Overview - ISO 24165-2:2021 (Digital Token Identifier, Part 2)
ISO 24165-2:2021 specifies the data elements required for registering digital tokens in the DTI (Digital Token Identifier) registry. As Part 2 of the ISO 24165 series (first published September 2021), it complements ISO 24165-1 (method for registration and assignment) by defining the registry record structure and the objective, publicly-available data needed to establish the 1:1 relationship between a digital token and its assigned identifier.
Key facts:
- Title: Digital token identifier (DTI) - Registration, assignment and structure - Part 2: Data elements for registration
- Scope: Data elements included in the registry record to link a token to its identifier
- Target audience: applicants seeking DTI allocation, Registry Authorities, financial services and DLT stakeholders
Key topics and technical requirements
ISO 24165-2 covers definitions and structured data requirements to ensure consistent token identification. Important topics include:
- Registry record constituents: categories and classes of information for base records and fork records.
- Data element categories: normative (required) vs informative (optional) elements and rules for base vs fork records.
- Token identity elements: digital token long/short names, original-language names, unit multiplier, and external identifiers.
- Distributed ledger and token types: native vs auxiliary tokens, DLT type, auxiliary token mechanism (e.g., ERC-20), and auxiliary token technical reference (e.g., smart contract address).
- Blockchain provenance: genesis block and fork metadata - genesis/fork block hash, block height, UTC timestamps, and hash algorithms.
- Fork handling: fork records to capture chain splits and consensus-mechanism change indicators.
- Registration Authority (RA) metadata: RA name, contact details and service provision notes.
- Normative references include ISO 24165-1 and ISO/IEC 10646.
Practical applications and users
ISO 24165-2 is practical for organizations that need reliable, machine-readable identification of digital tokens:
- Registry operators and Registration Authorities implementing DTI issuance rules.
- Token issuers and smart contract developers providing technical references for registration.
- Exchanges, custodians and wallet providers for consistent token mapping and reconciliation.
- Regulators, auditors and compliance teams needing objective identification for monitoring and reporting.
- Data providers and research platforms aggregating token metadata for analytics.
Benefits include reduced ambiguity in token identification, improved interoperability across services, and clearer audit trails for token provenance and forks.
Related standards
- ISO 24165-1 - Method for registration and assignment (DTI)
- ISO/IEC 10646 - Universal coded character set (UCS)
- Referenced standards for financial instruments as applicable: ISO 6166 (ISIN), ISO 4217 (currency codes), and ISO 22739 (DLT vocabulary) are relevant cross-references.
Open preview (PDF)Digital token identifier (DTI) — Registration, assignment and structure — Part 2: Data elements for registration
