For centuries, the Certificate of Authenticity (COA) has been the cornerstone of proving an artwork's legitimacy. Whether issued by an artist, gallery, or expert, the COA has long been the industry's default tool for verifying provenance. But as the art world grows increasingly digital and global, this antiquated system is proving insufficient—too easily forged, lost, or disconnected from the artwork itself. The need for a more secure, immutable, and artist-driven solution has never been greater.
Enter ART (Artwork Registry Token)—a blockchain-based evolution of the COA that transforms the way we document and authenticate physical artworks.
The Problem with Traditional COAs
Traditional Certificates of Authenticity suffer from several critical flaws:
- Forgery & Fraud – Paper COAs are easily counterfeited, making art authentication an ongoing challenge.
- Loss & Disconnection – A physical COA can be lost, stolen, or separated from the artwork, rendering it useless.
- Gatekeeping & Exclusivity – Authenticity is often controlled by centralized institutions, which can be opaque and inaccessible.
- Lack of Provenance Tracking – Most COAs are static documents that don't evolve with the artwork's history.
With these vulnerabilities, collectors, institutions, and artists have long sought a better way to document and verify authenticity without relying on subjective or centralized authorities.
What is an ART?
The Artwork Registry Token (ART) is a digital provenance record that replaces the COA with a transparent, immutable, and artist-controlled system. Unlike traditional COAs, ARTs live on the blockchain, making them permanent, secure, and verifiable by anyone.
Each ART contains:
- Artist & Artwork Details – Directly issued by the artist, ensuring authenticity from the source.
- Ownership & Provenance – A dynamic, on-chain record of past and present ownership.
- Exhibition & Sales History – Essential documentation that evolves with the artwork.
- Certification Method – Directly linking the physical artwork to its digital record through NFC chips, QR codes, or inscriptions.
Why ART is the Future of Authentication
Immutable & Tamper-Proof
Blockchain ensures that once an ART is created, its history cannot be altered, eliminating forgery and fraud.
Artist-Owned & Decentralized
Unlike traditional COAs that require third-party validation, ARTs are
Join the Movement
Be part of the transformation in art documentation. Join ARC today and help build a more transparent, accessible future for artists and collectors.