Are mint address and token address identical?

Question

Let's take USDT token

https://solscan.io/token/Es9vMFrzaCERmJfrF4H2FYD4KCoNkY11McCe8BenwNYB

I've fetched some of my transaction via Solana API method gettransactions. In those where USDT is transfered, the mint field will also be equal to Es9vMFrzaCERmJfrF4H2FYD4KCoNkY11McCe8BenwNYB which is the address of the token.

Can mint address and token address be identical? In what cases? And in what cases not?

Answer 1

"mint address" and "token address" are often used interchangeably and refer to the same thing (the blue item). A unique identifier of an SPL-Token is its mint address.

USDC is minted in mainnet at a single mint address.

"token mint address" is the preferred term used in documentation, as there are also "associated token accounts" (your personal store of that token, the brown item) which have an address, so "token address" can be considered vague.

I have an associated token account in my wallet for USDC that has a few hundred USDC in it.

Answer 2

"mint address" is a shorthand for "mint account address". So, you are thinking in terms of accounts here (implementation level).

For "token address", try to think literally (concept level): "What is the unique identifier of a SPL-token?" Well, the obvious choice is taking the address of the account that defines it (the mint account).

So, both terms refer to the same thing, but are used in different contextes (implementation v concept level)