Create a Token Account

What's a Token Account?

A token account stores your balance of a specific token. Each token account is associated with exactly one mint and tracks your token balance and additional details.

Token Account Type
/// Account data.
#[repr(C)]
#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, Default, PartialEq)]
pub struct Account {
/// The mint associated with this account
pub mint: Pubkey,
/// The owner of this account.
pub owner: Pubkey,
/// The amount of tokens this account holds.
pub amount: u64,
/// If `delegate` is `Some` then `delegated_amount` represents
/// the amount authorized by the delegate
pub delegate: COption<Pubkey>,
/// The account's state
pub state: AccountState,
/// If `is_native.is_some`, this is a native token, and the value logs the
/// rent-exempt reserve. An Account is required to be rent-exempt, so
/// the value is used by the Processor to ensure that wrapped SOL
/// accounts do not drop below this threshold.
pub is_native: COption<u64>,
/// The amount delegated
pub delegated_amount: u64,
/// Optional authority to close the account.
pub close_authority: COption<Pubkey>,
}

Note that in the source code, developers call a Token account an Account type. Both the Token Program and Token Extension Program share the same base implementation for the Token account.

To hold tokens, you need a token account for that specific mint. Each token account tracks:

  1. Mint: The specific token type it holds
  2. Owner: The authority who can transfer tokens from this account

Example: USD Coin (USDC)

  • Mint address: EPjFWdd5AufqSSqeM2qN1xzybapC8G4wEGGkZwyTDt1v
  • Circle's token account: 3emsAVdmGKERbHjmGfQ6oZ1e35dkf5iYcS6U4CPKFVaa
  • This account holds only USDC tokens
  • Circle controls token through the token account owner authority: 7VHUFJHWu2CuExkJcJrzhQPJ2oygupTWkL2A2For4BmE

You can view the details of this token account on Solana Explorer.

Understanding "Owner" Terminology

The term "owner" can be used in two different contexts:

  1. Token Account Owner: The authority who can transfer, burn, or delegate tokens. This is stored in the token account's data.

  2. Program Owner: The program that owns the account (always the Token Program or Token Extension Program for token accounts).

When working with token accounts, "owner" typically refers to the authority that can transfer tokens, not the program that owns the account.

What's an Associated Token Account?

An associated token account (ATA) is the default token account for a wallet to hold a specific token. It uses a deterministic address (PDA) created by the Associated Token Program.

Only token accounts created by the Associated Token Program are called "associated token accounts."

ATAs use deterministic addresses, making it easy to find any wallet's token account for a given mint. See the derivation implementation here.

Associated Token Account Address Derivation
pub fn get_associated_token_address_and_bump_seed_internal(
wallet_address: &Pubkey,
token_mint_address: &Pubkey,
program_id: &Pubkey,
token_program_id: &Pubkey,
) -> (Pubkey, u8) {
Pubkey::find_program_address(
&[
&wallet_address.to_bytes(), // Owner's public key
&token_program_id.to_bytes(), // Token Program or Token Extension Program
&token_mint_address.to_bytes(), // Token mint address
],
program_id, // Associated Token Program ID
)
}

For any wallet and token combination, there's exactly one ATA address. This eliminates the need to track token account addresses manually—you can always derive the correct address.

How the Associated Token Program Works

The Associated Token Program is a helper that:

  • Creates token accounts at deterministic addresses (PDAs)
  • Makes Cross-Program Invocations (CPIs) to the Token Program
  • Doesn't maintain any state itself

The resulting token accounts are owned by the Token Program and use the standard Account structure.

How to Create a Token Account

Creating a token account requires the InitializeAccount instruction. See the implementation here.

You need two instructions to create a token account:

  1. System Program: Create an account with allocated space for a token account and transfer ownership to the Token Program
  2. Token Program: Initialize the token account data

Typescript

import {
airdropFactory,
appendTransactionMessageInstructions,
createSolanaRpc,
createSolanaRpcSubscriptions,
createTransactionMessage,
generateKeyPairSigner,
getSignatureFromTransaction,
lamports,
pipe,
sendAndConfirmTransactionFactory,
setTransactionMessageFeePayerSigner,
setTransactionMessageLifetimeUsingBlockhash,
signTransactionMessageWithSigners
} from "@solana/kit";
import { getCreateAccountInstruction } from "@solana-program/system";
import {
getInitializeAccount2Instruction,
getInitializeMintInstruction,
getMintSize,
getTokenSize,
TOKEN_PROGRAM_ADDRESS
} from "@solana-program/token";
// Create Connection, local validator in this example
const rpc = createSolanaRpc("http://localhost:8899");
const rpcSubscriptions = createSolanaRpcSubscriptions("ws://localhost:8900");
// Get latest blockhash to include in transaction
const { value: latestBlockhash } = await rpc.getLatestBlockhash().send();
// Generate keypairs for fee payer
const feePayer = await generateKeyPairSigner();
// Fund fee payer
await airdropFactory({ rpc, rpcSubscriptions })({
recipientAddress: feePayer.address,
lamports: lamports(1_000_000_000n),
commitment: "confirmed"
});
// Generate keypair to use as address of mint
const mint = await generateKeyPairSigner();
// Get default mint account size (in bytes), no extensions enabled
const space = BigInt(getMintSize());
// Get minimum balance for rent exemption
const rent = await rpc.getMinimumBalanceForRentExemption(space).send();
// Instruction to create new account for mint (token program)
// Invokes the system program
const createAccountInstruction = getCreateAccountInstruction({
payer: feePayer,
newAccount: mint,
lamports: rent,
space,
programAddress: TOKEN_PROGRAM_ADDRESS
});
// Instruction to initialize mint account data
// Invokes the token program
const initializeMintInstruction = getInitializeMintInstruction({
mint: mint.address,
decimals: 2,
mintAuthority: feePayer.address
});
const instructions = [createAccountInstruction, initializeMintInstruction];
// Create transaction message
const transactionMessage = pipe(
createTransactionMessage({ version: 0 }), // Create transaction message
(tx) => setTransactionMessageFeePayerSigner(feePayer, tx), // Set fee payer
(tx) => setTransactionMessageLifetimeUsingBlockhash(latestBlockhash, tx), // Set transaction blockhash
(tx) => appendTransactionMessageInstructions(instructions, tx) // Append instructions
);
// Sign transaction message with required signers (fee payer and mint keypair)
const signedTransaction =
await signTransactionMessageWithSigners(transactionMessage);
// Send and confirm transaction
await sendAndConfirmTransactionFactory({ rpc, rpcSubscriptions })(
signedTransaction,
{ commitment: "confirmed" }
);
// Get transaction signature
const transactionSignature = getSignatureFromTransaction(signedTransaction);
console.log("Mint Address:", mint.address);
console.log("Transaction Signature:", transactionSignature);
// Generate keypair to use as address of token account
const tokenAccount = await generateKeyPairSigner();
// Get token account size (in bytes)
const tokenAccountSpace = BigInt(getTokenSize());
// Get minimum balance for rent exemption
const tokenAccountRent = await rpc
.getMinimumBalanceForRentExemption(tokenAccountSpace)
.send();
// Instruction to create new account for token account (token program)
// Invokes the system program
const createTokenAccountInstruction = getCreateAccountInstruction({
payer: feePayer,
newAccount: tokenAccount,
lamports: tokenAccountRent,
space: tokenAccountSpace,
programAddress: TOKEN_PROGRAM_ADDRESS
});
// Instruction to initialize token account data
// Invokes the token program
const initializeTokenAccountInstruction = getInitializeAccount2Instruction({
account: tokenAccount.address,
mint: mint.address,
owner: feePayer.address
});
const instructions2 = [
createTokenAccountInstruction,
initializeTokenAccountInstruction
];
// Create transaction message for token account creation
const tokenAccountMessage = pipe(
createTransactionMessage({ version: 0 }), // Create transaction message
(tx) => setTransactionMessageFeePayerSigner(feePayer, tx), // Set fee payer
(tx) => setTransactionMessageLifetimeUsingBlockhash(latestBlockhash, tx), // Set transaction blockhash
(tx) => appendTransactionMessageInstructions(instructions2, tx) // Append instructions
);
// Sign transaction message with required signers (fee payer and token account keypair)
const signedTokenAccountTx =
await signTransactionMessageWithSigners(tokenAccountMessage);
// Send and confirm transaction
await sendAndConfirmTransactionFactory({ rpc, rpcSubscriptions })(
signedTokenAccountTx,
{ commitment: "confirmed" }
);
// Get transaction signature
const transactionSignature2 = getSignatureFromTransaction(signedTokenAccountTx);
console.log("Token Account Address:", tokenAccount.address);
console.log("Transaction Signature:", transactionSignature2);
Console
Click to execute the code.

Rust

use anyhow::Result;
use solana_client::nonblocking::rpc_client::RpcClient;
use solana_sdk::{
commitment_config::CommitmentConfig,
program_pack::Pack,
signature::{Keypair, Signer},
system_instruction::create_account,
transaction::Transaction,
};
use spl_token::{
id as token_program_id,
instruction::{initialize_account, initialize_mint},
state::{Account, Mint},
};
#[tokio::main]
async fn main() -> Result<()> {
// Create connection to local validator
let client = RpcClient::new_with_commitment(
String::from("http://localhost:8899"),
CommitmentConfig::confirmed(),
);
let latestBlockhash = client.get_latest_blockhash().await?;
// Generate a new keypair for the fee payer
let fee_payer = Keypair::new();
// Airdrop 1 SOL to fee payer
let airdrop_signature = client
.request_airdrop(&fee_payer.pubkey(), 1_000_000_000)
.await?;
client.confirm_transaction(&airdrop_signature).await?;
loop {
let confirmed = client.confirm_transaction(&airdrop_signature).await?;
if confirmed {
break;
}
}
// Generate keypair to use as address of mint
let mint = Keypair::new();
// Get default mint account size (in bytes), no extensions enabled
let mint_space = Mint::LEN;
let mint_rent = client
.get_minimum_balance_for_rent_exemption(mint_space)
.await?;
// Instruction to create new account for mint (token program)
let create_account_instruction = create_account(
&fee_payer.pubkey(), // payer
&mint.pubkey(), // new account (mint)
mint_rent, // lamports
mint_space as u64, // space
&token_program_id(), // program id
);
// Instruction to initialize mint account data
let initialize_mint_instruction = initialize_mint(
&token_program_id(),
&mint.pubkey(), // mint
&fee_payer.pubkey(), // mint authority
Some(&fee_payer.pubkey()), // freeze authority
2, // decimals
)?;
// Create transaction and add instructions
let transaction = Transaction::new_signed_with_payer(
&[create_account_instruction, initialize_mint_instruction],
Some(&fee_payer.pubkey()),
&[&fee_payer, &mint],
latestBlockhash,
);
// Send and confirm transaction
let transaction_signature = client.send_and_confirm_transaction(&transaction).await?;
println!("Mint Address: {}", mint.pubkey());
println!("Transaction Signature: {}", transaction_signature);
// Generate keypair to use as address of token account
let token_account = Keypair::new();
// Get token account size (in bytes)
let token_account_space = Account::LEN;
let token_account_rent = client
.get_minimum_balance_for_rent_exemption(token_account_space)
.await?;
// Instruction to create new account for token account (token program)
let create_token_account_instruction = create_account(
&fee_payer.pubkey(), // payer
&token_account.pubkey(), // new account (token account)
token_account_rent, // lamports
token_account_space as u64, // space
&token_program_id(), // program id
);
// Instruction to initialize token account data
let initialize_token_account_instruction = initialize_account(
&token_program_id(),
&token_account.pubkey(), // account
&mint.pubkey(), // mint
&fee_payer.pubkey(), // owner
)?;
// Create transaction and add instructions
let transaction = Transaction::new_signed_with_payer(
&[
create_token_account_instruction,
initialize_token_account_instruction,
],
Some(&fee_payer.pubkey()),
&[&fee_payer, &token_account],
latestBlockhash,
);
// Send and confirm transaction
let transaction_signature = client.send_and_confirm_transaction(&transaction).await?;
println!("Token Account Address: {}", token_account.pubkey());
println!("Transaction Signature: {}", transaction_signature);
Ok(())
}
Console
Click to execute the code.

How to Create an Associated Token Account

Creating an Associated Token Account (ATA) requires the Create instruction. See the implementation here.

This single instruction automatically handles creating the token account and initializing it through Cross Program Invocations (CPI).

Typescript

import {
airdropFactory,
appendTransactionMessageInstructions,
createSolanaRpc,
createSolanaRpcSubscriptions,
createTransactionMessage,
generateKeyPairSigner,
getSignatureFromTransaction,
lamports,
pipe,
sendAndConfirmTransactionFactory,
setTransactionMessageFeePayerSigner,
setTransactionMessageLifetimeUsingBlockhash,
signTransactionMessageWithSigners
} from "@solana/kit";
import { getCreateAccountInstruction } from "@solana-program/system";
import {
getCreateAssociatedTokenInstructionAsync,
getInitializeMintInstruction,
getMintSize,
TOKEN_PROGRAM_ADDRESS,
findAssociatedTokenPda
} from "@solana-program/token";
// Create Connection, local validator in this example
const rpc = createSolanaRpc("http://localhost:8899");
const rpcSubscriptions = createSolanaRpcSubscriptions("ws://localhost:8900");
// Generate keypairs for fee payer
const feePayer = await generateKeyPairSigner();
// Fund fee payer
await airdropFactory({ rpc, rpcSubscriptions })({
recipientAddress: feePayer.address,
lamports: lamports(1_000_000_000n),
commitment: "confirmed"
});
// Generate keypair to use as address of mint
const mint = await generateKeyPairSigner();
// Get default mint account size (in bytes), no extensions enabled
const space = BigInt(getMintSize());
// Get minimum balance for rent exemption
const rent = await rpc.getMinimumBalanceForRentExemption(space).send();
// Get latest blockhash to include in transaction
const { value: latestBlockhash } = await rpc.getLatestBlockhash().send();
// Instruction to create new account for mint (token program)
// Invokes the system program
const createAccountInstruction = getCreateAccountInstruction({
payer: feePayer,
newAccount: mint,
lamports: rent,
space,
programAddress: TOKEN_PROGRAM_ADDRESS
});
// Instruction to initialize mint account data
// Invokes the token program
const initializeMintInstruction = getInitializeMintInstruction({
mint: mint.address,
decimals: 2,
mintAuthority: feePayer.address
});
const instructions = [createAccountInstruction, initializeMintInstruction];
// Create transaction message
const transactionMessage = pipe(
createTransactionMessage({ version: 0 }),
(tx) => setTransactionMessageFeePayerSigner(feePayer, tx),
(tx) => setTransactionMessageLifetimeUsingBlockhash(latestBlockhash, tx),
(tx) => appendTransactionMessageInstructions(instructions, tx)
);
// Sign transaction message with all required signers
const signedTransaction =
await signTransactionMessageWithSigners(transactionMessage);
// Send and confirm transaction
await sendAndConfirmTransactionFactory({ rpc, rpcSubscriptions })(
signedTransaction,
{ commitment: "confirmed" }
);
// Get transaction signature
const transactionSignature = getSignatureFromTransaction(signedTransaction);
console.log("Mint Address:", mint.address.toString());
console.log("Transaction Signature:", transactionSignature);
// Use findAssociatedTokenPda to derive the ATA address
const [associatedTokenAddress] = await findAssociatedTokenPda({
mint: mint.address,
owner: feePayer.address,
tokenProgram: TOKEN_PROGRAM_ADDRESS
});
console.log(
"Associated Token Account Address:",
associatedTokenAddress.toString()
);
// Get a fresh blockhash for the second transaction
const { value: latestBlockhash2 } = await rpc.getLatestBlockhash().send();
// Create instruction to create the associated token account
const createAtaInstruction = await getCreateAssociatedTokenInstructionAsync({
payer: feePayer,
mint: mint.address,
owner: feePayer.address
});
// Create transaction message
const transactionMessage2 = pipe(
createTransactionMessage({ version: 0 }),
(tx) => setTransactionMessageFeePayerSigner(feePayer, tx),
(tx) => setTransactionMessageLifetimeUsingBlockhash(latestBlockhash2, tx),
(tx) => appendTransactionMessageInstructions([createAtaInstruction], tx)
);
// Sign transaction message with all required signers
const signedTransaction2 =
await signTransactionMessageWithSigners(transactionMessage2);
// Send and confirm transaction
await sendAndConfirmTransactionFactory({ rpc, rpcSubscriptions })(
signedTransaction2,
{ commitment: "confirmed" }
);
// Get transaction signature
const transactionSignature2 = getSignatureFromTransaction(signedTransaction2);
console.log("Transaction Signature:", transactionSignature2);
Console
Click to execute the code.

Rust

use anyhow::Result;
use solana_client::nonblocking::rpc_client::RpcClient;
use solana_sdk::{
commitment_config::CommitmentConfig,
program_pack::Pack,
signature::{Keypair, Signer},
system_instruction::create_account,
transaction::Transaction,
};
use spl_associated_token_account::{
get_associated_token_address_with_program_id, instruction::create_associated_token_account,
};
use spl_token::{id as token_program_id, instruction::initialize_mint, state::Mint};
#[tokio::main]
async fn main() -> Result<()> {
// Create connection to local validator
let client = RpcClient::new_with_commitment(
String::from("http://localhost:8899"),
CommitmentConfig::confirmed(),
);
let latestBlockhash = client.get_latest_blockhash().await?;
// Generate a new keypair for the fee payer
let fee_payer = Keypair::new();
// Airdrop 1 SOL to fee payer
let airdrop_signature = client
.request_airdrop(&fee_payer.pubkey(), 1_000_000_000)
.await?;
client.confirm_transaction(&airdrop_signature).await?;
loop {
let confirmed = client.confirm_transaction(&airdrop_signature).await?;
if confirmed {
break;
}
}
// Generate keypair to use as address of mint
let mint = Keypair::new();
// Get default mint account size (in bytes), no extensions enabled
let mint_space = Mint::LEN;
let mint_rent = client
.get_minimum_balance_for_rent_exemption(mint_space)
.await?;
// Instruction to create new account for mint (token program)
let create_account_instruction = create_account(
&fee_payer.pubkey(), // payer
&mint.pubkey(), // new account (mint)
mint_rent, // lamports
mint_space as u64, // space
&token_program_id(), // program id
);
// Instruction to initialize mint account data
let initialize_mint_instruction = initialize_mint(
&token_program_id(),
&mint.pubkey(), // mint
&fee_payer.pubkey(), // mint authority
Some(&fee_payer.pubkey()), // freeze authority
2, // decimals
)?;
// Create transaction and add instructions
let transaction = Transaction::new_signed_with_payer(
&[create_account_instruction, initialize_mint_instruction],
Some(&fee_payer.pubkey()),
&[&fee_payer, &mint],
latestBlockhash,
);
// Send and confirm transaction
let transaction_signature = client.send_and_confirm_transaction(&transaction).await?;
println!("Mint Address: {}", mint.pubkey());
println!("Transaction Signature: {}", transaction_signature);
// Get the latest blockhash for the next transaction
let latestBlockhash = client.get_latest_blockhash().await?;
// Derive the associated token account address for fee_payer
let associated_token_account = get_associated_token_address_with_program_id(
&fee_payer.pubkey(), // owner
&mint.pubkey(), // mint
&token_program_id(), // program_id
);
// Instruction to create associated token account
let create_ata_instruction = create_associated_token_account(
&fee_payer.pubkey(), // funding address
&fee_payer.pubkey(), // wallet address (owner)
&mint.pubkey(), // mint address
&token_program_id(), // program id
);
// Create transaction for associated token account creation
let transaction = Transaction::new_signed_with_payer(
&[create_ata_instruction],
Some(&fee_payer.pubkey()),
&[&fee_payer],
latestBlockhash,
);
// Send and confirm transaction
let transaction_signature = client.send_and_confirm_transaction(&transaction).await?;
println!(
"Associated Token Account Address: {}",
associated_token_account.to_string()
);
println!("Transaction Signature: {}", transaction_signature);
Ok(())
}
Console
Click to execute the code.

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