Guide
What Is a Compressed NFT (cNFT)? How Solana Makes Mass Minting Cheap
Bottom line: an NFT built for cheap, large-scale minting
A compressed NFT (compressed NFT / cNFT) is a Solana NFT that uses a technology called state compression to dramatically lower minting costs. Whereas a regular NFT stores all of its data in an individual account, a cNFT records only a cryptographic summary of the data (Merkle tree information) on-chain. This is what makes mass minting orders of magnitude cheaper.
Key takeaways
A compressed NFT = an NFT whose cost is drastically reduced through state compression. Only a summary (a Merkle tree) is recorded on-chain, while the underlying data is held off-chain yet remains verifiable. Minted with Metaplex's Bubblegum. Well suited to mass distribution and in-game items. For the basics, see Getting Started with Solana NFTs.
How it works (in plain terms)
Solana's concurrent Merkle trees combined with Metaplex's Bubblegum program let you record many NFTs together in a single tree. Each NFT is represented as the hash of a "leaf" on the tree, and the key point is that its legitimacy can be verified without storing all of the data.
| Aspect | Regular NFT | Compressed NFT (cNFT) |
|---|---|---|
| Storage method | All data in an individual account | Only a summary (Merkle tree) on-chain |
| Minting cost | Relatively high | Orders of magnitude cheaper (great for mass minting) |
| Use case | One-of-a-kind pieces, collections | Mass distribution, games, tickets, etc. |
According to official documentation and various explainers, cNFTs can significantly reduce the cost of mass minting compared with regular NFTs (the exact reduction varies by scale).
Where are they used?
- Mass distribution: handing out large numbers of event passes, coupons, and the like
- Games: minting many items or characters at low cost
- Loyalty: membership cards, stamps, and similar
Things to watch out for
- Handling them requires a compatible wallet/service (some older tools may not support them)
- Because their internal structure differs from regular NFTs, display and transfer behavior can differ
Read next
- Basics → Getting Started with Solana NFTs
- Entry point → Introduction to the Solana Ecosystem
Frequently asked questions
Q. What is a compressed NFT? A. It's a Solana NFT that uses state compression to dramatically lower minting costs. Only a summary of the data (a Merkle tree) is recorded on-chain.
Q. Why can they be minted so cheaply? A. Because rather than storing all the data in individual accounts, only the Merkle tree summary is recorded on-chain, which greatly reduces storage costs.
Q. How do they differ from regular NFTs? A. Their legitimacy can be verified in the same way, but the storage method is different, and the standout feature is that mass minting is orders of magnitude cheaper. They suit games and large-scale distribution.
Q. How do you create one? A. You mint them with tools such as Metaplex's Bubblegum. Since this requires development knowledge, most people use a service that supports them.
Read next
- Launching a full collection instead? → How to launch an NFT collection on Solana
Sources
- Metaplex official (Bubblegum): https://developers.metaplex.com/bubblegum
- Solana official (State Compression): https://solana.com/developers/courses/state-compression
A note before investing
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Crypto assets (including SOL) carry risks such as price volatility, hacking, and network outages. Make investment decisions at your own responsibility and only with funds you can afford to lose.
Sources
FAQ
- What is a compressed NFT?
- It's a Solana NFT that uses state compression to dramatically lower minting costs. Only a summary of the data (a Merkle tree) is recorded on-chain, while the underlying content is held off-chain yet remains verifiable.
- Why can they be minted so cheaply?
- Because rather than storing all the data in individual accounts, only the Merkle tree summary is recorded on-chain, which greatly reduces storage costs.
- How do they differ from regular NFTs?
- Their legitimacy can be verified in the same way, but the storage method is different, and mass minting is orders of magnitude cheaper. That makes them well suited to games and large-scale distribution.
- How do you create a compressed NFT?
- You mint them with tools such as Metaplex's Bubblegum. Since this requires development knowledge, it's common to use a service that supports them.
This article is informational only and is not financial, investment, or trading advice. Prices are reference snapshots and may be outdated. Always do your own research.
