Post-Deployment Guide · 10 Minutes

How to Verify Your Contract on Etherscan

Q: Is verifying a contract on Etherscan mandatory?

No, it is not mandatory. Your token works fully without verification. However, verified contracts display a green checkmark on Etherscan and show the full Solidity source code publicly. This is considered a strong trust signal - most serious token buyers check for verification before buying.

Q: What information do I need to verify my contract?

You need: your contract address, the Solidity compiler version used to deploy it, the optimisation settings, and the exact source code. ETHTokenLaunch provides the source code and compiler settings with every deployment.

Q: How long does Etherscan verification take?

Etherscan verifies contracts automatically in seconds once you submit the correct details. The green checkmark appears almost immediately.

Q: What does "Contract Source Code Verified" mean on Etherscan?

It means Etherscan has compiled the provided source code and confirmed it produces the same bytecode that is deployed at that address. Anyone can read and audit the Solidity code, proving the contract does exactly what it says.

Q: Can I verify a contract that was deployed by someone else?

Yes. Anyone can submit verification for any unverified contract. You just need the source code, compiler version, and settings.

Q: What is the ABI and do I need it for verification?

The ABI (Application Binary Interface) is a JSON description of your contract's functions. Etherscan generates the ABI automatically from your verified source code - you don't need to provide it separately during verification.

Contract verification proves your token does exactly what it claims. It earns the green ✓ checkmark on Etherscan and gives buyers full visibility into your smart contract code.

Why it matters: An unverified contract shows only compiled bytecode on Etherscan - unreadable to humans. A verified contract shows the original Solidity source code. Buyers, traders, and other developers can audit exactly what the contract does before interacting with it. It's one of the highest-trust signals a new token can have.

Before You Start

You'll need the following details - ETHTokenLaunch provides all of these with every deployment:

Contract address - your token's 0x... address on Etherscan
Solidity compiler version - the exact version used to compile the contract (e.g. v0.8.20)
Optimisation settings - whether optimisation was enabled and the runs count
Source code - the full .sol file for your ERC-20 contract

Step-by-Step: Verifying on Etherscan

Find your contract on Etherscan

Go to etherscan.io and paste your contract address into the search bar. Press Enter.

You'll land on your contract's page. Click the Contract tab. You'll see a yellow banner reading "Are you the contract creator? Verify and Publish your contract source code today!" - click the Verify and Publish link within that banner.

Choose "Solidity (Single file)"

Under Please select Compiler Type, choose Solidity (Single file). This is correct for ETHTokenLaunch contracts.

Leave the License Type as MIT License (MIT) and click Continue.

Select the compiler version and optimisation

From the Compiler Version dropdown, select the exact version used for your deployment. ETHTokenLaunch displays this on your deployment confirmation page.

Set Optimisation to match your deployment settings (ETHTokenLaunch uses Yes with 200 runs by default).

Important: The compiler version and optimisation settings must match exactly what was used during deployment. Even a minor version mismatch will produce different bytecode and verification will fail.

Paste your Solidity source code

In the large Enter the Solidity Contract Code below text area, paste the full .sol source code for your ERC-20 contract.

Leave the Constructor ABI-encoded Arguments field blank - ETHTokenLaunch contracts encode arguments inline. Click Verify and Publish.

Check the result

Etherscan compiles your code and checks it against the deployed bytecode. If it matches, you'll see a ✓ Verified success message.

Your contract's Contract tab on Etherscan now shows a green checkmark. The full source code, ABI, and read/write functions are publicly visible.

Done! Your token now shows as verified on Etherscan. Buyers and traders can inspect the full contract before interacting with it.

Troubleshooting Verification Failures

Bytecode mismatch

The most common failure. Double-check the compiler version - even v0.8.19 vs v0.8.20 produces different bytecode. Verify optimisation is On with 200 runs.

Constructor arguments error

If Etherscan says constructor arguments don't match, the arguments may need to be ABI-encoded and entered in the "Constructor ABI-encoded Arguments" field. Contact ETHTokenLaunch support and we'll provide the exact encoded arguments for your deployment.

Already verified

If the Contract tab already shows a green checkmark, your contract was already verified. No action needed.

What Verification Unlocks

Once verified, your contract page on Etherscan gains three new sub-tabs:

Code

Full Solidity source code with syntax highlighting.

Read Contract

Query token name, symbol, supply, and balances directly from Etherscan.

Write Contract

Call owner functions (like transfer) directly from the Etherscan interface.

Deploy your token first

You'll need a deployed contract before you can verify it on Etherscan.

Create Token Deployment Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Is verifying a contract on Etherscan mandatory?

What information do I need to verify my contract?

How long does Etherscan verification take?

What does "Contract Source Code Verified" mean on Etherscan?

Can I verify a contract that was deployed by someone else?

What is the ABI and do I need it for verification?