> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.dcn.foundation/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.dcn.foundation/part-v-platform/05-platform/13-publisher-platform/who-can-publish.md). # Who Can Publish > *The DCN Standard is an open publishing standard. Any qualified organization that complies with the DCN Specification, security requirements, and certification process can become a Publisher and issue Physical Digital Assets.* *** ## Introduction One of the most important design decisions behind the DCN Standard is that **publishing is open**. DCN is **not** intended to be operated by a single company. It is **not** a closed payment network. It is **not** a proprietary card system. Instead, DCN is an **open standard** that allows independent organizations around the world to issue trusted Physical Digital Assets. This philosophy is similar to how: * Anyone can create a website using Internet standards. * Anyone can issue an ERC-20 token using Ethereum standards. * Any manufacturer can build USB-compatible devices. Likewise, any qualified organization can become a **DCN Publisher**. The role of the DCN Standard is to define **how** assets are published—not **who** is allowed to innovate. *** ## Purpose The Publisher framework is designed to: * Enable open participation * Promote interoperability * Encourage innovation * Prevent vendor lock-in * Maintain ecosystem security * Support global adoption * Provide consistent governance * Protect users through certification *** ## Publisher Philosophy The DCN ecosystem separates **the standard** from **the Publisher**. ```mermaid flowchart TB Standard["DCN Open Standard"] PublisherA["Publisher A"] PublisherB["Publisher B"] PublisherC["Publisher C"] PublisherD["Publisher D"] Assets["Physical Digital Assets"] Standard --> PublisherA Standard --> PublisherB Standard --> PublisherC Standard --> PublisherD PublisherA --> Assets PublisherB --> Assets PublisherC --> Assets PublisherD --> Assets ``` The DCN Foundation defines the standard. Publishers create products using that standard. This separation encourages competition, innovation, and long-term ecosystem growth. *** ## Eligible Publishers Many different organizations may become Publishers. | Organization | Example Assets | | --------------------------- | -------------------------- | | Central Bank | CBDCs | | Commercial Bank | Payment Cards | | Stablecoin Issuer | Stablecoin Notes | | Government Agency | Digital Identity | | Retail Brand | Gift Cards | | Airline | Boarding Passes | | University | Diplomas | | Transit Authority | Transit Passes | | Enterprise | Employee Credentials | | Healthcare Provider | Medical Credentials | | Gaming Company | Digital Collectibles | | Carbon Registry | Carbon Credit Certificates | | Asset Tokenization Platform | Tokenized Bonds & RWAs | The DCN Standard is industry-neutral. *** ## Publisher Categories Publishers may be grouped according to their primary function. | Category | Description | | ------------------------ | --------------------------------- | | Financial Publisher | Payments and digital money | | Government Publisher | Public services and identity | | Enterprise Publisher | Internal organizational assets | | Educational Publisher | Academic records | | Commercial Publisher | Gift cards and loyalty | | Event Publisher | Tickets and access | | Infrastructure Publisher | Transit and utilities | | Digital Asset Publisher | Collectibles and tokenized assets | Each category may apply different business rules while following the same technical standard. *** ## Publisher Responsibilities Every Publisher is responsible for: * Defining asset products * Issuing Physical Digital Assets * Maintaining security policies * Managing asset lifecycles * Supporting recovery procedures * Maintaining compliance * Protecting customer trust * Cooperating with ecosystem governance These responsibilities exist regardless of the industry. *** ## Publisher Requirements To participate in the DCN ecosystem, a Publisher should satisfy several technical requirements. Examples include: * Implement the DCN Standard * Use certified Secure Hardware * Support the Certificate Infrastructure * Maintain secure key management * Operate secure issuance systems * Support verification services * Maintain lifecycle records Additional regulatory requirements may apply depending on jurisdiction. *** ## Publisher Certification Although the DCN Standard is open, trust requires verification. Publishers should complete an ecosystem certification process before issuing trusted Physical Digital Assets. Certification may evaluate: * Security controls * Issuance procedures * Key management * Operational processes * Compliance with the DCN Specification * Interoperability testing Successful certification enables the Publisher to receive a trusted Publisher Certificate. *** ## Publisher Identity Every Publisher receives a globally unique Publisher Identity. Example: ``` Publisher ID dcn.publisher.cardaxo ``` The Publisher Identity appears in: * Publisher Certificates * Asset Registry * Physical Digital Assets * Verification services * Lifecycle records This allows every issued asset to be traced back to its originating Publisher. *** ## Multi-Chain Publishing A Publisher may issue assets across multiple blockchain ecosystems. Example: | Product | Settlement Network | | --------------- | --------------------- | | Stablecoin Card | Ethereum | | Loyalty Card | Polygon | | Corporate Asset | Enterprise Blockchain | | CBDC Device | Permissioned Ledger | | Collectible | Solana | Despite using different settlement infrastructures, all assets follow the same DCN publishing model. *** ## Multi-Asset Publishing A single Publisher may manage many different asset types. Example: ``` Publisher ├── DCN-S Digital Cash ├── DCN-R Reloadable Card ├── Gift Cards ├── Event Tickets ├── Loyalty Program ├── Transit Pass ├── Identity Credential └── Digital Collectibles ``` The Publisher Platform provides one operational environment for all supported products. *** ## Publisher Trust Trust is established through multiple layers. ```mermaid flowchart LR Certification PublisherCertificate["Publisher Certificate"] AssetRegistry["Asset Registry"] PhysicalAssets["Physical Digital Assets"] Wallet Certification --> PublisherCertificate PublisherCertificate --> PhysicalAssets PublisherCertificate --> AssetRegistry Wallet --> AssetRegistry Wallet --> PhysicalAssets ``` Users trust the Publisher because the ecosystem can independently verify its identity and certification status. *** ## Governance The DCN Foundation defines the technical standard. Publishers remain responsible for: * Their products * Business policies * Customer relationships * Regulatory compliance * Operational security This balance encourages innovation while preserving ecosystem interoperability. *** ## Business Opportunities The open Publisher model enables entirely new markets. Organizations can launch products such as: * National CBDCs * Global stablecoin cards * Branded gift cards * Physical NFTs * University credentials * Corporate identity cards * Tourism passes * Carbon credit certificates * Tokenized real estate certificates * Government benefit cards The DCN Standard provides the common infrastructure for all of these use cases. *** ## Design Principles The Publisher model follows five principles. #### Open Any qualified organization can participate. #### Trusted Participation is supported by certification and cryptographic identity. #### Interoperable All Publishers follow the same technical specification. #### Competitive Innovation occurs at the Publisher level rather than through proprietary protocols. #### Scalable The ecosystem is designed to support millions of Publishers and billions of Physical Digital Assets. *** ## Summary The DCN Publisher model transforms Physical Digital Assets into an open ecosystem rather than a closed payment network. By allowing qualified organizations across finance, government, education, transportation, retail, healthcare, gaming, and enterprise sectors to become Publishers, the DCN Standard creates a universal infrastructure for issuing trusted Physical Digital Assets. This open publishing approach is one of the defining characteristics of the DCN ecosystem and a key reason it can evolve into a global standard for Physical Digital Assets. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. 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