Frequently asked questions

What is XChain?

XChain is a token protocol that runs on top of existing blockchains. It lets anyone create and manage tokens, trade them on a built-in exchange, and store data permanently on-chain, all using standard blockchain transactions. There's no separate XChain coin or chain: its instructions ride invisibly inside normal transactions, and a network of nodes reads and executes them.

Is XChain its own blockchain?

No. It's a layer that sits on top of existing blockchains. It has no miners, no blocks, and no consensus of its own. When you create a token or send a transfer, you're sending a normal blockchain transaction that happens to carry XChain instructions inside it. The coin network provides the security; XChain provides the token logic.

Which blockchains does it support?

Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Dogecoin today, including their test networks. The protocol works with any Bitcoin-compatible blockchain, so adding new chains is a configuration change rather than a major engineering effort.

Do I need to run my own node?

No. You can use a wallet to send transactions and a public explorer to view balances and history without running anything. If you want to verify everything yourself and rely on no one, you can run your own full node, which independently re-derives every balance and transaction straight from the blockchain.

How much does it cost to create a token?

Creating a token costs a small protocol fee plus the normal miner fee in the underlying coin (BTC, LTC, or DOGE). On Litecoin and Dogecoin the protocol fee is paid as a native-coin output, and that is the only option; on Bitcoin you may pay it that way or have it deducted from an XCHAIN balance. The exact amount varies by chain; check the current fee schedule in the explorer.

Can I change my token's settings later?

Yes, for any setting you haven't locked. As the owner you can update the description, adjust minting windows, change access lists, and more. The only things you can't change are ones you've explicitly locked. Locking is permanent and one-way.

What does "locking" a setting do?

It makes that setting permanent. No future update from anyone can change it. That's how you make unbreakable guarantees: lock the max supply and it's mathematically impossible for more to ever exist. If you're unsure, don't lock yet. You can always lock later, but you can never unlock.

Can someone steal my tokens?

Your tokens are controlled by your address, and your address is controlled by your private key. As long as your key is safe, your tokens are safe. XChain has no admin key, no backdoor, and no ability to freeze, seize, or move your tokens. The same rules that secure Bitcoin balances secure XChain tokens.

Can I sell encrypted content as a token?

Yes. Publish a file (or a whole pack) to the blockchain encrypted so only holders of a specific token can decrypt it, then sell the token. Whoever buys it automatically receives the decryption key in the same transaction. No download server, no key escrow, no membership database. If they later resell the token, the key moves to the next holder automatically.

Can I sell my token's ownership?

Yes. A token has two parts: its balances and its ownership (the right to update settings and mint supply). You can sell the ownership role on its own using an order, swap, or dispenser with the "give ownership" flag, atomically, so payment and the issuer role change hands in a single transaction.

Can a token be permanently destroyed?

Yes. The DESTROY action lets a holder permanently burn their own tokens; they're gone for good. (That's different from CALLBACK, which lets the issuer recall tokens from all holders and pay them a set amount in return.)

How does the built-in exchange work?

It's an on-chain order book. You place a buy or sell order, it's recorded on the blockchain, and the protocol matches orders by best price automatically. Your escrowed tokens go to the buyer and the payment comes to you. No company runs it, no account is required, and the order book can't be tampered with after the fact.

What's a dispenser?

A token vending machine. Set a token, a price in coin, and a maximum number of sales; anyone who sends the right amount automatically receives the tokens, 24/7, with no action from you. Great for token sales and fundraisers.

Are my tokens safe while a trade is pending?

Yes. When you place an order or swap, your tokens move into protocol-level escrow, not a company's custody. They can only be released to the counterparty when the trade completes, or back to you if you cancel or the order expires.

Can I trade across different blockchains?

Yes. The SWAP action does atomic cross-chain trades, say a token on Bitcoin for one on Litecoin. Both sides complete or neither does, and your tokens stay in protocol escrow on your own chain the whole time; they never pass through a third party.

What is a smart contract on XChain?

A small JavaScript program that lives permanently on the blockchain and can be called by anyone. It runs on the blockchain itself with no separate contract chain. It can hold tokens, change its own state, issue and transfer tokens, and place orders. Contracts run in a sandbox with a per-call computation limit (so they can't run forever), and each operation costs a little gas, charged as the chain's native coin (or, on Bitcoin only, from an XCHAIN balance).

Can a contract call AI or a website?

Yes. A contract can ask the outside world a question (an HTTPS fetch, or a prompt to a governance-approved AI model) and get a verified answer written back on-chain. The validators each look it up independently and agree on the result, then a callback resumes the contract. This powers AI-judged contests, real-world data triggers, prediction-market settlement, and content moderation.

What's the difference between contract staking and validator staking?

They're two separate systems that never share state. Validator staking is for helping run the network's hub (pricing, cross-chain coordination, the AI/web lookups above); validators stake XCHAIN and earn rewards. Contract staking is general-purpose: any contract can declare itself stakeable, and anyone can lock any token on any supported chain against it. The contract's code decides what staking unlocks and when to slash.

What if the blockchain reorganizes?

Reorgs happen occasionally; a run of blocks gets replaced by a longer competing chain. XChain handles it automatically: the software detects the reorg, rolls its state back to the fork point, and reprocesses the correct chain. To you, a very recent transaction might briefly disappear and reappear, just like with ordinary coin transactions.

Can I verify balances and history myself?

Yes, and it's a core design goal. The rules are deterministic, so anyone processing the same blockchain data arrives at exactly the same state. Run your own node and you derive every balance and record yourself, trusting no explorer, API, or company.

What happens if XChain services go offline?

Nothing is lost. Your tokens live in transactions that exist permanently on the blockchain. If every XChain node went offline, the raw data would still be on the blockchain. When any node comes back and replays the chain, it reconstructs the complete current state. The blockchain is the only authoritative record.