How Tokenization Works
This page walks through the platform's main flows conceptually — enough to reason about what happens when you call the API, without exposing internal mechanics. Think of it as the mental model you need, not a blueprint.
Core concepts
A handful of concepts appear throughout the API. Understanding them up front makes everything else click.
| Concept | What it is |
|---|---|
| Node (Estate) | A real-world asset issuer, arranged in a tree (platform → account → sub-account). A node owns tokens and wallets. |
| Category | A hierarchical classification for assets (e.g. Real Estate → Residential → Apartment). The leaf category carries the rules. |
| Tokenization Rules | Per-category rules: supply caps, minimum purchase, rental periods, KYC gating, and more. |
| Token | A real-world asset represented as divisible on-chain units, with a supply, value, and status. |
| Fee | A tiered charge resolved at transaction time and split between the owner, the platform, and the node. |
| User | An end-user holding tokens, with a wallet that may be self-custodied or platform-managed. |
From asset to token
When an asset is tokenized, the platform resolves rules first, chain last. Conceptually:
- A node is created to represent the asset issuer.
- A category is assigned, which unlocks the tokenization rules for that asset type.
- Rules are resolved by the platform (supply, pricing constraints, KYC requirements).
- Fees are resolved — tiered amounts for the owner, the platform, and the node.
- The token is minted on-chain via the custody service.
- The token becomes available for primary issuance, secondary market, OTC, or rental.
The platform resolves steps 3–4; the external custody service performs step 5. You, as an integrator, trigger and observe these through the Integration API.
End-to-end: a user tokenize flow
Here's what happens end-to-end when an end-user action requires an on-chain operation. Notice that the platform resolves the rules while the external custody service touches the chain — the two never blur.
Because on-chain work is asynchronous, some operations complete in the background. The platform confirms the transaction, updates balances, and can notify your system via webhooks once the chain confirms.
Onboarding users: migration
A common first integration is bringing an existing user base onto the platform. There are two flows, depending on whether the user already has a wallet:
| Flow | When to use |
|---|---|
| Migrate with wallet | The user already has a wallet address; tokens are minted to it, custody stays external. |
| Migrate without wallet | The platform generates a managed (custodial) wallet for the user, asynchronously. |
Each flow supports single, bulk (JSON array), and CSV upload modes. See the Migration section for the endpoint-level detail.
What you don't have to worry about
- Which blockchain node is used, or how it's reached.
- How keys are stored or how signing happens.
- How supply, pricing, or fees are computed internally — you receive the resolved result.
Your job is to call the right API and react to the outcome. The rest is handled behind the gateway.