How to create a token on Optimism

How to create a token on Optimism trips people up before they even start: they assume they need OP tokens, and they do not. Gas on OP Mainnet is paid in ETH.

With a no-code tool the token is a standard ERC-20 smart contract, deployed and auto-verified on Optimistic Etherscan in about a minute, for cents. First the OP question, then the steps.

You pay gas in ETH, not OP

Optimism has its own token, OP, so it is natural to assume you need it to deploy. You do not. OP is the governance token of the Optimism Collective; it does not pay for gas.

Gas on OP Mainnet is ETH, exactly like Ethereum. Back in 2022 there was a governance proposal to let OP pay gas at a discount, but it was never shipped, so ignore any blog still repeating a "pay gas in OP for 25% off" line. All your wallet needs is a little ETH.

To get ETH onto Optimism, bridge it from Ethereum through the Optimism bridge, or withdraw ETH to the Optimism network from an exchange that lists it.

Create a token on Optimism: step by step

Open the Optimism token creator. From a blank form to a live token is about a minute.

Step 1: Connect and switch to OP Mainnet

Connect MetaMask or another wallet and switch it to OP Mainnet, chain ID 10. Fund it with a little ETH for gas.

Step 2: Enter the token details

Set the name, symbol, total supply, and decimals, which are almost always 18. The name and symbol are baked into the contract at deploy, so check them before you move on.

Step 3: Standard or advanced

A plain token needs nothing here. Advanced options add a buy or sell tax, minting, burning, or a pausable switch, and move you to the higher fee tier.

Step 4: Review the fee

The tool fee is 0.01 ETH for a standard token, or 0.03 ETH with advanced features, shown before you sign. Network gas is separate and runs a few cents.

Step 5: Deploy, and it verifies itself

Sign in MetaMask. The contract deploys in seconds, and Tokenry verifies it on Optimistic Etherscan automatically, with no manual verification step. Holders can read the source the moment the token is live.

What deployment actually costs

Two numbers: the tool fee, and gas. The tool fee is 0.01 ETH standard or 0.03 ETH advanced. Gas is the small one, a few cents of ETH.

The reason it is that cheap is worth knowing. Since the Ecotone upgrade in March 2024, Optimism posts its transaction data to Ethereum as blobs instead of calldata, which cut its data fees by an order of magnitude. So the same ERC-20 that can cost tens of dollars in gas on Ethereum mainnet costs cents here.

Add liquidity on Velodrome or Uniswap

A fresh token has no market until you create one. Add it to your wallet first: in MetaMask on OP Mainnet, choose Import tokens and paste the contract address.

Then open a pool, pair your token with ETH, and set the opening price by the ratio you deposit. Two venues matter on Optimism. Uniswap is here and familiar. Velodrome is Optimism's native ve(3,3) DEX, where a new project can attract liquidity by earning vote-directed emissions instead of paying rewards out of pocket.

Once a pool is live, the token trades across Optimism's DeFi apps. Locking or burning the liquidity afterward is a common trust signal, and you can seed early holders with the Optimism multisender.

One token across the Superchain

Optimism built the OP Stack, the framework behind the Superchain, the group of L2 blockchains that includes Base and Unichain. For a token creator that means one thing: yours is a standard ERC-20, so the same tool redeploys it on any OP Stack chain.

Do not assume cross-chain is automatic, though. Native transfers between Superchain chains are still rolling out, so the token you deploy today lives on Optimism until you deploy a matching one elsewhere.

Who controls the token

At deploy, the contract belongs to your wallet. Tokenry is non-custodial and never touches your keys.

For a community token, the trust question is whether you can still change the rules. Renounce ownership from the Optimism token manager and the settings become final. It cannot be reversed, so renounce only once the token is exactly how you want it.

Educational content, not financial advice. Tokenry is a self-serve, non-custodial tool, not a financial advisor. Crypto is volatile and risky - always do your own research before creating or investing in any token.