MultiversX Blockchain Data — `self.blockchain()` API Reference

Complete reference for reading on-chain state in MultiversX smart contracts (SDK v0.64+).

Caller & Account Info

Method	Returns	Description
`.get_caller()`	`ManagedAddress`	Address that initiated the current call
`.get_sc_address()`	`ManagedAddress`	This contract's own address
`.get_owner_address()`	`ManagedAddress`	Contract owner address
`.check_caller_is_owner()`	`()`	Panics if caller != owner. Equivalent to `#[only_owner]`.
`.check_caller_is_user_account()`	`()`	Panics if caller is a smart contract (not an EOA).
`.is_smart_contract(address)`	`bool`	Check if an address is a smart contract
`.get_shard_of_address(address)`	`u32`	Get shard ID for an address

// Owner-only guard (manual alternative to #[only_owner])
self.blockchain().check_caller_is_owner();

// Prevent contract-to-contract calls (anti-flash-loan)
self.blockchain().check_caller_is_user_account();

// Check if target is a SC before sending
let is_sc = self.blockchain().is_smart_contract(&target);

Balances

Method	Returns	Description
`.get_balance(address)`	`BigUint`	EGLD balance of any address
`.get_sc_balance(token_id, nonce)`	`BigUint`	This contract's balance of any token (EGLD or ESDT). `token_id` is `impl AsRef<TokenId>`.
`.get_esdt_balance(address, token_id, nonce)`	`BigUint`	ESDT balance of any address. `token_id` is `&EsdtTokenIdentifier`.

// Check own EGLD balance
let egld = self.blockchain().get_balance(&self.blockchain().get_sc_address());

// Check own ESDT balance (simpler via get_sc_balance)
let balance = self.blockchain().get_sc_balance(&my_token_id, 0u64);

Block Info

Current Block

Method	Returns	Description
`.get_block_timestamp_seconds()`	`TimestampSeconds`	Block timestamp in seconds (v0.63+)
`.get_block_timestamp_millis()`	`TimestampMillis`	Block timestamp in milliseconds (v0.63+)
`.get_block_nonce()`	`u64`	Block nonce (height)
`.get_block_round()`	`u64`	Block round
`.get_block_epoch()`	`u64`	Current epoch
`.get_block_round_time_millis()`	`DurationMillis`	Round duration in ms (v0.63+)
`.get_block_random_seed()`	`ManagedByteArray<48>`	48-byte random seed

Previous Block

Method	Returns	Description
`.get_prev_block_timestamp_seconds()`	`TimestampSeconds`	Previous block timestamp (seconds)
`.get_prev_block_timestamp_millis()`	`TimestampMillis`	Previous block timestamp (ms)
`.get_prev_block_nonce()`	`u64`	Previous block nonce
`.get_prev_block_round()`	`u64`	Previous block round
`.get_prev_block_epoch()`	`u64`	Previous epoch
`.get_prev_block_random_seed()`	`ManagedByteArray<48>`	Previous block random seed

Epoch Start Info

Method	Returns	Description
`.get_epoch_start_block_timestamp_millis()`	`TimestampMillis`	When current epoch started
`.get_epoch_start_block_nonce()`	`u64`	Block nonce at epoch start
`.get_epoch_start_block_round()`	`u64`	Block round at epoch start

Deprecated Timestamp Methods (Do NOT Use)

Deprecated	Replacement	Since
`.get_block_timestamp()`	`.get_block_timestamp_seconds()`	v0.63
`.get_block_timestamp_ms()`	`.get_block_timestamp_millis()`	v0.63
`.get_prev_block_timestamp()`	`.get_prev_block_timestamp_seconds()`	v0.63
`.get_prev_block_timestamp_ms()`	`.get_prev_block_timestamp_millis()`	v0.63
`.get_block_round_time_ms()`	`.get_block_round_time_millis()`	v0.63
`.epoch_start_block_timestamp_ms()`	`.get_epoch_start_block_timestamp_millis()`	v0.63
`.epoch_start_block_timestamp_millis()`	`.get_epoch_start_block_timestamp_millis()`	v0.63.1
`.epoch_start_block_nonce()`	`.get_epoch_start_block_nonce()`	v0.63.1
`.epoch_start_block_round()`	`.get_epoch_start_block_round()`	v0.63.1

Transaction Info

Method	Returns	Description
`.get_tx_hash()`	`ManagedByteArray<32>`	Current transaction hash
`.get_gas_left()`	`u64`	Remaining gas
`.get_state_root_hash()`	`ManagedByteArray<32>`	State root hash

ESDT Token Metadata

Method	Returns	Description
`.get_esdt_token_data(address, token_id, nonce)`	`EsdtTokenData`	Full token data (amount, attributes, creator, royalties, URIs, etc.)
`.get_esdt_token_type(address, token_id, nonce)`	`EsdtTokenType`	Token type enum (Fungible, NonFungible, SemiFungible, Meta)
`.get_token_attributes::<T>(token_id, nonce)`	`T: TopDecode`	Deserialized NFT/SFT attributes from this contract's account
`.get_current_esdt_nft_nonce(address, token_id)`	`u64`	Last minted nonce for a token on an address

// EsdtTokenData fields:
pub struct EsdtTokenData<M: ManagedTypeApi> {
    pub token_type: EsdtTokenType,
    pub amount: BigUint<M>,
    pub frozen: bool,
    pub hash: ManagedBuffer<M>,
    pub name: ManagedBuffer<M>,
    pub attributes: ManagedBuffer<M>,  // raw bytes — use get_token_attributes for typed
    pub creator: ManagedAddress<M>,
    pub royalties: BigUint<M>,         // 0-10000 (basis points)
    pub uris: ManagedVec<M, ManagedBuffer<M>>,
}

// Read NFT attributes as a typed struct
#[derive(TopDecode)]
struct MyNftAttributes {
    level: u8,
    power: u64,
}

let attrs: MyNftAttributes = self.blockchain()
    .get_token_attributes::<MyNftAttributes>(&nft_token_id, nft_nonce);

ESDT Status & Roles

Method	Returns	Description
`.is_esdt_frozen(address, token_id, nonce)`	`bool`	Whether token is frozen for this address
`.is_esdt_paused(token_id)`	`bool`	Whether token transfers are globally paused
`.is_esdt_limited_transfer(token_id)`	`bool`	Whether token has limited transfer enabled
`.get_esdt_local_roles(token_id)`	`EsdtLocalRoleFlags`	Bitmask of roles this contract has for the token

// Check roles before minting
let roles = self.blockchain().get_esdt_local_roles(&token_id);
require!(
    roles.has_role(&EsdtLocalRole::NftCreate),
    "Contract lacks NftCreate role"
);

Code Inspection

Method	Returns	Description
`.get_code_metadata(address)`	`CodeMetadata`	Contract code metadata (upgradeable, readable, payable flags)
`.get_code_hash(address)`	`ManagedBuffer`	Hash of contract WASM code
`.is_builtin_function(name)`	`bool`	Whether a function name is a protocol built-in

Native Token

Method	Returns	Description
`.get_native_token()`	`ManagedRef<TokenId>`	Returns `EGLD-000000` as a `TokenId`
`.is_native_token(token_id)`	`bool`	Checks if a `TokenId` is `EGLD-000000`

Validators

Method	Returns	Description
`.get_cumulated_validator_rewards()`	`BigUint`	Validator rewards accrued to this contract

Back-Transfers (After Cross-Contract Calls)

Method	Returns	Description
`.get_back_transfers()`	`BackTransfers`	All tokens returned from a sync/async call
`.reset_back_transfers()`	`()`	Clears current back-transfers (prevents double-reading)

See the multiversx-cross-contract-calls skill for full back-transfer patterns.

Common Patterns

Time-Based Logic

let now = self.blockchain().get_block_timestamp_seconds();
let deadline = self.deadline().get();
require!(now < deadline, "Deadline passed");

Shard-Aware Operations

let caller_shard = self.blockchain().get_shard_of_address(
    &self.blockchain().get_caller()
);
let sc_shard = self.blockchain().get_shard_of_address(
    &self.blockchain().get_sc_address()
);
let same_shard = caller_shard == sc_shard;
// If same shard, can use sync calls; otherwise need async

Token Property Validation

fn validate_nft(&self, token_id: &EsdtTokenIdentifier, nonce: u64) {
    let sc_addr = self.blockchain().get_sc_address();
    let data = self.blockchain().get_esdt_token_data(&sc_addr, token_id, nonce);
    require!(data.amount > 0u64, "NFT not owned");
    require!(!data.frozen, "Token is frozen");
}

Balance Check Before Transfer

let sc_balance = self.blockchain().get_sc_balance(&token_id, 0u64);
require!(sc_balance >= amount, "Insufficient contract balance");
self.tx().to(&recipient).esdt((token_id, 0u64, amount)).transfer();

Anti-Patterns

// BAD: Using deprecated get_block_timestamp() — returns raw u64
let ts = self.blockchain().get_block_timestamp();

// GOOD: Use typed timestamp (v0.63+)
let ts = self.blockchain().get_block_timestamp_seconds();

// BAD: Storing raw u64 timestamps, mixing seconds/millis
self.last_action().set(self.blockchain().get_block_timestamp_millis().as_u64_millis());

// GOOD: Store typed timestamps
self.last_action().set(self.blockchain().get_block_timestamp_seconds());

// BAD: get_balance to check own EGLD — requires passing own address
let bal = self.blockchain().get_balance(&self.blockchain().get_sc_address());

// GOOD: Use get_sc_balance which handles EGLD via native token detection
let bal = self.blockchain().get_sc_balance(&self.blockchain().get_native_token(), 0u64);

multiversx-blockchain-data

MultiversX Blockchain Data — self.blockchain() API Reference

Caller & Account Info

Balances

Block Info

Current Block

Previous Block

Epoch Start Info

Deprecated Timestamp Methods (Do NOT Use)

Transaction Info

ESDT Token Metadata

ESDT Status & Roles

Code Inspection

Native Token

Validators

Back-Transfers (After Cross-Contract Calls)

Common Patterns

Time-Based Logic

Shard-Aware Operations

Token Property Validation

Balance Check Before Transfer

Anti-Patterns

MultiversX Blockchain Data — `self.blockchain()` API Reference