Nothing on the record shows that Enjin Coin (ENJ) was the first gaming token. Enjin makes a different and narrower claim. Its developer documentation calls the Enjin Blockchain "the world's first purpose-built blockchain for games and apps." That is the project describing itself. The record does show that Enjin helped shape how games put items on a blockchain. Enjin's co-founder Witek Radomski is the first-listed author of ERC-1155, the Ethereum multi-token standard, which was created on 17 June 2018. ENJ now runs as the native coin of Enjin's own blockchain.
What ENJ is today
Enjin's documentation describes the Enjin Blockchain as two layers:
- Enjin Relaychain. The docs call it "the central backbone of the Enjin ecosystem." It handles a limited set of transaction types and is secured by staking. One docs page calls the mechanism "nominated proof-of-stake" and another calls it "a delegated Proof-of-Stake."
- Enjin Matrixchain. Specialized chains that handle asset operations and the marketplace. The docs say they "prioritize speed, scalability, and cost efficiency." ENJ pays transaction fees on the Matrixchain.
The docs describe the whole system as "a Layer 1 protocol designed with native NFT functionalities embedded within the protocol layer." In practice, a game creates items with a built-in chain feature instead of deploying its own smart contract for them.
ENJ has three roles in the current docs:
- Fees. It pays for transactions on the Matrixchain.
- Staking. Holders can put ENJ into a nomination pool "with just one click" to help secure the Relaychain and earn ENJ rewards. The docs say the staked amount "remains highly liquid and can be used within the Enjin ecosystem."
- Governance. Holders can take part in governance. Index Coop, in a guide dated 13 April 2022, also calls ENJ the Enjin Network's "governance and utility token."
The move off Ethereum
ENJ started as an ERC-20 token on Ethereum. To move to native ENJ on the Enjin Blockchain, Enjin's support material says a holder sends the Ethereum tokens to the burn address 0x000000000000000000000000000000000000dEaD. Enjin says no one controls that address, including Enjin. The tokens can be claimed on the Enjin Matrixchain about 24 hours later. The step cannot be undone. Enjin warns against burning from a wallet you do not fully control, because those tokens can be lost for good. The burn transaction needs some ETH to pay the Ethereum fee.
Is it really the first gaming token?
A "first" claim needs a dated list of earlier gaming tokens, and none of the sources below provides one or names ENJ as first. Here is what each one says:
- ERC-1155 specification (Ethereum Improvement Proposals). It says: "With the rise of blockchain games and platforms like Enjin Coin, game developers may be creating thousands of token types." It names Enjin as an example, not as the first. The same section adds that "ERC-1155 is not specific to games." Enjin Coin is also listed among the standard's implementations.
- Enjin's own docs. They claim a first for the blockchain ("purpose-built for games and apps"), not for the token, and the claim is Enjin's own.
- BitcoinWiki. It calls ENJ "a new cryptocurrency" for communities, content creators, game servers and publishers. It makes no claim about being first.
A fair summary: Enjin was an early gaming project, and its team co-wrote a widely used token standard. Whether ENJ was the first gaming token is not established.
Which ENJ rules apply to you?
Answer a few questions about the ENJ you hold or the ENJ item you use to see which rule from Enjin's documentation applies.
Which ENJ do you hold?
- ERC-20 ENJ on Ethereum → next question
- Native ENJ on the Enjin Blockchain → next question
- I am not sure → Check which chain your ENJ is on first
Do you fully control the wallet that holds your ERC-20 ENJ?
- Yes, I control the wallet → Migration is a one-way burn
- No, or I am not sure → Enjin warns against burning from this wallet
What do you want to do with native ENJ?
- Melt an ENJ item → next question
- Stake ENJ → Staking happens on the Relaychain
- Pay transaction fees → ENJ pays fees on the Matrixchain
Was ENJ infused into the item when it was created?
- Yes, it holds infused ENJ → Melting releases the infused ENJ
- No infused ENJ → No infused ENJ means no ENJ back
- I don't know → Look up the item's infusion first
ERC-20 ENJ on Ethereum and native ENJ on the Enjin Blockchain are different assets. Find out which one you hold before you do anything else, because migration is a one-way burn.
Enjin's support material says you send ERC-20 ENJ to the burn address 0x000000000000000000000000000000000000dEaD, which no one controls, including Enjin. You can claim the tokens on the Enjin Matrixchain about 24 hours later. The step cannot be undone, and the burn transaction needs some ETH to pay the Ethereum fee.
Enjin warns against burning from a wallet you do not fully control, because those tokens can be lost for good. The burn cannot be undone.
Holders can put ENJ into a nomination pool to help secure the Enjin Relaychain and earn ENJ rewards. The docs say the staked amount remains highly liquid within the Enjin ecosystem. The Matrixchain is for assets and the marketplace, not staking.
In the current docs, ENJ pays for transactions on the Enjin Matrixchain, the chains that handle asset operations and the marketplace.
Enjin's developer docs say melting a token with ENJ Infusion releases the infused ENJ to the holder. What you get back depends on how much ENJ was infused, not on a fixed share. The older 'up to 50%' figure describes the Ethereum-era model, not the current chain.
Under the current docs, an item with no infused ENJ returns no ENJ when melted. Destroying a token removes it from the chain and returns the storage deposit.
Check how much ENJ, if any, is infused in the item. That amount is what melting returns under Enjin's current docs.
This maps the article's rules only: it does not show how much ENJ an item holds, staking reward rates, prices, migration dates or whether ENJ was the first gaming token, and it is not advice on whether to hold, stake, migrate or melt.
How minting, melting and ENJ Infusion work
Minting
Index Coop (2022) says ENJ "is used for minting of in-game assets." It adds that minting "can also be easily reversed to 'melt' assets back into the Enjin token."
Melting on the current chain
Enjin's developer docs define melting as "decreasing a token's supply and removing it from circulation." Two rules from those docs:
- "Melting a token with ENJ Infusion releases the Infused ENJ to the holder." ENJ Infusion means ENJ is locked inside a token when it is created.
- Destroying a token removes it from the chain and returns the storage deposit.
So under the current docs, what a holder gets back depends on how much ENJ was infused into that item. An item with no infused ENJ returns no ENJ.
The older "up to 50%" figure
BitcoinWiki, an undated encyclopedia-style page, says melting lets developers and players "reclaim up to 50% of the item's Enjin Coin-backed value." This appears to describe the older Ethereum-era model. It does not match Enjin's current developer docs, which say infused ENJ is released to the holder. Treat the 50% figure as a description of the older model, not of the current chain.
Key dates
| Date | Event | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Enjin co-founded by Maxim Blagov and Witek Radomski | Index Coop (2022) |
| 3 Oct 2017 | ENJ initial coin offering (ICO) starts | BitcoinWiki (undated) |
| 2017 | ICO raises about $18.9 million | Index Coop (2022) |
| 17 Jun 2018 | ERC-1155 created; Witek Radomski first-listed author | ERC-1155 specification |
| 2018 | Enjin platform mainnet launched on Ethereum | Index Coop (2022) |
What to check before using ENJ items
- Infusion. Look at how much ENJ, if any, is infused in an item. That amount is what melting returns, not a fixed share.
- Which chain. ERC-20 ENJ on Ethereum and native ENJ on the Enjin Blockchain are different assets. Migration is a one-way burn.
- Where you stake. Staking happens on the Relaychain. The Matrixchain is for assets and the marketplace.
