Definitions are operational
Each term explains how it behaves in Surety workflows, not just a dictionary meaning.
Knowledge center
Understand the terms used in Surety records.
Plain-language definitions for asset records, claims, evidence, attestations, certificates, trust levels, provenance, custody, verification, and disputes.
Similar concepts are separated
Ownership, custody, control, access, title, and management are defined independently.
Status remains part of meaning
A submitted, approved, active, expired, disputed, superseded, or revoked item should not be interpreted the same way.
Asset record
A structured Surety record that connects an asset identifier to published facts, claims, evidence references, relationships, certificates, transfers, and review history.
Claim
A statement submitted by a user or organization, such as an ownership, custody, creator, issuer, or management relationship. A claim is not treated as verified until the applicable review is completed.
Evidence
A document, data source, fingerprint, registry entry, image, attestation, or other material offered to support a claim or verification check.
Attestation
A statement made by an identified person or organization about a specific fact, relationship, inspection, or conclusion.
Certificate
A versioned record describing an authenticity, ownership, title, appraisal, custody, inspection, or other conclusion, including issuer, scope, status, dates, and fingerprint where published.
Trust level
A summary of the strongest completed evidence and review state attached to a record. It is contextual and does not replace the underlying evidence or legal authority.
Provenance
The documented lifecycle of an asset, including creation, identity, ownership, custody, location, inspection, valuation, verification, and transfer events.
Custody
Physical or digital possession and safeguarding of an asset. Custody is separate from beneficial ownership, legal title, platform access, and wallet control.
Verification
A checklist-based review of submitted evidence by an eligible validator, resulting in an auditable decision, limitations, score, expiry, and possible later revocation.
Dispute
A published or restricted challenge to a record, relationship, certificate, identifier, provenance event, or other assertion. Corrections create visible superseding history rather than silently rewriting prior events.
Questions and answers
All questionsUnderstand this page
What is Surety?
Surety is an asset-intelligence and verification platform that keeps asset identity, ownership claims, custody, evidence, certificates, provenance, transfers, disputes, and risk signals in distinct auditable records.
Does Surety replace legal title or an official registry?
No. Surety can reference and reconcile legal, registry, blockchain, and third-party records, but it does not silently replace the authority of applicable law, title systems, contracts, or issuing institutions.
How does Surety separate facts from claims?
Every published item carries a source and status, such as on-chain fact, registry record, third-party attestation, user-submitted claim, automated signal, or estimated valuation.