ISO 22739:2024 - Blockchain and Distributed Ledger Technologies Vocabulary

Apply standard terminology for layer 1, layer 2, sidechains, and rollup architectures.

• Architecture document
• Layer classification
• Scaling rationale
• Security inheritance analysis

• Layer terminology mixed
• No scaling rationale
• Security inheritance unclear

Use ISO terminology for stablecoins, asset backed tokens, and algorithmic peg mechanisms.

• Asset classification
• Reserve attestation
• Peg mechanism specification
• Audit report

• Classification missing
• No reserve attestation
• Peg mechanism unclear

Apply ISO terminology when describing audit trail properties of shared ledger systems.

• Audit trail specification
• Log retention policy
• Access records
• Verification procedure

• Audit trail undefined
• No retention policy
• Missing verification procedure

Maintain conformance by ensuring all internal and external documentation uses ISO 22739 terminology consistently.

• Conformance statement
• Documentation review log
• Glossary alignment audit
• Training completion records

• No conformance statement
• Documentation drift
• Training not delivered

Define consensus mechanism categories such as proof of work, proof of stake, and Byzantine fault tolerant variants using ISO terminology.

• Consensus mechanism description
• Algorithm parameters document
• Fault tolerance analysis
• Selection rationale

• Vague consensus description
• No fault tolerance bounds
• Missing parameter documentation

Establish a definition of distributed ledger as a shared, replicated record system synchronized across multiple nodes without a central authority.

• Internal glossary referencing ISO 22739 terms
• Architecture diagrams labeled with standard terminology
• Training materials
• Vocabulary alignment matrix

• Ad hoc terminology across teams
• Marketing language conflicting with standard definitions
• No mapping to ISO 22739 in documentation

Define wallet types, custodial vs non-custodial models, and key management terminology consistently with ISO 22739.

• Wallet inventory
• Custody model classification
• Key management procedure
• Hot vs cold storage diagram

• Custodial classification unclear
• Mixed wallet definitions
• No key lifecycle documentation

Adopt standard terminology for blocks, transactions, hashes, and Merkle structures.

• Data structure specification
• Hash algorithm documentation
• Merkle tree diagram
• Block format reference

• No format specification
• Hash algorithm undocumented
• Missing structural diagrams

Adopt ISO terminology for token issuance, supply, burning, and incentive mechanisms.

• Token economics document
• Issuance schedule
• Burn policy
• Incentive design rationale

• Tokenomics undocumented
• No issuance schedule
• Burn policy missing

Define oracles as services providing external data to on ledger logic, including trust assumptions.

• Oracle inventory
• Trust assumption document
• Data source attestations
• Oracle SLA

• No oracle inventory
• Trust assumptions undocumented
• Missing source attestations

Use ISO terminology for on ledger and off ledger governance, including voting, proposals, and upgrade paths.

• Governance charter
• Proposal procedure
• Voting records
• Upgrade policy

• No governance charter
• Voting undocumented
• Upgrade path unclear

Apply standardized terminology for decentralized identifiers, verifiable credentials, and self sovereign identity concepts.

• Identity model document
• DID specification
• Credential schema
• Issuer trust policy

• DID model unclear
• No credential schema
• Missing issuer policy

Adopt standard terminology for cross ledger interoperability, bridges, and atomic swap mechanisms.

• Bridge specification
• Cross ledger transaction log
• Atomic swap procedure
• Interoperability test results

• Bridge terminology inconsistent
• No test results
• Missing specification

Adopt standardized terminology for nodes, validators, and participants in a shared ledger network.

• Node role definitions
• Validator participation policy
• Network topology diagram
• Participant onboarding documentation

• Inconsistent role names
• Validator vs node confusion
• Missing participant registry

Distinguish permissioned and permissionless network configurations using ISO defined terminology.

• Network classification statement
• Access control policy
• Permissioning documentation
• Network type rationale

• Network type not declared
• Mixed permissioning
• No rationale documented

Use ISO terminology for zero knowledge proofs, ring signatures, mixers, and confidential transaction techniques.

• Privacy technique inventory
• Cryptographic protocol specification
• Privacy impact assessment
• Implementation review

• Privacy techniques undocumented
• No protocol specification
• Missing assessment

Use standardized terminology for executable code stored on a shared ledger, distinguishing smart contracts from legal contracts.

• Smart contract inventory
• Code repository
• Legal vs technical distinction policy
• Deployment records

• Smart contract conflated with legal contract
• No inventory
• Missing deployment audit trail

Use ISO defined terms for probabilistic, deterministic, and economic finality of recorded transactions.

• Finality classification
• Settlement assurance policy
• Probabilistic depth thresholds
• Economic finality analysis

• Finality type not specified
• No depth thresholds
• Missing settlement definition

Define immutability as practical resistance to alteration rather than absolute, with reference to threat models.

• Immutability statement
• Threat model document
• Reorganization risk analysis
• Finality policy

• Absolute immutability claimed
• No threat model
• Missing finality definition

Defines a distributed ledger as a ledger that is shared across a set of DLT nodes and synchronized between the DLT nodes using a consensus mechanism.

• asset taxonomy
• interoperability assessment
• terminology glossary

• gaps in asset classification
• inconsistent terminology use
• unclear governance roles
• weak node accountability

Defines technology that enables the operation and use of distributed ledgers.

• system architecture document
• governance framework
• node configuration baseline

• weak node accountability
• missing interoperability specification
• gaps in asset classification

Defines a device or process that participates in a distributed ledger technology network and may hold a complete or partial replica of the ledger.

• governance framework
• node configuration baseline
• asset taxonomy

• inconsistent terminology use
• unclear governance roles
• weak node accountability

Defines the rules and procedures by which consensus is reached among DLT nodes to validate transactions.

• asset taxonomy
• interoperability assessment
• terminology glossary
• system architecture document

• missing interoperability specification
• gaps in asset classification
• inconsistent terminology use
• unclear governance roles
• weak node accountability

Defines the smallest unit of a work process in a distributed ledger that is relevant to a specific DLT system.

• interoperability assessment
• terminology glossary
• system architecture document
• governance framework
• node configuration baseline
• asset taxonomy

• unclear governance roles
• weak node accountability
• missing interoperability specification
• gaps in asset classification

Defines blockchain as a distributed ledger with confirmed transactions organized in append-only, sequentially linked blocks.

• governance framework
• node configuration baseline
• asset taxonomy

• missing interoperability specification
• gaps in asset classification
• inconsistent terminology use

Defines a block as a data structure containing a set of confirmed transactions and a reference to the previous block in the chain.

• node configuration baseline
• asset taxonomy
• interoperability assessment
• terminology glossary
• system architecture document
• governance framework

• missing interoperability specification
• gaps in asset classification
• inconsistent terminology use

Defines the initial block in a blockchain that has no reference to a previous block.

• interoperability assessment
• terminology glossary
• system architecture document
• governance framework
• node configuration baseline
• asset taxonomy

• inconsistent terminology use
• unclear governance roles
• weak node accountability
• missing interoperability specification

Defines the cryptographic function used to create fixed-length output from variable-length input for block identification.

• system architecture document
• governance framework
• node configuration baseline

• missing interoperability specification
• gaps in asset classification
• inconsistent terminology use
• unclear governance roles

Defines a computer program stored in a DLT system wherein the outcome of any execution of the program is recorded on the distributed ledger.

• terminology glossary
• system architecture document
• governance framework
• node configuration baseline

• gaps in asset classification
• inconsistent terminology use
• unclear governance roles

Defines a DLT system where participation requires authorization from one or more designated parties.

• terminology glossary
• system architecture document
• governance framework

• gaps in asset classification
• inconsistent terminology use
• unclear governance roles

Defines a DLT system where any party can participate without requiring authorization.

• governance framework
• node configuration baseline
• asset taxonomy
• interoperability assessment

• weak node accountability
• missing interoperability specification
• gaps in asset classification

Defines a DLT system where the records are accessible to any party.

• terminology glossary
• system architecture document
• governance framework
• node configuration baseline
• asset taxonomy
• interoperability assessment

• unclear governance roles
• weak node accountability
• missing interoperability specification

Defines a DLT system where record access is restricted to a specified set of DLT nodes.

• asset taxonomy
• interoperability assessment
• terminology glossary
• system architecture document

• weak node accountability
• missing interoperability specification
• gaps in asset classification

Defines the framework for establishing accountability, authority, and decision-making within a DLT system.

• terminology glossary
• system architecture document
• governance framework
• node configuration baseline
• asset taxonomy

• gaps in asset classification
• inconsistent terminology use
• unclear governance roles
• weak node accountability

Defines a digital asset that represents a collection of entitlements recorded on a distributed ledger.

• governance framework
• node configuration baseline
• asset taxonomy

• inconsistent terminology use
• unclear governance roles
• weak node accountability

Defines the process of creating a digital representation of an asset or entitlement on a distributed ledger.

• node configuration baseline
• asset taxonomy
• interoperability assessment
• terminology glossary
• system architecture document
• governance framework

• unclear governance roles
• weak node accountability
• missing interoperability specification
• gaps in asset classification

Defines an asset that exists only in digital form or is a digital representation of another asset.

• asset taxonomy
• interoperability assessment
• terminology glossary

• unclear governance roles
• weak node accountability
• missing interoperability specification
• gaps in asset classification

Defines the ability of different DLT systems to exchange and make use of information across system boundaries.

• node configuration baseline
• asset taxonomy
• interoperability assessment

• gaps in asset classification
• inconsistent terminology use
• unclear governance roles
• weak node accountability
• missing interoperability specification

Apply consistent terminology for tokenized records, fungible and non-fungible representations, and token lifecycle states.

• Token taxonomy document
• Lifecycle state diagram
• Fungibility classification
• Token specification sheet

• Conflating coin and token
• No lifecycle definition
• Missing fungibility classification