Interchain Token Service
Make a token available on every chain connected to Axelar.
The Interchain Token Service (ITS) makes a token available on many chains, as one token. Each copy of the token is connected to ITS on its chain, and all copies share the same token ID. Transfers between chains burn or lock the token on the source chain and mint or unlock it on the destination chain, so the total supply stays the same.
ITS runs on Axelar's EVM chains, Solana, Sui, Stellar and XRPL. It's permissionless: anyone can deploy a token or connect an existing one, and it stays under their control.
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with the token you want to make interchain. The copied page links to the
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For all of these docs, give it llms.txt,
an index of every page; the bot icon next to GitHub in the sidebar copies its
link. Review what it writes, and test on testnet before mainnet.
Three ways to use ITS
| You want to | Use | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Launch a new token on several chains | Create a new token | An interchain token, deployed by ITS, with the same address on most EVM chains |
| Bring an existing token, deployed on one chain, to more | Register an existing token | Your token is locked on its home chain, and ITS deploys an interchain token on the others |
| Connect your own token contracts on several chains | Link custom tokens | Your contracts stay as they are, and ITS mints and burns, or locks and unlocks, them |
Concepts explains token IDs, the kinds of token and the token managers that connect them to ITS.
How a transfer works
- A user calls
interchainTransferon the token, or on ITS, on the source chain. - The token's token manager burns or locks the tokens, and ITS sends a GMP message to the ITS Hub on Axelar.
- The ITS Hub checks the transfer and forwards it to ITS on the destination chain.
- ITS mints or unlocks the tokens for the recipient. If the transfer carries data, it then calls the recipient contract with it (executable).
Each transfer is a GMP message, and so is each deployment to another chain: pay gas for it on the source chain, and follow it on Axelarscan like any message. See Estimate ITS fees and Track and recover. Express currently doesn't work for ITS transfers.
Addresses
On EVM chains, ITS is at 0xB5FB4BE02232B1bBA4dC8f81dc24C26980dE9e3C and the Interchain Token Factory at 0x83a93500d23Fbc3e82B410aD07A6a9F7A0670D66, on most chains, mainnet and testnet. The exceptions, and the addresses on other chains, are on Chains and contracts.
Make your token available to users
Users can bridge interchain tokens in the Axelar App, Axelar's app for moving tokens between chains.