Your guide to tokens: Types, design, uses, more

Forget what you think you know about tokens. We present a new framework that could change the way you view crypto.

with @eddylazzarin @skominers @milesjennings @rhhackett

Today we’re diving deep into *the* defining concept in crypto: tokens.

We’re moving beyond conventional categories — like “governance tokens” or “utility tokens” or even “memecoins” — to present a full taxonomy that details what tokens are, what they aren’t, and what they’re capable of becoming.

Questions we’ll explore include: What is a token? Is it a form of money? A piece of data? Something else? How many types of tokens are there — and who is in control of each? And how should we think about their actual economic, legal, and technical characteristics? We’ll also dig into different token designs and their uses; where tokens derive value from; how they jibe with securities laws; and much more.

In this conversation, you’ll hear from several experts on the a16z crypto team who have developed a new 7-part framework for classifying tokens, which you can find linked in the show notes. Joining us are the coauthors: Chief Technology Officer Eddy Lazzarin, General Counsel and Head of Policy Miles Jennings, and Research Partner Scott Kominers, who is also a Professor at Harvard Business School where he teaches courses on market design and entrepreneurship.

Check out the resources below for a flowchart that we’ll also be referencing throughout this episode and that will be helpful as we wend our way through the token idea maze.

Timestamps:

(0:00) Introduction

(3:28) The Evolution of Token Terminology

(6:19) Classifying Tokens: Economic, Legal, and Technical Dimensions

(8:37) Moving Beyond “Governance Tokens”

(12:05) Inherent Value: The Memecoin Debate

(15:35) Company-Controlled Tokens: Risks and Realities

(31:33) Arcade Tokens: Stability and Utility

(46:00) The Power of Blockchain Interoperability

(49:34) Shared Rewards and Loyalty Programs

(59:19) Asset-Backed Tokens and Their Mechanisms

(1:08:23) Collectible Tokens and Their Uniqueness

(1:14:31) Network Tokens: The Future of Decentralized Marketplaces

(1:31:03) Regulatory Challenges and “Lawyer Tokens”

(1:36:57) Final Thoughts and Future Prospects

Resources referenced in this episode:

• 7 canonical tokens, defined [flowchart; also see at bottom] by Miles Jennings, Scott Duke Kominers, and Eddy Lazzarin (a16z crypto newsletter, March 2025)
• Defining tokens by Miles Jennings, Scott Duke Kominers, and Eddy Lazzarin (a16z crypto, March 2025)
• Network tokens vs. company-backed tokens by Miles Jennings, Scott Duke Kominers, and Eddy Lazzarin (a16z crypto, March 2025)
• Defining decentralization: It comes down to control by Miles Jennings (a16z crypto, February 2025)
• Read Write Own: Building the Next Era of the Internet by Chris Dixon (Penguin Random House, January 2024)
• The Everything Token: How NFTs and Web3 Will Transform the Way We Buy, Sell, and Create by Steve Kaczynski and Scott Duke Kominers (Penguin Random House, January 2024)

As a reminder, none of the content should be taken as investment, business, legal, or tax advice; please see a16z.com/disclosures for more important information, including a link to a list of our investments.