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Deploy your own Omnichain Fungible Token (OFT) that works natively across 150+ blockchains. No bridges, no wrapped tokens.

Should You Issue an OFT?

Before deploying your own OFT, consider whether you actually need to:
ScenarioRecommendation
You need to transfer USDC or ETHUse Stargate - assets already exist
You want to integrate existing OFTs (USDT0, USDe, WBTC)Just integrate them - see OFT Ecosystem
You’re issuing a new token that needs to be crosschainYes, deploy an OFT
You have an existing token that needs crosschain supportYes, use OFT LockUnlock (or BurnMint if token has mint/burn)
Check if the asset is already an OFT. If so (Stargate assets, USDT0, USDe), you can integrate directly without deploying your own.

How OFTs Work

When tokens move between chains, they are removed from circulation on the source chain and added to circulation on the destination chain. This keeps the global token supply constant regardless of which chains hold balances. OFT mechanism showing tokens removed from source chain and added to destination
  1. Source chain: Tokens are removed from circulation
  2. LayerZero message: Transfer details are sent crosschain via DVNs
  3. Destination chain: Equivalent tokens are added to circulation for the recipient
This maintains a unified supply across all chains.

Transfer Mechanisms: BurnMint vs LockUnlock

There are two ways to remove tokens from circulation and add them back:
MechanismRemove from CirculationAdd to CirculationConstraint
BurnMintTokens are burned (destroyed)Tokens are minted (created)None - deploy on any number of chains
LockUnlockTokens are locked in escrowTokens are released from escrowOnly ONE lockbox per mesh

Why BurnMint is Preferred

With BurnMint, tokens are destroyed on the source chain and created on the destination:
  • No stored value risk: No pool of tokens in escrow that could be targeted
  • Unlimited scalability: Deploy to any number of chains without constraints
  • Simple supply accounting: Total supply = sum of all chain balances

When LockUnlock is Required

LockUnlock is necessary when you have an existing token without mint/burn capabilities. Instead of destroying tokens, they’re held in an escrow (the “lockbox”). On the destination, OFT tokens are minted that represent claims on the locked tokens. OFT LockUnlock mechanism - tokens locked in escrow on source, minted on destination

The Single Lockbox Rule

You can only have ONE LockUnlock deployment in your entire omnichain mesh. All other chains must use BurnMint.
Why? The lockbox must contain enough tokens to satisfy all possible redemptions. Consider what happens with multiple lockboxes:
  1. Lockbox A on Ethereum holds 1M tokens
  2. Lockbox B on Arbitrum holds 500K tokens
  3. Users on other chains hold 1.5M OFT tokens total
If all OFT holders try to redeem to Ethereum, Lockbox A only has 1M tokens - 500K redemptions would fail. This creates a “run on the bank” scenario where:
  • Messages are successfully sent requesting redemption
  • The lockbox doesn’t have sufficient supply to fulfill them
  • Transactions revert, leaving users with tokens they can’t redeem
With a single lockbox, the entire circulating supply on external chains is always backed 1:1 by the lockbox. BurnMint deployments on other chains don’t need backing because they destroy/create tokens rather than holding reserves.
Advanced: Multiple lockboxes are possible with additional mechanisms. Stargate Pools use a credit-based rebalancing mechanism that limits maximum transfers per pathway, preventing runs on any single pool. However, this adds significant complexity to your deployment and requires careful liquidity management. For most use cases, a single lockbox with BurnMint on other chains is the recommended approach.
Prefer BurnMint when possible. If your existing token has mint/burn capabilities (or you can add them), use BurnMint to avoid the single lockbox constraint.

Deployment Process

1

Choose Your Platform

Select your blockchain platform from the guides below.
2

Deploy OFT Contracts

Deploy your OFT (or OFTAdapter) on each chain you want to support.
3

Wire OFTs Together

Connect your deployments using LayerZero DevTools so they recognize each other as peers.
4

Configure Security

Set up DVNs and Executors for your pathways.
5

Test Transfers

Send test transfers between chains to verify everything works.

Platform Guides


Advanced Topics


Common Questions

LayerZero supports 150+ chains. You can deploy your OFT to any combination of supported chains. Start with a few and expand as needed.
Yes. Deploy your OFT to the new chain, run lz:oapp:wire to connect it, and your existing deployments don’t need any changes.
Deployment costs vary by chain (gas fees). Crosschain transfers cost LayerZero messaging fees (DVN + Executor fees), typically 0.010.01-1 depending on the pathway.
OFT uses “shared decimals” (default: 6) for crosschain transfers. The contracts handle conversion automatically. See the OFT Technical Reference for details.
Yes. OFTs implement the standard OFT interface, which is compatible with Stargate’s bridge UI at stargate.finance.