payer | Funds 3h rent |
| Load Account (when inactive) | Transaction payer | Funds 24h rent |
What happens if my light-token account runs out of rent?
The account is automatically compressed. Your tokens are preserved as a compressed token account (rent-free). The account is automatically decompressed when someone interacts with it again.Does light-token support extensions?
Extensions are under development. Additional extensions can be requested. Coming soon:- MetadataPointer
- TokenMetadata
- InterestBearingConfig
- GroupPointer
- GroupMemberPointer
- TokenGroup
- TokenGroupMember
- MintCloseAuthority
- TransferFeeConfig
- DefaultAccountState
- PermanentDelegate
- TransferHook
- Pausable
- ConfidentialTransferMint
- ConfidentialTransferFeeConfig
- ConfidentialMintBurn
What is the difference between light-token and compressed token?
- light-token: Solana account that holds token balances of light-mints, SPL or Token 22 mints.
- Compressed token: Compressed account storing token data. Rent-free, for storage and distribution.