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.
/// Account data.#[repr(C)]#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, Default, PartialEq)]pub struct Account {/// The mint associated with this accountpub 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 delegatepub delegate: COption<Pubkey>,/// The account's statepub 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 delegatedpub 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:
- Mint: The specific token type it holds
- 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:
-
Token Account Owner: The authority who can transfer, burn, or delegate tokens. This is stored in the token account's data.
-
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.
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:
- System Program: Create an account with allocated space for a token account and transfer ownership to the Token Program
- 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 exampleconst rpc = createSolanaRpc("http://localhost:8899");const rpcSubscriptions = createSolanaRpcSubscriptions("ws://localhost:8900");// Get latest blockhash to include in transactionconst { value: latestBlockhash } = await rpc.getLatestBlockhash().send();// Generate keypairs for fee payerconst feePayer = await generateKeyPairSigner();// Fund fee payerawait airdropFactory({ rpc, rpcSubscriptions })({recipientAddress: feePayer.address,lamports: lamports(1_000_000_000n),commitment: "confirmed"});// Generate keypair to use as address of mintconst mint = await generateKeyPairSigner();// Get default mint account size (in bytes), no extensions enabledconst space = BigInt(getMintSize());// Get minimum balance for rent exemptionconst rent = await rpc.getMinimumBalanceForRentExemption(space).send();// Instruction to create new account for mint (token program)// Invokes the system programconst createAccountInstruction = getCreateAccountInstruction({payer: feePayer,newAccount: mint,lamports: rent,space,programAddress: TOKEN_PROGRAM_ADDRESS});// Instruction to initialize mint account data// Invokes the token programconst initializeMintInstruction = getInitializeMintInstruction({mint: mint.address,decimals: 2,mintAuthority: feePayer.address});const instructions = [createAccountInstruction, initializeMintInstruction];// Create transaction messageconst 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 transactionawait sendAndConfirmTransactionFactory({ rpc, rpcSubscriptions })(signedTransaction,{ commitment: "confirmed" });// Get transaction signatureconst transactionSignature = getSignatureFromTransaction(signedTransaction);console.log("Mint Address:", mint.address);console.log("Transaction Signature:", transactionSignature);// Generate keypair to use as address of token accountconst tokenAccount = await generateKeyPairSigner();// Get token account size (in bytes)const tokenAccountSpace = BigInt(getTokenSize());// Get minimum balance for rent exemptionconst tokenAccountRent = await rpc.getMinimumBalanceForRentExemption(tokenAccountSpace).send();// Instruction to create new account for token account (token program)// Invokes the system programconst createTokenAccountInstruction = getCreateAccountInstruction({payer: feePayer,newAccount: tokenAccount,lamports: tokenAccountRent,space: tokenAccountSpace,programAddress: TOKEN_PROGRAM_ADDRESS});// Instruction to initialize token account data// Invokes the token programconst initializeTokenAccountInstruction = getInitializeAccount2Instruction({account: tokenAccount.address,mint: mint.address,owner: feePayer.address});const instructions2 = [createTokenAccountInstruction,initializeTokenAccountInstruction];// Create transaction message for token account creationconst 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 transactionawait sendAndConfirmTransactionFactory({ rpc, rpcSubscriptions })(signedTokenAccountTx,{ commitment: "confirmed" });// Get transaction signatureconst transactionSignature2 = getSignatureFromTransaction(signedTokenAccountTx);console.log("Token Account Address:", tokenAccount.address);console.log("Transaction Signature:", transactionSignature2);
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 validatorlet 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 payerlet fee_payer = Keypair::new();// Airdrop 1 SOL to fee payerlet 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 mintlet mint = Keypair::new();// Get default mint account size (in bytes), no extensions enabledlet 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, // lamportsmint_space as u64, // space&token_program_id(), // program id);// Instruction to initialize mint account datalet initialize_mint_instruction = initialize_mint(&token_program_id(),&mint.pubkey(), // mint&fee_payer.pubkey(), // mint authoritySome(&fee_payer.pubkey()), // freeze authority2, // decimals)?;// Create transaction and add instructionslet transaction = Transaction::new_signed_with_payer(&[create_account_instruction, initialize_mint_instruction],Some(&fee_payer.pubkey()),&[&fee_payer, &mint],latestBlockhash,);// Send and confirm transactionlet 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 accountlet 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, // lamportstoken_account_space as u64, // space&token_program_id(), // program id);// Instruction to initialize token account datalet initialize_token_account_instruction = initialize_account(&token_program_id(),&token_account.pubkey(), // account&mint.pubkey(), // mint&fee_payer.pubkey(), // owner)?;// Create transaction and add instructionslet 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 transactionlet transaction_signature = client.send_and_confirm_transaction(&transaction).await?;println!("Token Account Address: {}", token_account.pubkey());println!("Transaction Signature: {}", transaction_signature);Ok(())}
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 exampleconst rpc = createSolanaRpc("http://localhost:8899");const rpcSubscriptions = createSolanaRpcSubscriptions("ws://localhost:8900");// Generate keypairs for fee payerconst feePayer = await generateKeyPairSigner();// Fund fee payerawait airdropFactory({ rpc, rpcSubscriptions })({recipientAddress: feePayer.address,lamports: lamports(1_000_000_000n),commitment: "confirmed"});// Generate keypair to use as address of mintconst mint = await generateKeyPairSigner();// Get default mint account size (in bytes), no extensions enabledconst space = BigInt(getMintSize());// Get minimum balance for rent exemptionconst rent = await rpc.getMinimumBalanceForRentExemption(space).send();// Get latest blockhash to include in transactionconst { value: latestBlockhash } = await rpc.getLatestBlockhash().send();// Instruction to create new account for mint (token program)// Invokes the system programconst createAccountInstruction = getCreateAccountInstruction({payer: feePayer,newAccount: mint,lamports: rent,space,programAddress: TOKEN_PROGRAM_ADDRESS});// Instruction to initialize mint account data// Invokes the token programconst initializeMintInstruction = getInitializeMintInstruction({mint: mint.address,decimals: 2,mintAuthority: feePayer.address});const instructions = [createAccountInstruction, initializeMintInstruction];// Create transaction messageconst transactionMessage = pipe(createTransactionMessage({ version: 0 }),(tx) => setTransactionMessageFeePayerSigner(feePayer, tx),(tx) => setTransactionMessageLifetimeUsingBlockhash(latestBlockhash, tx),(tx) => appendTransactionMessageInstructions(instructions, tx));// Sign transaction message with all required signersconst signedTransaction =await signTransactionMessageWithSigners(transactionMessage);// Send and confirm transactionawait sendAndConfirmTransactionFactory({ rpc, rpcSubscriptions })(signedTransaction,{ commitment: "confirmed" });// Get transaction signatureconst transactionSignature = getSignatureFromTransaction(signedTransaction);console.log("Mint Address:", mint.address.toString());console.log("Transaction Signature:", transactionSignature);// Use findAssociatedTokenPda to derive the ATA addressconst [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 transactionconst { value: latestBlockhash2 } = await rpc.getLatestBlockhash().send();// Create instruction to create the associated token accountconst createAtaInstruction = await getCreateAssociatedTokenInstructionAsync({payer: feePayer,mint: mint.address,owner: feePayer.address});// Create transaction messageconst transactionMessage2 = pipe(createTransactionMessage({ version: 0 }),(tx) => setTransactionMessageFeePayerSigner(feePayer, tx),(tx) => setTransactionMessageLifetimeUsingBlockhash(latestBlockhash2, tx),(tx) => appendTransactionMessageInstructions([createAtaInstruction], tx));// Sign transaction message with all required signersconst signedTransaction2 =await signTransactionMessageWithSigners(transactionMessage2);// Send and confirm transactionawait sendAndConfirmTransactionFactory({ rpc, rpcSubscriptions })(signedTransaction2,{ commitment: "confirmed" });// Get transaction signatureconst transactionSignature2 = getSignatureFromTransaction(signedTransaction2);console.log("Transaction Signature:", transactionSignature2);
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 validatorlet 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 payerlet fee_payer = Keypair::new();// Airdrop 1 SOL to fee payerlet 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 mintlet mint = Keypair::new();// Get default mint account size (in bytes), no extensions enabledlet 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, // lamportsmint_space as u64, // space&token_program_id(), // program id);// Instruction to initialize mint account datalet initialize_mint_instruction = initialize_mint(&token_program_id(),&mint.pubkey(), // mint&fee_payer.pubkey(), // mint authoritySome(&fee_payer.pubkey()), // freeze authority2, // decimals)?;// Create transaction and add instructionslet transaction = Transaction::new_signed_with_payer(&[create_account_instruction, initialize_mint_instruction],Some(&fee_payer.pubkey()),&[&fee_payer, &mint],latestBlockhash,);// Send and confirm transactionlet 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 transactionlet latestBlockhash = client.get_latest_blockhash().await?;// Derive the associated token account address for fee_payerlet 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 accountlet 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 creationlet transaction = Transaction::new_signed_with_payer(&[create_ata_instruction],Some(&fee_payer.pubkey()),&[&fee_payer],latestBlockhash,);// Send and confirm transactionlet 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(())}
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