Solana Blinks

/Oct 14, 2025

Key Takeaways

• Blinks transform standard URLs into actionable onchain links for seamless user interactions.

• They reduce friction in crypto transactions, making it easier for users to engage without navigating complex dapps.

• The technology supports various use cases, including tipping, NFT minting, and DeFi actions, all from a single link.

Solana Blinks are one of the most interesting UX breakthroughs to come out of the Solana ecosystem in the past year. Short for “Blockchain Links,” Blinks turn any ordinary URL into an onchain action that can be previewed and executed directly from where users already are—social feeds, chat apps, search results, blogs, or emails. Combined with Solana Actions (a standard for describing and serving these off-chain endpoints), Blinks make crypto interactions feel as seamless as clicking a link.

If the last cycle was about onboarding through wallets and dapps, Blinks are about meeting users where they already spend time. That shift matters for conversion, education, and mainstream adoption. Solana Labs and community teams introduced Actions and Blinks in mid‑2024, and momentum has continued into 2025 as more builders experiment with payments, subscriptions, NFTs, and DeFi flows activated from the open web. For background and updates, see the Solana News hub and developer portal at Solana’s official site (Solana Actions coverage can be found via the News section) and the developer guides under Solana Developers.

Overview and developer resources: Solana News and Solana Developers
Dialect’s documentation for Actions and Blinks: Dialect docs

What follows is a concise primer for product teams, developers, and power users who want to understand what Blinks are, how they work, and what to watch for when integrating them into production.

What are Blinks?

A Blink is a shareable link that represents a concrete onchain intent—tip 0.01 SOL, mint an NFT, swap a token, subscribe to a membership, donate to a DAO, or even execute a stake or vote. When a Blink is shared, compatible clients can render a rich preview with a call-to-action button (for example, “Tip,” “Mint,” or “Swap”). Clicking the button launches the wallet flow and signs the transaction against the target program on Solana.

Technically, Blinks are powered by “Actions,” which are HTTP endpoints that return structured metadata about what a user is doing, what they’ll sign, and how to simulate it safely. That metadata powers both the preview UI and the wallet request. The approach allows onchain actions to be initiated from anywhere that can display a URL preview, leveraging open web standards like Open Graph to provide safe, human‑readable context. See the Open Graph Protocol for how previews are commonly generated on the web.

Transaction model: Solana transactions and instructions
Token primitives used by many Actions: SPL Token Program

Why Blinks matter

Frictionless conversion: Reduces the steps between discovery and transaction. No need to navigate a dapp, connect, and hunt for the right button—one link, one intent.
Composability and portability: The same Blink works across feeds, messaging, blogs, and search, with metadata that can be verified and simulated.
Safer by default UX: Structured endpoints enable wallet providers to simulate, decode, and display what will happen before a signature, making harmful side effects easier to catch.
New growth channels: Marketing, community, and growth teams can embed onchain actions into content without rebuilding full dapps for every surface.

How Blinks work under the hood

Action endpoints: Developers host endpoints that conform to the Actions spec (for example, GET for preview, POST to assemble the transaction payload). The response includes a descriptive title, icon, expected costs, and the serialized transaction or instructions to build one client‑side. Reference: Dialect docs.
Preview cards: When a link is shared, platforms generate link previews using Open Graph metadata, so users see a trustworthy title, image, and call‑to‑action before clicking. Reference: Open Graph Protocol.
Wallet flow: Clicking the Blink hands off to a wallet (desktop, mobile, or embedded) for simulation, rendering, and signing. Wallet adapters and deep links make this interop possible. Reference: Solana Wallet Adapter.
Execution: After signature, the transaction is submitted to a Solana RPC and processed onchain with low latency and low fees. Reference: Solana JSON‑RPC API.

Because Actions return machine‑readable data, wallets can simulate and decode the transaction before the user signs—helpful for clearly showing token movements and account changes. Learn more about the transaction model in the Solana docs.

Solana transactions: Transactions and the programming model
RPC details and simulation: JSON‑RPC API

Key use cases in 2025

Instant tipping and micro‑commerce: Creators can attach a Blink to posts that invites tips in SOL or SPL tokens, with a fee‑aware flow tuned for small amounts.
NFT mint previews: Share a mint Blink with supply left, price, and collection metadata right in the preview. One click opens the mint flow.
DeFi “quick actions”: Offer a link to a token swap, a vault deposit, or a limit order. The preview can show expected tokens in/out and estimated fees.
Subscriptions and memberships: Create recurring or one‑off membership purchases using a Blink tied to a program that manages entitlements.
Donations and public goods funding: DAOs and nonprofits can embed donate buttons anywhere links can go.

For payments-focused builders, Solana Pay patterns and merchant flows remain relevant and complementary to Blinks, particularly for point‑of‑sale and QR flows. Reference: Solana Pay.

Security and trust model

Blinks expand distribution, so they must also raise the bar on safety:

Origin trust: Treat the Action endpoint like an API you must trust. Use HTTPS with modern TLS, enforce strict CORS and rate limiting, and publish a clear, verifiable domain. Reference: Transport Layer Security on MDN.
Simulation before signature: Ensure wallet flows always simulate and decode the transaction, displaying token movements, program IDs, and rent/fee impacts in human‑readable form.
Allowlists and provenance: Apps that auto‑render Blink previews should allowlist reputable domains and show the underlying URL clearly for users to verify.
Principle of least privilege: Build Actions that request only the accounts and authorities needed for a single intent. Avoid overbroad approvals or hidden transfers.
Phishing countermeasures: Encourage users to verify domains, never sign blind, and rely on hardware‑backed signing for high‑value actions.

Developer integration checklist

Define your intent: What onchain action does the Blink trigger? Tip, mint, swap, stake, donate, or custom program call.
Build the Action endpoint: Implement preview and build endpoints that return structured metadata and the transaction or instruction set.
Add good previews: Provide accurate titles, icons, and descriptions via Open Graph. Disclose fees and token flows in the preview if possible.
Simulate and verify: Use server‑side and wallet simulation to detect failures and risky instructions before asking for signatures.
Support mobile and desktop: Integrate with deep links and the Solana Wallet Adapter for broad wallet compatibility.
Monitor and iterate: Track completion and drop‑off rates; optimize copy, icons, and fee handling for conversion.

Helpful resources:

Solana Developers portal for guides and references
Dialect’s Actions and Blinks overview
Solana transaction model
JSON‑RPC API
SPL Token Program

Practical considerations

Fees and prioritization: Even low‑value actions benefit from dynamic fee estimation. Solana’s fee markets and priority fees help ensure timely confirmations without overpaying. See Solana JSON‑RPC API for fee and simulation endpoints.
Rate limiting and abuse: Popular Blinks can become hot endpoints. Protect with bot checks, request quotas, and caching.
Internationalization: Previews are text; localize titles and descriptions where possible to boost conversion by market.
Link management: If you rotate domains or migrate endpoints, set proper redirects to avoid breaking old Blinks.
Compliance: For commerce and donations, integrate standard KYC/AML and tax reporting workflows where required by your jurisdiction.

For users: how to use Blinks safely

Verify the domain before clicking and before signing.
Read the preview and the wallet’s simulation output; confirm the program and token flows match your intent.
Use hardware-backed signing for important actions to mitigate device compromise risks.

Why a hardware wallet helps here

Blinks make it effortless to kick off a transaction from anywhere on the web, but that same convenience should be paired with strong key protection. A hardware wallet isolates private keys from your networked devices and ensures transaction prompts are reviewed on a trusted display before signing.

If you are using Solana regularly—especially for DeFi swaps, NFT mints, or creator payouts initiated via Blinks—consider pairing your daily wallet flow with OneKey. OneKey’s hardware wallets are designed to:

Keep private keys offline while you interact with Blinks in your browser or mobile app
Show clear transaction details on a secure screen before you approve
Integrate with leading Solana wallet adapters for a smooth signing experience on desktop and mobile

This combination preserves the seamless UX Blinks enable, while adding a robust layer of protection for long‑term assets and high‑value actions.

References and further reading: