[TEP-62] Establishing a Unified NFT Standard in the TON Ecosystem

doge · February 2, 2024, 1:19pm

The TON Enhancement Proposal (TEP) 62 introduces a comprehensive standard for Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) within the TON blockchain ecosystem. Authored by EmelyanenkoK and Tolya, this active proposal delineates a structured approach to NFT representation, ownership transfer, and collection management, aiming to streamline and standardize NFT interactions across the TON network.

Overview of TEP-62

TEP-62 outlines a contract interface standard for NFTs, addressing key aspects such as the NFT metadata representation, the mechanism of ownership transfer, and the organizational structure of NFT items within collections. This proposal aims to facilitate interoperability and enhance the user experience by providing a unified framework for NFT creation and management.

Key Components of the NFT Standard

The NFT standard proposed in TEP-62 includes several critical components, each tailored to simplify the interaction with and display of unique digital assets:

NFT Items and Collections: Each NFT item and collection is represented by separate smart contracts, with collections serving as aggregators of individual NFT items.
Metadata Representation: TEP-62, in conjunction with TEP-64, specifies how metadata associated with NFT items and collections should be structured, supporting both on-chain and off-chain storage options.
Ownership Transfer Mechanism: The proposal defines a clear process for transferring NFT ownership through internal message handlers, ensuring secure and verifiable transactions within the TON ecosystem.

Comparative Analysis with Other NFT Standards

TEP-62 draws inspiration from existing NFT standards across various blockchain platforms while addressing the unique asynchronous nature of the TON blockchain. Below is a comparative analysis with other notable NFT standards:

Feature	TEP-62 (TON)	EIP-721 (Ethereum)	RMRK (Polkadot)
Standard Type	Contract Interface	Contract Interface	Protocol
Metadata Standard	TEP-64	ERC-721 Metadata JSON Schema	RMRK Standards
Collection Management	Separate smart contracts for items and collections	Optional (Implemented at the discretion of creators)	Integral part of standard
Ownership Transfer	Detailed internal message handlers	`transferFrom` function	Custom on-chain messages
Asynchronous Blockchain Support	Explicitly designed for asynchronous operations	N/A	N/A
Off-chain Metadata Support	Supported	Supported	Supported
Unique Features	Adapted to TON’s sharding and asynchronous nature	N/A	Nested NFTs, Multi-chain compatibility

Advantages and Challenges

Advantages:

TEP-62 introduces a standardized approach to NFT management on the TON blockchain, potentially enhancing interoperability across different platforms and applications.
The clear separation between NFT items and collections, as well as the detailed metadata standard, facilitate a more organized and accessible NFT ecosystem.

Challenges:

The asynchronous nature of the TON blockchain introduces complexities in the immediate verification of ownership transfers, requiring careful consideration in the implementation of secure transfer mechanisms.
Compatibility and integration with existing NFT standards and platforms may require additional bridging solutions to ensure seamless interoperability.

Conclusion

TEP-62 represents a significant step towards establishing a robust and unified NFT standard within the TON blockchain ecosystem. By addressing key aspects of NFT representation, ownership transfer, and collection management, this proposal lays the groundwork for a more interoperable, secure, and user-friendly NFT landscape. As the TON ecosystem continues to evolve, the adoption of TEP-62 could pave the way for innovative NFT applications and collaborations across the blockchain space.

github.com

ton-blockchain/TEPs/blob/master/text/0062-nft-standard.md

- **TEP**: [62](https://github.com/ton-blockchain/TEPs/pull/2)
- **title**: NFT Standard
- **status**: Active
- **type**: Contract Interface
- **authors**: [EmelyanenkoK](https://github.com/EmelyanenkoK), [Tolya](https://github.com/tolya-yanot)
- **created**: 01.02.2022
- **replaces**: -
- **replaced by**: -

# Summary
A standard interface for non-fungible tokens.

# Motivation
A standard interface will greatly simplify interaction and display of different entities representing right of ownership.

NFT standard describes:

* The way of ownership changing.
* The way of association of items into collections.
* The way of deduplication of common part of collection.

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kingsman · February 3, 2024, 8:46am

The NFT Standard TEP (TON Enhancement Proposal) aims to establish a universal interface for Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) within the TON blockchain ecosystem. This proposal seeks to standardize the process of ownership transfer, item collection association, and duplication reduction for the common parts of a collection. It introduces a structured approach for NFT items and collections to interact seamlessly, promoting interoperability and efficiency across different platforms and applications within the TON network.

Professional Insights

The proposal significantly contributes to the TON ecosystem by providing a clear framework for NFT implementation, ensuring consistency and compatibility across various projects. It addresses crucial aspects such as NFT metadata, collection management, and ownership verification, which are vital for the broader adoption and utility of NFTs in the ecosystem. The inclusion of offchain and onchain metadata handling mechanisms offers flexibility for developers, allowing for efficient storage solutions and rich metadata representations.

Questions and Considerations

Ownership Verification Asynchronicity: The document mentions the challenge of verifying NFT ownership onchain due to TON’s asynchronous nature. How do the authors propose to mitigate scenarios where ownership verification is critical for immediate transactions or interactions? Could a standardized temporary locking mechanism or ownership challenge-response protocol be considered to ensure transaction integrity?
Standard Extensions and Future Compatibility: With the proposal for standard extensions such as NFTRoyalty, NFTBounceable, NFTEditable, and NFTUpgradable, how do the authors envision maintaining backward compatibility and avoiding fragmentation within the ecosystem as new extensions or standards are introduced?
Royalties and Creator Compensation: The document briefly touches on the complexities of implementing mandatory royalties for sales within the asynchronous TON blockchain. Are there alternative models or proposals being considered that could enable fair compensation for creators while preserving the flexibility and freedom of NFT transfers and sales?
Cross-Chain NFT Interoperability: As the TON ecosystem grows and interacts with other blockchain platforms, is there consideration for cross-chain NFT standards or protocols that would enable seamless NFT portability and interaction across different networks?
NFT Use Cases Expansion: Beyond digital art and collectibles, what are the envisioned use cases for NFTs within the TON ecosystem that the standard aims to support? Are there specific industries or applications (e.g., gaming, decentralized identity, real-world asset tokenization) where the authors see significant potential for NFT integration?
Community and Developer Engagement: How do the authors plan to engage with the TON community and developers to encourage adoption of the NFT standard and gather feedback for continuous improvement? Are there initiatives or platforms in place for collaborative development, standard refinement, and best practices sharing?

By addressing these questions, the TON NFT Standard can further solidify its foundation, enhance its applicability across diverse use cases, and foster a vibrant ecosystem for NFT innovation and utilization within the TON blockchain.