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24 October 2026 · Updated at 07:47 GMT FR EN ES Member area Log in
Certification

Backed NFTs

The non-fungible token backed to a work's file: what it is for, how it is passed on and what it does not do.

Updated : October 28, 2026· 3 min read

A token, not a title

Carved Lacquer Scroll Box (1736–95)
Carved Lacquer Scroll Box (1736–95)

The backed NFT is a unique digital token attached to a work's certification file. It facilitates access to the file and the tracking of transfers, without ever amounting to a title of ownership.

This page explains what it is used for in practice, how it is created, passed on and cancelled, and why OIMAP made it a deliberately limited tool.

The aim is to make the work's file portable: the token “follows” the work, like a digital access card to its identity.

  • Non-fungible token
  • Access title
  • Transfer

The token in figures

1token per work
7 daysfor issuance
0effect on ownership
100%backed by a paper certificate

What is a backed NFT?

An NFT (non-fungible token) is a unique digital record that cannot be duplicated identically. The OIMAP token contains an identifier, the OIMAP number of the work and a link to the certificate's fingerprint.

It is called “backed” because it only has meaning when attached to a paper certificate and to a registered physical work. Detached from these two elements, it proves nothing.

What the token contains

Content of a token
ElementContent
IdentifierUnique number of the token
OIMAP numberOIMAP-YYYY-NNNNNN of the work
FingerprintFingerprint of the backed certificate
Date of issueTime stamp of the entry
Access linkAddress of the digital file, protected
Lampas with foliate medallions in ogival lattice (1400s)
Lampas with foliate medallions in ogival lattice (1400s)
Turtleback Reading Lamp, Tiffany Glass & Decorating Company (c. 1895–1902)
Turtleback Reading Lamp, Tiffany Glass & Decorating Company (c. 1895–1902)
Arion on a Sea Horse and Bacchante on a Panther (pair), William Adolphe Bouguereau (1855)
Arion on a Sea Horse and Bacchante on a Panther (pair), William Adolphe Bouguereau (1855)

Not a title of ownership

Life cycle of a token

  1. Request

    The owner requests issuance at the same time as a digital certification.

  2. Issuance

    The token is created and delivered to the wallet indicated.

  3. Transfer

    It can be transferred with the work, after declaration in the Registry.

  4. Update

    Every event in the work's life (exhibition, restoration) is added to the file.

  5. Cancellation

    The token is cancelled in the event of loss, theft or separation from the work.

Backed token or speculative token

Seal with Two Qilin Playing (1849)

OIMAP backed token

Traceability tool
  • One token per physical work
  • Linked to a paper certificate
  • Cancellable by OIMAP

A tool in the service of the file.

TLV Mirror with Multiple Nipples (9–23 CE)

Speculative NFT

Digital collectible
  • Detached from any physical work
  • No authenticity check
  • Purely market value

No connection with OIMAP.

Reasons for issuing a backed token

Facilitating resale38%
Tracking loans and exhibitions27%
Passing on to heirs20%
Insurance15%

Source: survey of applicants 2024 (indicative).

Key dates

  1. Pilot

    Three auction houses test a traceability token.

  2. Launch

    Issuance of the first backed tokens.

  3. Cancellability

    Cancellation rule in case of separation.

  4. Integration

    Token integrated into the work passport.

Case study: a work on loan

A loan to a foreign museum

Situation

A collector lends a sculpture to a museum in Geneva for two years.

Actions
  1. The loan is recorded in the digital file.
  2. The token stays with the owner; the event is added to the file.
  3. At the end of the loan, the return is time-stamped.
Outcome

The full history remains verifiable by the museum, the insurer and the owner.

Jar with Stamped Decoration (1400s)
Jar with Stamped Decoration (1400s)
Prayer Niche (Mihrab) (c. 1500s or mid-1900s)
Prayer Niche (Mihrab) (c. 1500s or mid-1900s)
Fish or Seal Club (X’ús’) (late 1800s–early 1900s)
Fish or Seal Club (X’ús’) (late 1800s–early 1900s)

Before requesting a token

On the scope of the token

Daffodil Table Lamp, Tiffany Studios (c. 1910–13)
« A token without a work is a receipt without a purchase. »
Dr. Lucía Ferrer, member of the certification committee

Vocabulary of the token

Wallet
Application that holds the access keys to a token.
Fungible
Interchangeable with another identical object; an NFT is not.
Backed
Attached to a real object or document.
Cancellation
Deactivation of a token by OIMAP.

Frequently asked questions

Can I sell the token separately?

No: a token separated from the work is cancelled.

Is the token expensive?

Issuance is included in digital certification, i.e. an indicative €220 excl. VAT.

What happens if my wallet is hacked?

The owner reports the theft; the token is cancelled and reissued after a check.

Is the token recognised by customs?

Not as such; it is the certificates and licences that are enforceable.

Contacts

Roman Ruins, Villa Pamfili, Hubert Robert (1774)
Roman Ruins, Villa Pamfili, Hubert Robert (1774)
Certification DepartmentParis — Headquarters+33 1 00 00 00 00certification@oimap.exampleMonday to Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Discover the technology

Annunciation to the Shepherds: Leaf from a Book of Hours (1 of 6 Excised Leaves), Henri d'Orquevaulx (c. 1420–30)

How is the fingerprint anchored and time-stamped?

See the blockchain
Image credits (16)
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