> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.lumia.org/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.lumia.org/ecosystem/lumia/chain-security/oracles-and-attestation/attestation-models.md).

# Attestation models

**Who this is for:** issuers deciding how to back a claim about a tokenized asset on-chain, and developers evaluating what an existing attestation actually proves before relying on it.

Attestation is the general practice of getting an off-chain fact verified and represented on-chain so a smart contract (or a user) can act on it without re-verifying the fact themselves. Not every attestation model verifies the same thing or carries the same trust assumptions. Three patterns are common across the RWA and stablecoin space generally, and none of these are Lumia-specific inventions:

### Reserve attestation

A third party (typically an auditor or attestation firm) periodically confirms that a stated pool of reserves (cash, treasuries, another on-chain asset) actually exists and is at least equal to outstanding token supply. This is a point-in-time snapshot, not continuous monitoring: a reserve attestation dated last month says nothing about today unless it's refreshed on a predictable cadence. Reserve attestation is the model most commonly associated with fiat-backed stablecoins and similarly-structured RWA tokens.

### Price-feed attestation

A different kind of claim: not "does the backing exist" but "what is this asset currently worth." This is what a price oracle does. See [Price feeds vs. reserve attestation](https://app.gitbook.com/s/chmhPiVNAafGw48c4oU2/ecosystem/lumia/chain-security/oracles-and-attestation/price-feeds-vs-reserve-attestation) for the direct comparison. Price-feed attestation is continuous and market-derived rather than periodic and audit-derived.

### Custodial attestation

A custodian (a bank, a trust company, a qualified custodian for the relevant asset class) attests directly that it holds a specific asset on behalf of the issuer, often tied to serial numbers, account statements, or similar identifying detail rather than an aggregate reserve figure. This is common for attesting to a specific physical or securities asset rather than a fungible pool.

### Who performs attestation

In all three models, the attester is a party external to both the issuer and the chain (an auditor, a custodian, or an oracle network), because the entire point of attestation is that the issuer isn't the one vouching for its own claim.