All terms
Restricting access to something based on what a wallet holds.
Token gating checks a wallet for a specific token or NFT and unlocks content, a chat channel, an event or a discount if it is there. The check is a signature, so nothing moves and no account is created.
It is one of the more practical Web3 patterns because it replaces a membership database with a balance check that any application can perform independently.
A Discord server that only admits holders of a specific NFT is the most common implementation.
That token gating creates exclusivity. It creates a price: anybody can buy the token and get in, and anybody who leaves takes their access with them. It gates by wallet balance, which is not the same as gating by membership.
Common questions
What is token gating used for?
What is the downside?
Where to go next
More web3 terms
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