# Metaplex

> The leading tokenization platform on Solana.

Metaplex provides infrastructure and tools for creating, launching, and trading tokens, NFTs, and other onchain assets on Solana and the Solana Virtual Machine.

Metaplex is a digital asset protocol and platform on Solana and the Solana Virtual Machine. It provides onchain programs, SDKs, and developer tools for creating and managing tokens, NFTs, and tokenized real-world assets. The platform also supports launching and trading onchain assets.

- Type: Company
- Sector: Developer Tooling
- Status: Active
- Profile: https://thegrid.id/profiles/Metaplex

## Products

- [Metaplex Bubblegum](https://thegrid.id/profiles/Metaplex): Metaplex Bubblegum is the original compressed NFT program on Solana. It stores NFT data in compressed on-chain state, which lowers the cost of minting and updating NFTs at scale. Bubblegum v2 is recommended for new projects. (NFT Issuance Platform, Inactive/Support Ended)
- [Aura Network](https://thegrid.id/profiles/Metaplex): Metaplex Aura Network is a decentralized indexing and data availability network for Solana and the Solana Virtual Machine. It distributes digital asset data across nodes to support fast queries and consistent state tracking. Developers fetch NFT and token details through it. (OnChain Data API, Live)
- [Metaplex Core](https://thegrid.id/profiles/Metaplex): Metaplex Core is a newer NFT standard and program on Solana built on a single-account design with a composable plugin system. It lowers minting costs compared with earlier standards and supports collections, royalties, and freeze or transfer controls through plugins. Developers integrate it through SDKs. (Developer Tooling, Live)
- [Metaplex Token Metadata](https://thegrid.id/profiles/Metaplex): Metaplex Token Metadata is a Solana program that attaches standardized metadata to fungible and non-fungible tokens. It stores names, symbols, images, and other attributes onchain so wallets and marketplaces display tokens consistently. It is a legacy program, and Core is recommended for new NFT projects. (Developer Tooling, Live)
- [Metaplex Bubblegum v2](https://thegrid.id/profiles/Metaplex): Metaplex Bubblegum v2 is the current version of the compressed NFT program on Solana. It stores NFT data as hashed leaves in on-chain trees, which lowers minting costs at large scale. The second version adds freezing, soulbound NFTs, Core collections, royalty enforcement, and permanent delegates, and is not backward-compatible with v1 trees. (Developer Tooling, Live, Main Product)
- [Metaplex Candy Machine](https://thegrid.id/profiles/Metaplex): Metaplex Candy Machine is a Solana program for launching NFT collections with configurable guards such as allow lists, payment, and start and end dates. It is deprecated in favor of Core Candy Machine. (Launch Pad, Inactive/Support Ended)
- [Genesis SDK](https://thegrid.id/profiles/Metaplex): Genesis SDK is a toolkit for building token launch platforms on Solana. It provides launch pool, presale, auction, and bonding curve mechanics for token generation events. Developers use it to run fair launches or token sales on their own sites. (Developer Tooling, Live)

## Assets

- [Metaplex Token (MPLX)](https://thegrid.id/profiles/Metaplex): MPLX is the utility and governance token of the Metaplex Protocol on Solana. It is used to vote on protocol upgrades and treasury management through the Metaplex DAO, and as payment to access and query the Aura data network. Half of all protocol fees generated from digital asset creation are used monthly to buy back MPLX for the DAO treasury, creating a direct link between network usage and token demand. (Governance)

## Links

- [Blog](https://www.metaplex.com/blog)
- [Documentation](https://developers.metaplex.com)
- [Whitepaper](https://whitepaper.metaplex.com/whitepaper.pdf)
- [Main](https://www.metaplex.com)
- [Privacy policy](https://www.metaplex.com/privacy-policy)
- [Terms of Service](https://www.metaplex.com/terms-and-conditions)
- [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/6FaDSP2zms)
- [Twitter / X](https://x.com/metaplex)
- [GitHub](https://github.com/metaplex-foundation)

## Legal

This data is provided under two licensing models.

Model 1 - open data. The open data core is licensed under the Open Database License (ODbL) — a copyleft/share-alike license allowing free use, modification, and sharing for any purpose. Attribution is required: include "Powered by The Grid" linking to https://thegrid.id wherever the data is used. Derivative databases must be shared under ODbL terms. Trademarks, logos, and brand names (marked "Special TPIP") are not covered by the ODbL. For ML/AI use: training datasets that substantially extract ODbL data are Derivative Databases and must be shared under ODbL if publicly used; models must be attributed in documentation.

Model 2 - commercial licenses. The Grid Data Service (TGDS) is also available as a commercial license. See [Web Services Terms](https://about.thegrid.id/legal/web-services-terms) for commercial use that is not covered by the open data service.

The following applies to both licensing models.
- All data is provided AS IS with no guarantees of accuracy.
- The Grid does not provide investment, legal, or tax advice, and
- a project's presence in The Grid's data does not imply endorsement.


- [Data Licensing & Disclaimers](https://about.thegrid.id/legal/data-licensing-and-disclaimers): Licensing models and disclaimers
- [Open Data (ODbL)](https://about.thegrid.id/legal/open-data): Open Database License terms and scope for The Grid's open data service.
- [Attribution Guidelines](https://about.thegrid.id/legal/open-data-attribution-guidelines): How to attribute The Grid's data when using the open data service.
- [Web Services Terms](https://about.thegrid.id/legal/web-services-terms): commercial Terms for using data services.
- [All Legal Documents](https://about.thegrid.id/legal): Full index of terms, policies, and disclosures

## Optional

- [TGS Field Descriptions](https://github.com/The-Grid-Data/workspace-public/blob/main/references/tgs-field-descriptions.md): Schema field definitions for The Grid's data model
- [TGS JSON Structure](https://github.com/The-Grid-Data/workspace-public/blob/main/references/tgs-json-structure.md): Data model structure and relationships
- [Product Type Definitions](https://github.com/The-Grid-Data/workspace-public/blob/main/references/product-type-definitions.md): Definitions for each product type
- [Product Type Classification](https://github.com/The-Grid-Data/workspace-public/blob/main/references/product-type-classification.md): Guide for classifying products into types
- [Grid MCP Guide](https://github.com/The-Grid-Data/workspace-public/blob/main/grid-search/skills/grid-query/references/grid-mcp-guide.md): How to query The Grid programmatically via MCP