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Notarized Tokens

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to create and manage Notarized Tokens (Noto) within Paladin. Unlike simple private storage, Notarized Tokens allow secure, private exchanges while maintaining verifiability.

Why Use Notarized Tokens?

  • Privacy-Preserving Transfers – Transactions remain private, visible only to relevant parties.
  • Notary-Controlled Oversight – A designated notary approves and submits every transaction, ensuring compliance and control.
  • Selective Disclosure – Owners can prove token ownership by selectively revealing transaction details when needed.

This tutorial will guide you through issuing, transferring, and verifying tokens using Paladin’s notarization model.

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

  1. Completed the Private Storage Tutorial.
  2. A running Paladin network with at least three nodes (Node1, Node2, and Node3).

Overview

This tutorial will cover:

  1. Deploying a Noto Token – Creating a “cash token” with a designated notary.
  2. Minting Tokens – Issuing new tokens into circulation.
  3. Transferring Tokens – Simulating payments by moving tokens between nodes.

💡 The complete example code is available in the Paladin example repository.

Step 1: Deploy a Noto Token

First, create a Noto Factory instance and deploy a new token. Node1 will act as the notary, responsible for approving and submitting all transactions related to this token. Additionally, Node1 will be the initial recipient of the minted tokens.

logger.log("Step 1: Deploying a Noto cash token...");
const notoFactory = new NotoFactory(paladinClientNode1, "noto");
const cashToken = await notoFactory.newNoto(verifierNode1, {
  notary: verifierNode1,
  notaryMode: "basic",
});
if (!cashToken) {
  logger.error("Failed to deploy the Noto cash token!");
  return false;
}
logger.log("Noto cash token deployed successfully!");

Why the Notary Role Matters

The notary is more than just a minting authority—it plays a fundamental role in the Noto token model:

  • Approves and submits all token transactions to the network.
  • Maintains full visibility over all token movements.
  • Ensures transaction integrity and compliance with predefined rules.

By designating a notary, every transaction must be verified and approved, ensuring controlled and auditable token transfers.

Step 2: Mint Tokens

With the token contract deployed, let’s mint an initial supply of tokens for Node1. This simulates creating new “cash” in the system.

logger.log("Step 2: Minting 2000 units of cash to Node1...");
const mintReceipt = await cashToken.mint(verifierNode1, {
  to: verifierNode1,
  amount: 2000,
  data: "0x",
});
if (!mintReceipt) {
  logger.error("Failed to mint cash tokens!");
  return false;
}
logger.log("Successfully minted 2000 units of cash to Node1!");

What Happens Here?

  1. Node1 submits a minting request to the notary (in this case, node1 is the notary so it will be receiving and validating it's own request).
  2. The notary reviews and approves the request.
  3. Tokens are minted and assigned to the recipient.
  4. The data field is recorded in the transaction receipt for auditability.

Key Parameters

  • amount – Number of tokens to create.
  • to – Recipient of the newly minted tokens.
  • data – (Optional) Can include metadata or extra information about the transaction.

💡 The data field is stored in the transaction receipt, making it useful for audits or tracking purposes.

Step 3: Transfer Tokens to Node2

Now that Node1 has tokens, let’s transfer some to Node2. This works similarly to a bank transfer.

logger.log("Step 3: Transferring 1000 units of cash from Node1 to Node2...");
const transferToNode2 = await cashToken.transfer(verifierNode1, {
  to: verifierNode2,
  amount: 1000,
  data: "0x",
});
if (!transferToNode2) {
  logger.error("Failed to transfer cash to Node2!");
  return false;
}
logger.log("Successfully transferred 1000 units of cash to Node2!");

Step 4: Transfer Tokens to Node3

Now let’s see how Node2 transfers tokens to Node3. Since Node2 is initiating the transaction, we call .using(paladinClientNode2) to ensure Node2 signs the transaction instead of Node1.

logger.log("Step 4: Transferring 800 units of cash from Node2 to Node3...");
const transferToNode3 = await cashToken.using(paladinClientNode2).transfer(verifierNode2, {
  to: verifierNode3,
  amount: 800,
  data: "0x",
});
if (!transferToNode3) {
  logger.error("Failed to transfer cash to Node3!");
  return false;
}
logger.log("Successfully transferred 800 units of cash to Node3!");

Transaction Privacy in Paladin

Unlike traditional blockchains, Paladin’s notarized token model ensures that not all participants see every transaction:

  • The notary has full visibility over all token transfers.
  • Node2 and Node3 only see transactions they were involved in.
  • Other nodes have no visibility into the transfer.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have successfully:

  1. Deployed a Noto token to represent cash within the Paladin network.
  2. Minted tokens under a notary’s supervision.
  3. Transferred tokens between nodes while maintaining privacy and control.

At this point, you understand how to issue, manage, and transfer notarized tokens within Paladin.

Next Steps

Now that you’ve explored Notarized Tokens, you’re ready to delve into Zeto, Paladin’s zero-knowledge domain for enhanced privacy. In the next tutorial, you’ll learn how to build a privacy-preserving cash payment system using advanced techniques such as private minting and selective disclosure.

Continue to the Zero-Knowledge Proof Tutorial →