# Create a precious metal asset

Source: https://docs.settlemint.com/docs/operators/user-guides/asset-creation/create-precious-metal-asset
Create a gold, silver, platinum, or palladium asset with metal classification, weight-based pricing, custody context, and compliance controls.



Precious metal assets represent a fungible interest in a metal program such as gold, silver, platinum, or palladium. In DALP, the Asset Designer collects the metal classification, weight terms, pricing input, custody context, compliance rules, and initial permissions before the asset is deployed.

Use this guide when the metal program is already defined and ready to become a DALP asset.

Deployment creates the asset record and token configuration. Supply starts when the token is unpaused, either during creation or after deployment, and an authorized operator mints units after the metal backing is approved for issuance.

## Before you start [#before-you-start]

Prepare these values before opening Asset Designer:

| Input                | What to prepare                                                                                                                                                                                         |
| -------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Metal classification | Metal type: gold, silver, platinum, or palladium. Add a purity grade when the selected template asks for one. Current precious metal options are 999.9, 999.5, 999, 995, 990, 958, 916, 900, and 750.   |
| Weight terms         | Weight unit: gram, troy ounce, or kilogram. Decide how much metal one token represents. DALP accepts decimal weight values such as 1.00 or 0.1.                                                         |
| Valuation input      | Price currency and current spot price per selected weight unit. Use an ISO fiat currency code such as USD or EUR. DALP derives the token price from weight per token multiplied by spot price per unit. |
| Custody context      | Optional vault location and custodian or vault operator name. Use public-safe location detail, such as city or region.                                                                                  |
| Compliance controls  | Compliance template or manual compliance modules for holder, minting, transfer, and policy requirements.                                                                                                |
| Initial permissions  | Wallets that should receive administration, compliance, supply-management, emergency, or custodian responsibilities at deployment.                                                                      |

<Callout type="note" title="Keep custody records separate">
  DALP can record and display custody context fields on the asset. Vault operations, inventory reconciliation,
  insurance, and off-chain audit procedures remain responsibilities of the issuer, custodian, and operating model.
</Callout>

## Create the asset [#create-the-asset]

<Steps>
  <Step>
    ### Open the wizard [#open-the-wizard]

    Open **Asset designer** from **Asset management**. The wizard saves in-progress values in the browser session, so you can move between steps without losing the configuration.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ### Select the real-world asset class [#select-the-real-world-asset-class]

    Choose the real-world asset class, then select a published precious metal instrument template. The template determines the deployable asset type, any required token features, and any metadata fields that the wizard must collect.

    If a precious metal template is disabled, ask a template administrator to create or register the missing prerequisite token required by the template features.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ### Enter the asset basics [#enter-the-asset-basics]

    Enter the asset name, symbol, decimals, and jurisdiction. Use a name and symbol that distinguish the metal program from other issued assets.

    The Name field accepts up to 50 characters. When the Name field has focus and the Symbol field has not been edited, the wizard suggests a symbol from the name. You can replace the suggestion before continuing; the Symbol field accepts up to 12 characters and shows 3-12 characters as the suggested range.

    Keep decimals aligned with the metal program. The wizard starts at 18 for fractional balances. Use 0 when each token must represent a whole unit.

    Changing the name, symbol, or decimals updates the asset summary that you review before deployment.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ### Complete metal details [#complete-metal-details]

    On the details step, fill the fields exposed by the selected template. A precious metal setup can include:

    | Field          | Use                                                               |
    | -------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |
    | Metal type     | Classifies the asset as gold, silver, platinum, or palladium.     |
    | Purity grade   | Optional fineness or purity classification for the metal program. |
    | Vault location | Optional city or region-level storage context.                    |
    | Custodian      | Optional custodian or vault operator name.                        |

    DALP stores these fields as template metadata for the deployed asset. Use them to keep the asset record aligned with the metal program without exposing private custody files in the public asset record.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ### Set weight and valuation inputs [#set-weight-and-valuation-inputs]

    On the pricing step, select the weight unit, enter the weight per token, and enter the spot price per unit in the selected price currency.

    DALP supports gram, troy ounce, and kilogram as weight units. The token price is derived from the weight per token and spot price per unit, so use consistent units across the metal program.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ### Configure compliance modules [#configure-compliance-modules]

    Select a compliance template or configure the required compliance modules manually. Compliance modules define who can mint, hold, transfer, or redeem the asset according to the selected policy.

    If a compliance template is selected, DALP requires the final configuration to include every control declared by that template.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ### Assign initial permissions [#assign-initial-permissions]

    Add the wallets that need operational responsibilities on the new asset. DALP groups initial asset roles into administration, compliance, and operations responsibilities, including supply-management, emergency, and custodian roles where needed.

    The creator receives administration permission automatically when the creator wallet is selected.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ### Review and deploy [#review-and-deploy]

    Review the summary, confirm the configuration, and authenticate with PIN or OTP wallet verification to deploy the asset.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Issue the first supply [#issue-the-first-supply]

Deployment creates the asset configuration. The precious metal issuance is complete only after the operating team has checked reserve evidence, enabled the asset, and minted supply to an eligible recipient.

<Steps>
  <Step>
    ### Review the deployed asset [#review-the-deployed-asset]

    Open the asset workspace after deployment and check that the visible asset details match the approved metal program:

    * metal type and optional purity grade,
    * weight per token and weight unit,
    * vault location and custodian when provided,
    * compliance modules and token permissions,
    * supply, holder, transfer, and event views.

    Correct a configuration problem before issuing supply. A wrong metal type, weight term, or permission assignment can make later reconciliation harder because minted balances already rely on those terms.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ### Attach or retain reserve evidence [#attach-or-retain-reserve-evidence]

    Keep the reserve evidence with the operating record for the asset before minting. DALP supports precious-metal document categories such as assay certificates, storage receipts, chain-of-custody records, and insurance certificates. Use [token document uploads](/docs/developers/developer-guides/api-integration/token-documents) when the operating model needs those evidence files attached to the token record.

    Use evidence records to support the mint decision, but keep private vault files outside the public asset metadata unless the deployment is designed to expose them. DALP can record the metal classification, weight terms, custody context, and supporting token documents for the asset. DALP does not inspect a vault, validate an assay certificate, reconcile inventory, or confirm insurance coverage. The issuer, custodian, or appointed verifier remains responsible for that off-chain evidence check.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ### Confirm the minting approval [#confirm-the-minting-approval]

    Before minting, make the operating owner clear: who checks the external reserve evidence, who can approve minting, and where renewal evidence is retained. If the deployment uses collateral controls, issue the collateral verification only after the issuer or appointed verifier has checked the reserve evidence.

    For collateral-backed metal programmes, minting remains unavailable until a trusted issuer has issued enough collateral backing for the requested supply. Use [Configure collateral backing](/docs/operators/user-guides/compliance/collateral) when minting must depend on an attested backing claim.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ### Unpause the asset when approvals are complete [#unpause-the-asset-when-approvals-are-complete]

    New assets are paused by default. Unpause the asset only after the metadata, compliance setup, recipient eligibility, and reserve evidence are approved for issuance.

    Keep pause and emergency permissions assigned to the wallets that should be able to stop transfers or issuance if the backing evidence, custodian status, or compliance setup changes.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ### Mint to an eligible recipient [#mint-to-an-eligible-recipient]

    Use [Mint assets](/docs/operators/user-guides/asset-servicing/mint-assets) to issue the first supply. The recipient wallet must be registered to an OnchainID and must satisfy the asset's compliance rules. For an issuer, treasury, vault, or special-purpose entity, model that entity as the regulated recipient instead of minting to an unmanaged operational wallet.

    Use one approved mint instruction for one reserve decision. If an API or SDK integration retries the mint, keep the same `Idempotency-Key` until the transaction request reaches a final state. See [Mint replay, idempotency, and supply controls](/docs/compliance-security/security/replay-idempotency-mint-controls) before replacing a delayed or uncertain mint request.

    On the mint confirmation, check the recipient rows, total amount, projected supply, protocol limit, fee readiness when applicable, and wallet verification challenge. Submit only when the mint amount matches the approved reserve evidence and the active protocol limit.
  </Step>

  <Step>
    ### Verify the issued asset record [#verify-the-issued-asset-record]

    After minting, use [Asset detail workspace](/docs/operators/user-guides/asset-servicing/asset-detail-workspace) to review supply, holder balances, events, metadata, and available actions. Reconcile the minted supply against the approved reserve record and keep the evidence trail with the issuer or custodian operating file.

    If a later reserve review reduces available backing, pause or restrict the asset according to the deployment's operating policy before further minting.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Related pages [#related-pages]

* [Create asset](/docs/operators/user-guides/asset-creation/create-asset)
* [Instrument templates](/docs/operators/user-guides/asset-creation/instrument-templates)
* [Token documents](/docs/developers/developer-guides/api-integration/token-documents)
* [Compliance overview](/docs/operators/user-guides/compliance/overview)
* [Precious metals tokenization](/docs/business/executive-overview/use-cases/precious-metals)