> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.tavchain.safeney.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Native TAV and application tokens

> Distinguish native TAV from ERC-20 assets, identify tokens by chain and contract address, and handle token decimals and gas correctly.

Tavchain has a native coin, TAV, and supports smart-contract tokens such as ERC-20s. Their balances and uses are different.

## Native TAV

Use TAV for native transfers and transaction gas. On testnet, obtain valueless Test TAV from the [faucet](https://docs.tavchain.safeney.com/tavchain/faucet.md). Read its balance with `eth_getBalance`.

## Contract tokens

An ERC-20 records token balances in a smart contract. Identify it by **network and contract address**, not its ticker alone. Two contracts can use the same symbol without representing the same asset.

Read a token's own `decimals()` when displaying amounts. Its decimals do not have to match native TAV's 18 decimals. An ERC-20 balance does not replace the TAV needed for gas.

## Build an example token

Follow [Create and transfer an ERC-20 token](https://docs.tavchain.safeney.com/tavchain/erc20-token.md) to deploy OpenZeppelin's Gold (GLD) example, read its supply and transfer tokens. GLD is a fictional demonstration, not gold-backed or an official Tavchain asset.

[Read a token balance](https://docs.tavchain.safeney.com/tavchain/api/reference-token.md) · [Tavcoin units](https://docs.tavchain.safeney.com/tavchain/learn/tavcoin.md)


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