BUG: Inconsistency on Solana Tokens Icon Rendering

[thePolitart]

Hi team,

I’m opening this issue as a developer and long-time Trust Wallet user to report what appears to be a systemic implementation bug in the Solana token icon resolution pipeline, rather than a user- or device-specific issue. After extensive cross-platform testing, the root cause is fairly clear and reproducible.

So... Trust Wallet is currently sometimes over-relying on the GitHub token assets repository for Solana token icons, without a reliable fallback to Metaplex on-chain metadata, which is the canonical and widely accepted source of truth for SPL token metadata on Solana.

This results in persistent missing icons, incorrect cache behavior, and platform inconsistency, making token identification unreliable and, frankly, pushing active Solana users to other wallets.

---

Summary of the Problem (High-Level)

• SPL tokens (especially meme tokens) frequently render with a generic “SPL” or first-letter icon.
• Once the icon fails to resolve on github the wallet caches it and often never recovers, even though valid Metaplex metadata exists on-chain.
• The behavior is deterministic based on import order, caching, and platform, which strongly indicates a code logic/consistency issue rather than missing metadata.

---

Root Cause Analysis (Observed Behavior)

1. Icon Resolution Logic

From DevTools (Chrome extension) and behavioral analysis across platforms, the wallet appears to:

1. Attempt to resolve token icons from Trust Wallet’s GitHub assets repository.
2. If the asset is missing or returns 404, no consistent fallback is triggered to fetch metadata from Metaplex on-chain.
3. The UI then permanently falls back to a generic icon.

This is problematic on Solana because:

• Metaplex metadata is the authoritative source for SPL tokens.
• GitHub assets are, at best, an auxiliary cache, not the source of truth.

2. Caching & Import Order (Critical Detail)

Chrome Extension & iOS (same logic pattern)

• If the user imports a token via “Manage Crypto” by contract address before receiving it:

  • The wallet fetches Metaplex on-chain metadata.
  • The token image/icon is cached locally.
  • Any subsequent incoming transfers correctly display the icon.

• If the user receives the token before importing it, or import a seed phrase that already owns the token:

  • The wallet does not fetch Metaplex metadata.
  • It only attempts GitHub assets.
  • If GitHub fails → generic icon.
  • No retry or fallback occurs, even though metadata exists on-chain.
  • Searching the token in “Manage Crypto” shows the correct icon.
  • Entering the token view or returning to the home screen drops back to the generic icon.
  • The cache is populated inconsistently and never corrected.

PS: Workaround on iOS (does NOT work in extension version)
If the user disable the token and re-add the token searching by its contract, the image will be fetched from on-chain metadata and cached correctly.

3. Android-Specific Regression (Even Worse)

Android behaves similarly but with an additional issue:

• Even when the token was previously imported and cached correctly, upon receiving a new transfer:
  • After a few seconds, the correct icon is replaced by the generic “SPL” icon.
  • This suggests the cache is being actively overwritten by a GitHub-based refresh that fails.
  • Effectively, Android invalidates a valid Metaplex-derived cache and replaces it with a failed GitHub lookup result.

This makes Android the worst affected platform.

---

Affected Platforms (Reproducible)

Chrome Extension

• OS: Windows 11
• Trust Wallet: 2.72.0
• Persistent missing icons if token is received before import.

iOS

• Devices: iPhone 16 Pro Max, iPhone 14 Pro
• iOS: 26.2
• Trust Wallet: 11.71.0 (418)
• Same logic issue, but recoverable via manual disable → re-add workaround.

Android

• Device: Samsung Galaxy S21
• OS: Android 15
• Trust Wallet: 8.70.1 (APK + Play Store)
• Cache is actively overridden, even when previously correct.

---

Why This Is a Serious Issue

• Token icons are not cosmetic, they are a primary visual identifier.
• Missing icons:
  • Increase the risk of confusion between similarly named tokens.
  • Degrade trust in the wallet UI.
  • Create inconsistency across platforms.
• This is already causing daily Solana users to switch wallets, despite otherwise preferring Trust Wallet.

---

Design Mismatch: GitHub vs Solana Reality

Prioritizing GitHub assets may make sense for some chains, but not for Solana.

On Solana:

• Metaplex on-chain metadata is the accepted standard.
• Used by:
  • Major wallets
  • Leading DEXes
  • Aggregators like CoinMarketCap
• GitHub assets should be treated as:
  • Optional cache
  • Enhancement layer
  • Never a blocking dependency

---

Concrete Suggested Fix

1. Always fallback to Metaplex on-chain metadata if GitHub asset resolution fails.
2. Never overwrite a valid Metaplex-derived cache with a failed GitHub lookup.
3. Align behavior across Extension, iOS, and Android to avoid platform divergence.
4. Treat Metaplex metadata as source of truth for Solana.

---

For Solana users, this is not just a minor UI glitch, it’s a structural regression that directly impacts Solana usability and user retention.

Fixing this would immediately remove one of the main reasons Solana users are abandoning Trust Wallet for alternatives.

Happy to provide logs, repro videos, or help validate a fix if needed.

Thanks for taking a look.

[thePolitart]

Moved to Issues Tab #4630