System context
DALP system boundary, external actors, trust boundaries, and the five-layer smart contract architecture that underpins the platform.
Purpose: Define what is inside DALP, what is outside, and where trust boundaries fall. Doc type: Explanation. What you will find here:
- External actors and their relationship to the platform
- Trust boundary layers from user-facing interfaces to the blockchain
- The five-layer smart contract architecture
Related: Architecture map | Key flows | Security | SMART Protocol integration (ERC-3643)
External actors
| Actor | Interaction | Entry point |
|---|---|---|
| Asset Issuers | Configure and issue tokenized financial instruments, manage lifecycle events | Asset Console, Unified API |
| Investors | Participate in offerings, hold assets, receive distributions | Asset Console (read-only views), custodian wallets |
| Compliance Officers | Define compliance rules, manage identity claims, review audit trails | Asset Console, Unified API |
| Platform Operators | Deploy infrastructure, monitor health, manage access control | Helm charts, observability dashboards, Unified API |
| External Systems | Wallets, exchanges, custodians (DFNS, Fireblocks), EVM RPC nodes, oracle services | Unified API, Chain Gateway, Feeds system |
Trust boundaries
Three trust boundaries separate external actors from the blockchain state that DALP manages.
Three takeaways:
- Authentication and authorization are enforced at the interface layer before any operation reaches the engine.
- The Execution Engine adds durable orchestration, transaction signing, and custody policy evaluation.
- The SMART Protocol enforces compliance on-chain as the final, immutable gate on every state change.
Boundary details
| Boundary | Controls | Enforced by |
|---|---|---|
| 1 - Authentication | Session auth (Better Auth), API key validation, rate limiting | Asset Console, Unified API |
| 2 - Orchestration | Custody policies, nonce management, gas estimation, retry logic | DALP Execution Engine (Restate workflows) |
| 3 - On-chain | Identity verification, compliance modules, transfer restrictions | SMART Protocol smart contracts |
Five-layer smart contract architecture
The on-chain side of DALP follows a layered architecture where each level builds on the one below it. Lower layers are more stable and shared; upper layers are more specific and change more frequently.
Three takeaways:
- The SMART Protocol foundation is shared across all deployments and defines the ERC-3643 token standard.
- Global and System layers are infrastructure — deployed once per chain and once per system instance, respectively.
- Assets and Addons represent business logic that issuers configure per financial instrument.
Layer summary
| Layer | Purpose | Key components |
|---|---|---|
| SMART Protocol | ERC-3643 token framework with modular compliance, identity management, and extension system | Core token, compliance engine, identity registry interfaces |
| Global | Platform-wide infrastructure shared across all system instances on a given chain | Central directory, identity factory, identity implementations |
| System | Per-system infrastructure managing identity registration, compliance, and access control | Identity registry, compliance orchestration, access manager, factory registries |
| Assets | Deployed tokenized financial instruments built on the SMART Protocol | DALPAsset, Bond, Equity, Fund, Deposit, StableCoin, RealEstate, PreciousMetal |
| Addons | Operational tools that extend assets with distribution, settlement, and treasury capabilities | Airdrop, Vault, XvP Settlement, Token Sale (DAIO), Yield |
How layers interact
A user request flows top-down through the stack:
- An addon (e.g., Airdrop) or direct API call triggers an operation on an asset (e.g., Bond)
- The asset delegates identity and compliance checks to the system layer
- The system resolves implementations through the global directory
- The SMART Protocol executes the compliant transfer or state change
Next steps
- Key flows to see how the most important operations traverse these layers
- Components for detailed component boundaries and responsibilities
- Security for authentication, authorization, and compliance controls
Architecture map
One-page orientation for the DALP architecture documentation set. Use this page to understand the platform structure and navigate to the section you need.
Key flows
Index of the seven most important system flows in DALP, covering platform operations and asset lifecycle capabilities with links to detailed walkthroughs.