Freeze Authority
Understanding freeze authority and its role in token account management.
Freeze authority is a powerful feature that should be used responsibly and transparently.
How Freeze Authority Works
Freeze authority allows the designated authority to freeze individual token accounts, preventing all transfers to and from those accounts.
Freeze Account
Restrictive
Prevents the account from sending or receiving tokens until unfrozen.
Unfreeze Account
Permissive
Restores normal functionality to a previously frozen account.
Use Cases
Regulatory Compliance
- AML/KYC enforcement
- Sanctions compliance
- Legal order compliance
- Jurisdiction restrictions
Security Response
- Compromised account protection
- Suspicious activity prevention
- Emergency incident response
- Fraud prevention
Business Logic
- Vesting schedule enforcement
- Lock-up periods
- Conditional transfers
- Escrow mechanisms
Governance
- Voting period locks
- Proposal enforcement
- Community decisions
- Protocol upgrades
Best Practices
Transparency
- Clearly document freeze authority policies
- Communicate freeze actions to the community
- Provide appeal mechanisms
- Regular authority reviews
Technical Implementation
- Use multisig for freeze authority
- Implement time delays for actions
- Log all freeze/unfreeze operations
- Consider governance integration
Consider whether your token really needs freeze authority. Many successful tokens operate without it.