Ethereum Mainnet vs ERC-20 Tokens Explained | Generated by AI
No, the Ethereum main network and the ERC-20 network are not the same thing, though they are closely related.
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Ethereum Main Network: This is the primary blockchain network for Ethereum. It is where all transactions, smart contracts, and decentralized applications (dApps) are deployed. Ethereum mainnet handles the actual Ethereum cryptocurrency (ETH) and is the foundation of all Ethereum-based activities.
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ERC-20: This is a standard for creating tokens on the Ethereum blockchain. It defines a common set of rules for how tokens should behave, including how they are transferred and how users can access their balances. ERC-20 tokens can be created and exist on the Ethereum blockchain (mainnet), but ERC-20 itself is not a separate network. It’s simply a token standard used on the Ethereum mainnet.
So, when people refer to the Ethereum ERC-20 network, they usually mean the part of the Ethereum mainnet where ERC-20 tokens (like USDT, DAI, etc.) are created, transferred, and used. However, it is still the Ethereum main network, just focused on ERC-20 token transactions.