> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.helius.dev/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# How to Use getTokenAccountBalance

> Learn getTokenAccountBalance use cases, code examples, request parameters, response structure, and tips.

The [`getTokenAccountBalance`](https://www.helius.dev/docs/api-reference/rpc/http/gettokenaccountbalance) RPC method returns the token balance of a specific SPL Token account. This is essential for applications that need to display or verify the amount of a particular token held by a token account.

## Common Use Cases

* **Displaying User Token Balances:** Showing users how much of a specific token they own in their wallet (associated token accounts).
* **Verifying Token Availability:** Checking if a token account has sufficient balance before attempting a transfer or other operation.
* **Portfolio Tracking:** Aggregating token balances for a user across different token accounts.
* **Smart Contract Interactions:** Smart contracts might query token balances as part of their logic (though on-chain programs typically access this data directly from account info).

## Request Parameters

1. **Token Account Public Key** (string, required): The base-58 encoded public key of the SPL Token account you want to query.
2. **Configuration Object** (object, optional): An optional object that can contain the following field:
   * **`commitment`** (string, optional): Specifies the [commitment level](https://www.helius.dev/blog/solana-commitment-levels) for the query. If omitted, the default commitment of the RPC node is used (usually `finalized`).

## Response Structure

The `result` field in the JSON-RPC response contains an object with a `context` and a `value` field. The `value` object holds the balance information:

* **`amount`** (string): The raw balance of the token account as a string. This is an integer representing the smallest unit of the token (e.g., if a token has 6 decimals, an amount of "1000000" means 1 token).
* **`decimals`** (u8): The number of decimal places defined for this token type (by its mint).
* **`uiAmount`** (number | null): The balance formatted as a floating-point number, taking into account the `decimals`. This field might be `null` or deprecated in some contexts in favor of `uiAmountString`.
* **`uiAmountString`** (string): The balance formatted as a string, taking into account the `decimals`. This is often preferred for display to avoid potential floating-point inaccuracies.

**Example Response:**

```json theme={"system"}
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "result": {
    "context": {
      "slot": 183457201
    },
    "value": {
      "amount": "500000000",
      "decimals": 9,
      "uiAmount": 0.5,
      "uiAmountString": "0.5"
    }
  },
  "id": 1
}
```

## Code Examples

<CodeGroup>
  ```bash cURL theme={"system"}
  # Basic Request (replace <TOKEN_ACCOUNT_PUBKEY>):
  curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d \
    '{
      "jsonrpc": "2.0",
      "id": 1,
      "method": "getTokenAccountBalance",
      "params": [
        "<TOKEN_ACCOUNT_PUBKEY>"
      ]
    }' \
    <YOUR_RPC_URL>

  # Request with commitment (replace <TOKEN_ACCOUNT_PUBKEY>):
  curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d \
    '{
      "jsonrpc": "2.0",
      "id": 1,
      "method": "getTokenAccountBalance",
      "params": [
        "<TOKEN_ACCOUNT_PUBKEY>",
        {
          "commitment": "confirmed"
        }
      ]
    }' \
    <YOUR_RPC_URL>
  ```

  ```javascript JavaScript (using @solana/web3.js) theme={"system"}
  const { Connection, PublicKey } = require('@solana/web3.js');

  async function checkTokenBalance(tokenAccountPublicKey) {
    // Replace with your RPC endpoint
    const connection = new Connection('https://mainnet.helius-rpc.com/?api-key=<api-key>');
    
    try {
      const tokenAccountPubKey = new PublicKey(tokenAccountPublicKey);
      const balance = await connection.getTokenAccountBalance(tokenAccountPubKey);

      if (!balance.value) {
          console.log(`Could not find token account: ${tokenAccountPublicKey}`);
          return;
      }

      console.log(`Token Account: ${tokenAccountPublicKey}`);
      console.log(`Raw Amount: ${balance.value.amount}`);
      console.log(`Decimals: ${balance.value.decimals}`);
      console.log(`UI Amount (string): ${balance.value.uiAmountString}`);
      // console.log(JSON.stringify(balance, null, 2)); // For full response details

    } catch (error) {
      console.error(`Error fetching token account balance for ${tokenAccountPublicKey}:`, error);
    }
  }

  // Replace with an actual SPL Token Account Public Key
  const exampleTokenAccount = 'HHisAGTT6ADDd52jY1g65Akn3N2f4jSdQS2rTiyDEw5c'; // Example: An account holding some USDC on mainnet
  checkTokenBalance(exampleTokenAccount);

  // Example for a token account that might not exist or have 0 balance
  // const nonExistentAccount = '11111111111111111111111111111111'; 
  // checkTokenBalance(nonExistentAccount);
  ```
</CodeGroup>

## Developer Tips

* **Token Account vs. Mint Account vs. Owner Account:** Ensure you are providing the public key of the *SPL Token Account*, not the token's *mint address* or the *owner's wallet address*. You typically get token accounts for an owner using `getTokenAccountsByOwner`.
* **Decimals:** Always use the `decimals` field to correctly interpret the `amount`. The `uiAmountString` is generally safer for display than `uiAmount` to avoid floating-point precision issues.
* **Non-Existent Accounts:** If the provided public key does not correspond to an existing token account, the behavior might vary slightly by RPC provider or library, but often the `value` in the response will be `null` or an error will be thrown. The JavaScript example includes a basic check for `balance.value`.
* **Commitment Levels:** Using different commitment levels can affect how quickly you see balance changes, especially for very recent transactions. `finalized` is the safest but has the most latency.

This guide should help you accurately retrieve and interpret SPL token balances using the `getTokenAccountBalance` method.

## Related Methods

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="getTokenAccountsByOwner" href="/api-reference/rpc/http/gettokenaccountsbyowner">
    Get all token accounts for an owner
  </Card>

  <Card title="getTokenSupply" href="/api-reference/rpc/http/gettokensupply">
    Get the total supply of a token mint
  </Card>
</CardGroup>