Plain English
A native token is the built-in asset of a blockchain — the one used to pay transaction fees and reward validators. BTC on Bitcoin, ETH on Ethereum, SOL on Solana, AVAX on Avalanche. Every chain has exactly one native token.
How it actually works
Native tokens are tracked at the protocol level, not via a smart contract. They are required for any on-chain activity on their network. When you bridge ETH to an L2 like Arbitrum, the bridged version becomes the native gas asset there — same name, different ledger.
What it means for you
Hold the native token of any chain you actually use, in the wallet you use to interact with it. Running out of gas mid-transaction is a common annoyance, and on some chains (Solana, Tron) the gas budget is so small it is barely noticeable; on others (Ethereum mainnet during congestion), a single complex DeFi transaction can cost $50+. Plan ahead.
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Educational content only. Not investment, tax, or legal advice.