# Interchain Token Service (https://docs.axelar.dev/its/overview)



The Interchain Token Service (ITS) makes a token available on many chains, as one token. Each copy of the token is connected to ITS on its chain, and all copies share the same [token ID](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/its/how-it-works/concepts/content.md#token-id). Transfers between chains burn or lock the token on the source chain and mint or unlock it on the destination chain, so the total supply stays the same.

ITS runs on Axelar's EVM chains, Solana, Sui, Stellar and XRPL. It's permissionless: anyone can deploy a token or connect an existing one, and it stays under their control.

<Callout title="Using an AI agent?">
  Copy this page with **Copy Markdown** at the top and give it to your agent,
  with the token you want to make interchain. The copied page links to the
  Markdown of the other pages it refers to, so the agent can read them too.
  For all of these docs, give it [`llms.txt`](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.txt),
  an index of every page; the bot icon next to GitHub in the sidebar copies its
  link. Review what it writes, and test on testnet before mainnet.
</Callout>

## Three ways to use ITS [#three-ways-to-use-its]

| You want to                                             | Use                                                                  | Result                                                                                    |
| ------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Launch a new token on several chains                    | [Create a new token](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/its/integrations/evm/interchain-tokens/content.md)        | An interchain token, deployed by ITS, with the same address on most EVM chains            |
| Bring an existing token, deployed on one chain, to more | [Register an existing token](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/its/integrations/evm/canonical-tokens/content.md) | Your token is locked on its home chain, and ITS deploys an interchain token on the others |
| Connect your own token contracts on several chains      | [Link custom tokens](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/its/integrations/evm/custom-tokens/content.md)            | Your contracts stay as they are, and ITS mints and burns, or locks and unlocks, them      |

[Concepts](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/its/how-it-works/concepts/content.md) explains token IDs, the kinds of token and the token managers that connect them to ITS.

## How a transfer works [#how-a-transfer-works]

1. A user calls `interchainTransfer` on the token, or on ITS, on the source chain.
2. The token's token manager burns or locks the tokens, and ITS sends a [GMP](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/gmp/overview/content.md) message to the [ITS Hub](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/its/how-it-works/its-hub/content.md) on Axelar.
3. The ITS Hub checks the transfer and forwards it to ITS on the destination chain.
4. ITS mints or unlocks the tokens for the recipient. If the transfer carries data, it then calls the recipient contract with it ([executable](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/its/integrations/evm/transfers-with-data/content.md)).

Each transfer is a GMP message, and so is each deployment to another chain: pay gas for it on the source chain, and follow it on Axelarscan like any message. See [Estimate ITS fees](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/gmp/gas/estimate-and-pay/content.md#estimate-its-fees) and [Track and recover](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/gmp/track-and-recover/transaction-states/content.md). [Express](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/gmp/integrations/evm/express/content.md) currently doesn't work for ITS transfers.

## Addresses [#addresses]

On EVM chains, ITS is at `0xB5FB4BE02232B1bBA4dC8f81dc24C26980dE9e3C` and the Interchain Token Factory at `0x83a93500d23Fbc3e82B410aD07A6a9F7A0670D66`, on most chains, mainnet and testnet. The exceptions, and the addresses on other chains, are on [Chains and contracts](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/infrastructure/network/chains-and-contracts/content.md).

## Make your token available to users [#make-your-token-available-to-users]

Users can bridge interchain tokens in the [Axelar App](https://app.axelar.network/), Axelar's app for moving tokens between chains.

## Next steps [#next-steps]

* [How it works](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/its/how-it-works/concepts/content.md): token IDs, token managers, the ITS Hub, roles and flow limits.
* Integrations: [EVM](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/its/integrations/evm/intro/content.md), [Solana](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/its/integrations/solana/intro/content.md), [Sui](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/its/integrations/sui/intro/content.md), [Stellar](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/its/integrations/stellar/intro/content.md), [XRPL](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/its/integrations/xrpl/content.md).
* [axlUSDC](https://docs.axelar.dev/llms.mdx/gmp/resources/axlusdc/content.md), Axelar's wrapped USDC.


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