Compressed NFTs on Solana (cNFTs)

Compressed NFTs (cNFTs) are a Solana NFT standard that makes minting at scale almost free. A normal NFT needs its own on-chain accounts, which cost rent; a compressed NFT instead stores its data in a Merkle tree using Solana's state compression, so thousands of NFTs share one cheap structure. The result: minting can cost a fraction of a cent per NFT instead of paying rent for every one.

What is a compressed NFT?

A compressed NFT is a real, ownable NFT, your wallet shows it, and it can be sold on marketplaces, but its data lives in a compressed Merkle tree rather than in individual accounts. The token metadata standard is Metaplex Bubblegum, built on Solana's account compression program. To a holder it looks and behaves like any other NFT; the difference is purely how it is stored, which is what makes it cheap.

Why are cNFTs so cheap?

Regular Solana NFTs pay rent for each account they create (mint account, token account, metadata, master edition), roughly 0.01 SOL or so per NFT. Compressed NFTs skip almost all of that: you create one Merkle tree up front (a one-time cost), and then each mint is essentially just the network transaction fee, a tiny fraction of a cent. That is why projects use cNFTs for large drops, airdrops, loyalty rewards and proof-of-attendance, where minting thousands of regular NFTs would be expensive.

Compressed NFTs vs regular NFTs

• Cost: regular NFTs cost rent per mint; cNFTs are nearly free per mint after a one-time tree cost.
• Best for: regular NFTs suit small sets and 1-of-1s; cNFTs suit large or cheap collections, airdrops and rewards.
• In the wallet: both show in Phantom, Solflare and Backpack and trade on marketplaces like Tensor and Magic Eden that support compression.
• Storage: regular NFTs use individual accounts; cNFTs use a shared Merkle tree (state compression).

Are compressed NFTs real, tradeable NFTs?

Yes. Compressed NFTs are supported by the major Solana wallets and by marketplaces such as Tensor and Magic Eden. They can be bought, sold and transferred like any NFT. Reading and transferring them relies on the Digital Asset Standard (DAS) API, which indexers like Helius provide, so wallets and marketplaces can display and trade them.

How to mint compressed NFTs with no code

Minting cNFTs normally means setting up a Merkle tree and using the Bubblegum program, which is developer work. We are adding it to our no-code flow: you will generate your collection in the Collection Generator, choose "Compressed" at the mint step, connect your wallet, and mint the whole collection cheaply, no scripts. This is rolling out now. In the meantime you can generate and mint standard NFTs, or generate your collection and download the art and metadata to mint later.

FAQ

How cheap is it to mint a compressed NFT?
After a one-time Merkle-tree cost, each cNFT mint is roughly the Solana network fee, a fraction of a cent. Minting thousands costs a small fraction of what the same number of regular NFTs would.

Can compressed NFTs be sold on Magic Eden and Tensor?
Yes, both support compressed NFTs. They appear in supporting wallets and can be listed and traded like regular NFTs.

Are cNFTs worse than regular NFTs?
No, they are the standard choice for large or low-cost collections. For small sets or 1-of-1s, regular NFTs are simpler. The right choice depends on your collection size and budget.

When can I mint cNFTs here?
Compressed minting is rolling out in the Collection Generator. Until it is live, generate your collection now and mint it as standard NFTs or export it.