How Assay compares
Think of three ways to answer “is this token backed?”. A link in the issuer’s file is a note saying “the proof is over there”. An oracle tells you the price, which can stay flat while the backing disappears. Assay checks the proof, keeps the date, and lets a contract act when the proof goes missing.
| SEP-1 link today | Price / NAV oracles | Assay | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reads every issuer’s reserve link | — | — | Yes (board) |
| Report age tracked; stale triggers action | No | No | Yes: fails closed (testnet) |
| Figures pinned to a ledger | No | — | Yes: every registry report carries a ledger (testnet) |
| Signed, attributable reports | No | Signed prices, not reserves | Yes: SEP-53 signatures, attestor signs each post |
| Independent vs issuer attestation visible | No | — | Planned for T2 |
| Readable by Soroban contracts | No | Prices yes; reserves not on Stellar today | Yes: is_healthy (testnet) |
| Open standard, any provider can post | — | Provider-specific | Draft SEP; any registered attestor can post |
“Testnet” means it works today on Stellar testnet, with transactions, and goes to mainnet in T3 after an audit.
Complement, don’t compete
Section titled “Complement, don’t compete”Assay doesn’t replace oracles. RedStone, Chainlink or any other provider can become an attestor and post reserve data to the registry. Oracle adapters are planned after launch. See prior art for what each project on Stellar does today.
Not a rating agency
Section titled “Not a rating agency”Assay publishes facts with sources and never scores an issuer. See Safeguards.