4.1 Professional RWA Reference Architecture
A successful real-world asset tokenisation architecture must define a clear Source of Truth for every data category. Property price does not come from the smart contract; legal ownership cannot be inferred solely from balanceOf.
| Component | Role | Recommended Source of Truth |
|---|---|---|
| Legal Wrapper (SPV) | Legal owner of the underlying asset | Company register + title deed |
| Token Contract | On-chain claim / ownership record | Contract state + events |
| Identity Registry | KYC and eligibility | KYC system + on-chain registry |
| Compliance Module | Transfer rules and restrictions | Jurisdiction rules + contract logic |
| Oracle / Data Feed | Income, NAV, corporate actions | Independent accounting / valuation |
| Custody | Key and/or physical asset custody | Licensed custodian + HSM |
4.2 DLT versus Centralised Database
If only one organisation needs internal records and there is no real need for shared trust among multiple independent parties, a centralised database is often simpler, cheaper and operationally safer. DLT adds value when multiple independent entities require a shared, verifiable and tamper-resistant state.
Architecture rule: Every data item must have one explicit Source of Truth. If property price, legal ownership and distributable income are all inferred from the smart contract alone, the system becomes fragile and difficult to audit.
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