The Knowledge Base collects reference materials from the Institute’s standards research. The categories below describe how digital assets are structured. They are not certifications, endorsements, or determinations of permissibility, and they name no specific asset.
Asset categories (descriptive)
| Asset category | Description | Nature |
|---|---|---|
| Store-of-value assets | Assets held principally to preserve value over time. | Descriptive |
| Payment assets | Assets intended principally for transfer and settlement. | Descriptive |
| Utility tokens | Tokens conferring access to a protocol's functions or services. | Descriptive |
| Asset-backed tokens | Tokens representing a claim on identifiable underlying assets. | Descriptive |
These categories exist to support consistent standards development, grouping assets by economic function so that criteria may be written in respect of a structure rather than a named asset. The placement of an asset within a category says nothing as to its permissibility.
On the absence of a named-asset list
A body concerned with Shariah compliance cannot publish a table of named assets without its being read as a list of approved assets, irrespective of any accompanying disclaimer. The Institute does not certify third-party tokens and accordingly publishes no such list. Where a question of permissibility arises, it is addressed by accredited advisory firms — by qualified persons — and not by reference to a table.
Research notes
To provide input on the classification framework, contact research@sdasi.org.