Get started with Canton

Canton Network is the blockchain itself: a public network built for financial applications, where each application controls who can see its data. Canton Coin, or CC, is the network’s utility token — it pays for Global Synchronizer usage and other network fees, and it is minted as a reward for the applications and infrastructure that add utility to the network.

Start with the CantonNews Learning Hub, which explains Canton in dozens of questions and answers across four levels, from what Canton Network is to how the Global Synchronizer and the CIP-56 token standard work. The Canton Explained glossary defines the terms you will meet along the way, and CantonNews AI answers specific questions using CantonNews coverage and live network data.

No. You can learn about Canton, follow the community and research projects without buying anything or connecting a wallet. Whether you need funds later depends on the app or activity you choose; when you do need CC, the CantonNews Buy CC guide compares the exchanges that list it.

Reading about Canton, following the community and browsing projects costs nothing. Using an app depends on that app: some are free to try, others need funds, a particular wallet or an access code, and network fees on Canton are paid in Canton Coin. Check each project’s own profile and terms before you start.

There is no single right wallet: compare them by your device, recovery preferences, supported assets and the apps you want to use. The CantonNews Wallets page lists the active Canton wallets — self-custody, passkey, payment and treasury tools — with what each one is best for. Confirm the wallet works with the app you want to use, then follow that wallet provider’s own instructions.

Canton apps span wallets, payments, swaps and spot exchanges, lending and yield, derivatives and prediction markets, real-world asset tokenization, NFTs, bridges, analytics, stablecoin infrastructure and developer tools. Each project sets its own supported wallets and access requirements, so browse the directory on this page and open a project’s CantonNews profile to see what it offers and how to get in.

Some projects limit or introduce access in stages, so an app may ask for an access code before you can use it. Check the project’s own current requirements first, then Canton Access on CantonNews, which lists active campaigns, partner project access and claimable access codes with instructions.

Use CantonNews AI to find relevant information from CantonNews coverage, or open the project’s own profile for its support options. The Canton Telegram and Discord communities and the accounts listed on this page are another place to ask general questions.