Token Transfers: A Comprehensive Guide to Tracking On-Chain Movements

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The tokens.transfers table in Dune Analytics is a powerful resource for understanding how digital assets move across blockchain networks. This dataset captures token transfer events for both ERC20 tokens and native currencies across all EVM-compatible chains indexed by Dune. Whether you're analyzing DeFi activity, monitoring exchange inflows and outflows, or studying market behavior, this table provides the granular data needed for deep on-chain insights.

By leveraging this dataset, analysts, researchers, and developers can uncover patterns in token circulation, track whale movements, and assess liquidity flows—all critical components of blockchain intelligence.

👉 Discover how real-time token flow analysis can enhance your on-chain research.

What Data Does the Tokens.Transfers Table Include?

The tokens.transfers table aggregates multiple types of value transfers, making it a unified source for tracking asset movements:

This comprehensive inclusion ensures that no significant movement goes unnoticed, providing a holistic view of economic activity across supported networks.

Key Use Cases and Analytical Applications

Understanding token flows is essential for a variety of blockchain analytics scenarios. The tokens.transfers table enables users to:

Track Token Flows Between Addresses

Monitor how tokens move between wallets, smart contracts, exchanges, and liquidity pools. This helps identify accumulation or distribution trends.

Analyze Transaction Volumes and Patterns

Measure daily or hourly transfer volumes to detect surges in activity—often precursors to price movements or market events.

Identify Significant Token Movements

Spot large transfers (in USD or native token terms) that may signal institutional activity, exchange restocking, or whale movements.

Monitor Exchange and DeFi Protocol Activity

Track inflows and outflows from centralized exchanges (CEXs) and decentralized finance (DeFi) platforms to gauge market sentiment.

These capabilities make the table indispensable for on-chain analysts aiming to derive actionable insights from blockchain data.

Available Columns in the Dataset

Each row in the tokens.transfers table contains detailed metadata about a specific transfer event. Key columns include:

This rich schema allows for highly customizable queries tailored to specific analytical goals.

Supported EVM-Compatible Networks

Dune indexes transfer data across a wide range of EVM-compatible blockchains, including:

This multi-chain coverage enables cross-network comparisons and broader ecosystem analysis—an increasingly important capability in a fragmented blockchain landscape.

👉 Explore cross-chain token movement trends with advanced querying tools.

Practical Query Examples

Below are real-world SQL queries using the tokens.transfers table to extract meaningful insights.

Query: Recent Token Transfers for a Specific Address

This query retrieves the latest incoming and outgoing transfers for a given wallet address:

SELECT
 block_time,
 symbol,
 CASE
 WHEN "from" = 0x5DD596C901987A2b28C38A9C1DfBf86fFFc15d77 THEN 'Outgoing'
 WHEN "to" = 0x5DD596C901987A2b28C38A9C1DfBf86fFFc15d77 THEN 'Incoming'
 END AS direction,
 amount,
 amount_usd
FROM tokens.transfers
WHERE ("from" = 0x5DD596C901987A2b28C38A9C1DfBf86fFFc15d77 OR "to" = 0x5DD596C901987A2b28C38A9C1DfBf86fFFc15d77)
 AND block_time > now() - interval '30' day
ORDER BY block_time DESC
LIMIT 100

Useful for tracking personal wallet activity or monitoring known entities like protocols or exchanges.

Query: Daily Transfer Volume for a Specific Token

Calculate daily volume metrics for an ERC20 token (e.g., UNI):

SELECT
 block_date,
 COUNT(*) AS num_transfers,
 SUM(amount) AS total_amount,
 SUM(amount_usd) AS total_amount_usd
FROM tokens.transfers
WHERE contract_address = 0x1f9840a85d5af5bf1d1762f925bdaddc4201f984
 AND block_time > now() - interval '30' day
 AND blockchain = 'ethereum'
GROUP BY 1
ORDER BY 1 DESC
Note: Transfer volume alone should not be interpreted as demand or usage. It may include mints, burns, flash loans, or internal protocol transfers that distort true economic activity.

Query: Largest Transfers in the Last 24 Hours

Identify major movements by USD value:

SELECT
 block_time,
 token_symbol,
 "from",
 "to",
 amount,
 amount_usd
FROM tokens.transfers
WHERE block_time > now() - interval '1' day
 AND amount_usd IS NOT NULL
ORDER BY amount_usd DESC
LIMIT 50

Ideal for spotting whale transactions or exchange reserve movements.

Query: Circulating Supply Over Time

Estimate a token’s circulating supply by summing minted and burned amounts:

WITH tx AS (
 SELECT
 DATE_TRUNC('hour', evt_block_time) AS event_hour,
 value / 1e18 AS tokens_delta
 FROM erc20_ethereum.evt_transfer
 WHERE contract_address = 0x5bae9a5d67d1ca5b09b14c91935f635cfbf3b685
 AND "from" = 0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000

 UNION ALL

 SELECT
 DATE_TRUNC('hour', evt_block_time) AS event_hour,
 -value / 1e18 AS tokens_delta
 FROM erc20_ethereum.evt_transfer
 WHERE contract_address = 0x5bae9a5d67d1ca5b09b14c91935f635cfbf3b685
 AND "to" = 0x0000000000000000000000000000000000000000
),
tx_hourly AS (
 SELECT
 event_hour,
 SUM(tokens_delta) AS net_tokens
 FROM tx
 GROUP BY event_hour
 ORDER BY event_hour DESC
)
SELECT
 event_hour,
 SUM(net_tokens) OVER (ORDER BY event_hour) AS circulating_supply
FROM tx_hourly
ORDER BY event_hour DESC;
Limitation: Only works for tokens with standard mint/burn mechanics. Non-standard implementations will yield inaccurate results.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Can I track native token transfers like ETH using this table?
A: Yes. The tokens.transfers table includes native currency transfers across all supported EVM chains.

Q: Is the amount_usd field always accurate?
A: It reflects estimated USD values based on available price data at the time of transfer. Gaps in price feeds may lead to missing or approximate values.

Q: How often is the data updated?
A: Dune processes new blocks in near real-time, typically within minutes of confirmation on-chain.

Q: Can I use this data to detect wash trading?
A: While possible to spot suspicious patterns, this table doesn't capture intent. Additional context and analysis are required.

Q: Are internal contract transfers included?
A: Yes—trace-level value movements are captured where available.

Q: Why might some large transfers show $0 USD value?
A: Missing price data for less common tokens or delays in oracle updates can result in null amount_usd entries.

👉 Unlock deeper insights with advanced on-chain analytics tools today.

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