FantomFantom Token Forms: Opera FTM and ERC-20 FTM
· updatedFantom's Opera network uses native FTM to pay gas. ERC-20 FTM is a token on Ethereum and cannot be used directly on Opera. The shared FTM ticker does not make these network balances interchangeable.
Network and token form
Native FTM is Opera's own currency. Its balance pays the network fees for Opera transfers and smart contract calls. ERC-20 FTM is recorded by a token contract on Ethereum; holding it does not provide native FTM for Opera gas.
Opera supports the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), allowing compatible smart contracts to run on its network. Each chain still maintains its own balances. An ordinary ERC-20 FTM transfer successfully completed on Ethereum changes an Ethereum token balance.
Both networks use the
0x
address format, so the address alone does not establish which network holds the funds. Selecting Opera in a wallet changes the network being viewed; it does not transfer an Ethereum holding to Opera. Moving between the networks requires a supported cross-network route, with availability determined by that route.
Hypothetical balance split
A hypothetical balance record totals 247 FTM across only two liquid holdings: native FTM on Opera and ERC-20 FTM on Ethereum. The Ethereum entry contains 184 FTM. The native Opera balance is therefore
247 - 184 = 63 FTM
.
The amount available toward Opera gas is 63 native FTM. Whether it covers a particular transaction depends on the required fee. With the combined total fixed at 247 FTM, a larger Ethereum entry would leave a smaller Opera balance. This subtraction identifies native FTM only while the record contains exactly the two stated holdings; a total including wrapped tokens or staked positions would require those entries to be separated first.
WFTM on Opera
WFTM is a wrapped form of FTM on Opera, separate from the native currency used for gas. The December 31, 2024 Sonic upgrade handbook treats WFTM separately and describes converting it to native FTM before the FTM-to-S upgrade. That path also requires retaining native FTM for Opera transaction fees.
December 18, 2024: Sonic launch
Sonic launched as a separate blockchain with S as its native token. The published FTM-to-S conversion ratio is 1 FTM for 1 S, with different entry paths for FTM held on Opera and FTM held on Ethereum. This conversion changes the token and network; switching a wallet's network view does not perform it. Native S pays Sonic gas, while native FTM pays Opera gas.
2026 Opera and bridge announcements
April 7, 2026: Planned Opera closure
Sonic Labs announced an Opera-specific closure plan with a transfer deadline of 5:00 PM GMT on June 30, 2026. The notice explicitly excluded the Ethereum ERC-20 FTM-to-S route and the Sonic Gateway from that closure.
June 23, 2026: Opera continuation
Sonic Labs reversed the planned shutdown in The First 1%. It committed to keeping Opera live until at least the end of 2026 and funding the bridge regularly throughout that period. The June announcement superseded the planned June shutdown; its stated support window does not establish availability beyond 2026.