Canton Coin (CC) is the native utility token of the Global Synchronizer, providing the economic foundation for network operations.
What is Canton Coin?
Canton Coin is the native token used to:
| Use | Description |
|---|
| Transaction fees (Traffic) | Pay for network usage when submitting transactions |
| Validator rewards | Incentivize infrastructure operators |
| Governance | Super Validators stake CC to participate |
Traffic: Transaction Fees
“Traffic” is Canton’s term for transaction fees. To transact on the Global Synchronizer, you need traffic credits in your validator’s traffic budget.
The two-step process:
- Top up: Convert Canton Coin to traffic credits, which are added to the validator’s traffic budget
- Consume: When transactions are submitted, traffic credits are deducted from the budget
Traffic credits are non-transferable—once CC is converted to traffic, it can only be used to pay for transaction fees.
How Traffic Works
Traffic costs depend on:
| Factor | Impact |
|---|
| Transaction size | Larger transactions cost more |
| Computational complexity | More complex operations cost more |
| Network demand | May vary with network load |
Traffic Management
To ensure your transactions can be processed:
- Maintain traffic credits in your validator’s traffic budget
- Top up by converting CC to traffic credits when the budget gets low
- Monitor usage to plan for costs
If your validator’s traffic budget is exhausted, transactions will fail. Validators can configure auto-top-up to automatically convert CC to traffic credits when the balance falls below a threshold.
Obtaining Canton Coin
How you obtain CC depends on the environment:
| Environment | Method |
|---|
| LocalNet | Automatically available (test CC) |
| DevNet | Faucet (“tapping”) provides test CC |
| TestNet | Faucet provides test CC |
| MainNet | Purchase or earn through network activity |
DevNet/TestNet Faucet
On test networks, you can “tap” for free test CC:
- Access your wallet interface
- Use the tap/faucet functionality
- Receive test CC (no real value)
Test CC is rate-limited and has no economic value.
MainNet Acquisition
On MainNet, CC has real economic value:
| Method | Description |
|---|
| Exchanges | Purchase from supported exchanges |
| Network activity | Earn through validator operations |
| Direct transfer | Receive from other parties |
Validator Rewards
Validators operating on the Global Synchronizer can earn CC through:
| Reward Type | Description |
|---|
| Liveness rewards | For maintaining node availability |
| Transaction rewards | Share of traffic fees |
Tokenomics
The Global Synchronizer’s tokenomics are designed to:
| Goal | Mechanism |
|---|
| Sustain infrastructure | Rewards for operators |
| Ensure fair pricing | Market-driven traffic costs |
| Facilitate governance alignment | Stake-based participation |
| Foster network growth | Incentives for adoption |
Canton Coin vs. Other Cryptocurrencies
| Aspect | Canton Coin | Other L1 Tokens |
|---|
| Primary use | Network utility | Varies |
| Privacy | Balances private | Often public |
| Holders visible | Only to entitled parties | Public |
| Transaction fees | Pay for traffic | Pay for gas |
Privacy of Holdings
Unlike most cryptocurrencies where balances are publicly visible:
- Your CC balance is visible only to you and entitled parties
- Transfer details are private between sender and receiver
- No public rich list or balance queries
Integration Considerations
For Application Developers
| Consideration | Approach |
|---|
| Traffic estimation | Estimate costs for user operations |
| Top-up flows | Build automatic or user-triggered top-ups |
| Error handling | Handle insufficient balance gracefully |
| User communication | Inform users about traffic costs |
For Validators
| Consideration | Approach |
|---|
| Traffic budget monitoring | Track traffic credits balance for your hosted parties |
| Auto-top-up | Configure automatic CC → traffic conversion when budget is low |
| Reward management | Handle earned CC rewards |
Next Steps
