What Is BEP-20?
BEP-20 is the technical standard for fungible tokens on BNB Smart Chain (BSC). It's closely modeled on Ethereum's ERC-20 standard, defining a common set of rules so tokens behave consistently across wallets, exchanges, and apps on BNB Chain — but with the benefit of lower fees and faster transactions.
Because BEP-20 is compatible in design with ERC-20, developers can deploy and adapt tokens across both ecosystems with relative ease, which helped BNB Chain grow quickly.
How Does BEP-20 Work?
A token is deployed on BNB Smart Chain following the BEP-20 standard.
The token implements standard functions (transfer, balance checks, approvals).
Wallets and apps that support BEP-20 can interact with any compliant token.
Transactions are paid for with BNB as the gas fee.
BEP-20 vs ERC-20
| Feature | BEP-20 | ERC-20 |
|---|---|---|
| Blockchain | BNB Smart Chain | Ethereum |
| Gas token | BNB | ETH |
| Fees | Lower | Higher |
| Speed | Faster | Slower |
| Design basis | Modeled on ERC-20 | Original standard |
Why Does BEP-20 Matter?
Low fees — cheaper transactions than Ethereum mainnet.
Fast confirmations — quick block times on BNB Chain.
ERC-20 familiarity — easy for developers to adopt.
Large ecosystem — widely used across BNB Chain DeFi and apps.
A Note on Compatibility
While BEP-20 and ERC-20 are similar in design, they live on different blockchains. Sending an ERC-20 token to a BEP-20 address (or vice versa) without a proper bridge can result in lost funds. Always confirm you're using the correct network for the token you're moving.
BEP-20 and Trust Wallet
Trust Wallet has deep support for BNB Chain and BEP-20 tokens — you can store, send, receive, and swap them directly in the app, and add custom BEP-20 tokens by contract address. As a non-custodial wallet across 100+ blockchains, Trust Wallet keeps you in control of your keys; just keep some BNB on hand to cover gas fees when transacting with BEP-20 tokens.
