What is Token Generation Event (TGE)?
A token generation event is the moment a project's tokens are first created and distributed on a blockchain — the technical birth of the token, usually paired with the start of vesting schedules and initial liquidity.
Also known as: TGE · token launch · token minting
In plain terms
The TGE is when the tokens actually come into existence and reach their first holders. Before it, allocations exist only on paper in agreements and spreadsheets.
After the TGE, the clock starts on cliffs and vesting, initial trading may begin, and the circulating supply starts to grow from its launch level.
How it works
The project deploys the token contract, mints the total supply and distributes allocations to wallets per the agreed schedule — some percentages immediately, the rest locked under vesting contracts or custodial arrangements.
Initial liquidity is provisioned on exchanges or on-chain pools so the token can be priced and traded from day one.
The TGE date defines the start of every vesting clock: a 12-month cliff set at TGE ends 12 months later, regardless of later events.
Example
Hypothetical: a project's TGE is June 1. On that day 10% of supply goes to liquidity and 2% to the community; the team's 20% allocation starts a 12-month cliff followed by 36 months of monthly vesting; investors' tokens start monthly vesting after a 6-month cliff.
Why it matters for founders and investors
The TGE is the reference point for every unlock calculation, so investors should always ask when it happened or is planned — a vesting schedule means nothing without its start date.
For founders, launch-day supply and liquidity choices shape the token's first months of price behavior and set the tone for how the market reads future unlocks.
Common misconceptions
The TGE is not the same as an exchange listing. Tokens can be generated and distributed on-chain without any listing, and listings can happen long after the TGE.
Tokens are not all unlocked at the TGE — in most serious projects only a small fraction is liquid on day one.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of supply is usually released at TGE?
It varies widely, but liquid supply at launch is often a small share of total supply — liquidity provision plus partial community or ecosystem allocations. The rest follows cliffs and vesting schedules.
Does the TGE date affect my vesting?
Yes. Vesting clocks almost always start at the TGE, so the cliff and monthly releases are counted from that date even if you received tokens later or in a different transaction.