What is a token approval?
A token approval is a permission you grant a smart contract to move a specific token from your wallet. Here's what it means and when it's dangerous.
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Public address only. No wallet connection. Nothing to sign.
The basics
To let a dapp swap or spend your tokens, you first send an 'approve' transaction granting its contract an allowance. That allowance stays live until you change or revoke it.
Why 'unlimited' is risky
Many dapps request an unlimited allowance so you only approve once. Convenient: but if that contract is malicious or later exploited, it can move your entire balance of that token with no further signature from you.
How to check yours
Scan your public address to see every approval and which are risky. It's read-only: no wallet connection, nothing to sign.
FAQ
Are all approvals dangerous?
No. Approvals to trusted, verified protocols are normal. The risk is unlimited allowances to unverified or flagged contracts, or ones you no longer use.
Do approvals expire?
No: they last until you revoke or reduce them. That's why old, forgotten approvals are the top wallet-drain vector.