ERC-20 Ether: What It Is, How It Works, and Why It Matters in Crypto

When people say "ERC-20 Ether," they’re usually mixing up two things: ERC-20, a technical standard that defines how tokens behave on the Ethereum blockchain. Also known as Ethereum Request for Comment 20, it doesn’t refer to Ether itself—it’s the rulebook that lets developers create new tokens that work smoothly with wallets, exchanges, and DeFi apps. Ether (ETH) is the native currency of Ethereum. ERC-20 tokens are built on top of it. Think of ETH as the highway, and ERC-20 tokens as the cars driving on it—each one follows the same rules so they can all stop at the same gas stations (exchanges), get picked up by the same ride-sharing apps (DeFi protocols), and be tracked by the same GPS (blockchain explorers).

The Ethereum blockchain, a decentralized network that runs smart contracts and supports token creation. Also known as Ethereum network, it doesn’t care what your token is called—whether it’s MANA, SENSI, or PRIVIX. As long as it follows the ERC-20 rules, it can be sent, received, and traded without extra coding. That’s why over 90% of tokens on Ethereum use this standard. It’s not magic—it’s just consistency. You don’t need a new app for every token. Your MetaMask wallet handles them all the same way. That’s why projects like Decentraland and Sensi can launch fast: they don’t build from scratch. They plug into an existing system.

But here’s the catch: just because a token follows ERC-20 doesn’t mean it’s safe or valuable. The standard only says how tokens move, not whether they’re legit. You’ll see posts here about tokens like PRIVIX and IMG that are technically ERC-20—but have no team, no liquidity, and no future. That’s because ERC-20 is neutral. It’s like a blank check. Anyone can write a name on it. The real work is in who wrote it, why, and whether anyone trusts it. That’s why we look at audits, liquidity, and real usage—not just the token standard.

ERC-20 also connects to bigger ideas like DeFi, a system of financial apps that run without banks, using blockchain and smart contracts. Also known as decentralized finance, it relies on tokens to function. When you lend on Aave or swap on Uniswap, you’re using ERC-20 tokens. Even collateralization in DeFi—locking up your tokens to borrow more—only works because everyone agrees on how those tokens behave. That’s the power of standards. They turn chaos into compatibility.

You won’t find "ERC-20 Ether" as a real asset anywhere. Ether is ETH. ERC-20 is the system. But if you’re looking at any crypto project on Ethereum—whether it’s a metaverse coin, a privacy token, or a DeFi experiment—you’re looking at something built on ERC-20. That’s why this tag matters. Every post here ties back to tokens that run on Ethereum’s backbone. Some are solid. Some are scams. Some are forgotten. But they all follow the same rules. And knowing those rules helps you tell the difference.

Below, you’ll find real reviews, deep dives, and blunt truth about tokens built on Ethereum. No fluff. No hype. Just what’s working, what’s broken, and what you need to know before you send any crypto.