From Token Interfaces to Token Semantics: A Formal Composition and Conformance Model for Implementation-Neutral Token Specifications

Abstract

Digital-token standards such as ERC-20, ERC-721, and ERC-1155 have been essential to blockchain adoption because they standardize callable interfaces. Interface standardization, however, does not fully specify token meaning. Two implementations may expose the same transfer function while encoding different assumptions about supply, divisibility, redemption, cancellation, evidence, governance, and lifecycle finality; conversely, two semantically equivalent tokens may be implemented on different ledgers and through different transaction models. This paper presents the InterWork Alliance Token Taxonomy Framework (TTF) as a typed semantic composition model for implementation neutral token specifications. We formalize TTF artifacts, token formulas, behavior and property-set composition, well-formedness constraints, and a layered conformance model covering formula, artifact, message, state, and trace conformance. We further define a reference validation procedure and show how platform neutral control messages can induce conformance obligations and implementation tests. The model is evaluated analytically through document-token, warehouse-receipt, and carbon/digital-MRV case studies, together with representative invalid compositions that interface standards alone do not expose. The analysis shows that token semantics can be specified, compared, validated, mapped, and governed independently of platform binding, providing a foundation for more reliable token interoperability across smart contract platforms, permissioned ledgers, and shared-state systems.