Access iconic IP onchain and earn from its real-world value
Welcome to the first Aria blog, your source for updates on how real-world intellectual property (IP) is being unlocked as a new, onchain asset class. Whether you're an investor seeking to diversify into productive cultural assets, or a creator who would like to remix or adapt iconic works, you’re in the right place!
At Aria, we are building the infrastructure for a new kind of market — one where cultural IP, starting first with music and eventually expanding into art, scripts, characters, and even patents — becomes accessible, liquid, and programmable. Powered by blockchain. Designed for creators and investors alike. Open to everyone.
Why Aria? Why Now?
Intellectual property is one of the most valuable asset classes in the world, but until now, it’s been siloed, illiquid, and reserved for industry insiders.
We are changing that.
Aria is the first protocol to tokenize intellectual property real-world assets (IPRWA) and bring them onchain in a fungible form, making them accessible to the mainstream. These assets — streaming catalogs, sync rights, branded IP — can generate real-world revenue and now, imbued with smart contracts for composable, onchain utility.
Through tokenization on Aria, IPRWA becomes:
Fractionalized – anyone can gain exposure to top-tier assets
Revenue-Linked – tied to traditional sources like royalties and licensing
Programmable – enabling permissioned creators to legally use IP to create “derivative” works with smart contracts managing access to IP, attribution, and monetization
What We've Built: The Aria Premiere Launch with StakeStone
Developed in partnership with StakeStone, our first product put our vision into action. The Aria Premiere Launch raised $10.95 million, exceeding its original $7 million cap, and marked a major milestone in the launch of onchain IP finance.
It is through this that investors have been able to gain access to the partial copyright in songs by global iconic artists including the likes of Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, BLACKPINK, and Selena Gomez. The Aria Premiere Launch brings projected yield on staked capital, with monetization generated from existing Web2 revenue channels such as streaming.
One of our key insights from the Aria Premiere Launch was clear: there is significant demand for real-world IP assets onchain. This also validated our broader thesis that iconic IP can emerge as a meaningful, productive asset class for the next era of decentralized finance.
So What’s Next? Programmable IP + Onchain Licensing
Aria is expanding to support programmable rights: onchain conditions which define how IP can be used, licensed, remixed, and monetized.
With programmable rights, we are enabling:
Creators who retain control while unlocking new income streams
Permissioned Collaborators who gain legal, licensed access to remix and build on IP
Investors who can earn more revenue over time, as derivative assets are created and monetized
This unlocks a permissioned remix economy with built-in attribution, automated royalty attribution, and composable creativity governed by smart contracts, not legal bottlenecks. Royalties will be credited to the applicable tokens, which are allocated amongst the original rightsholders, investors, and the collaborators creating derivative works.
Importantly, programmable rights are flexible by design as the specific terms will be bespoke and dynamic by asset, depending on what the rightsholder chooses to enable. This unlocks not only exciting avenues for creativity, but possibilities for varying offerings across Aria and the derivative works.
When included, these rights can generate royalties across a wide range of environments:
Web2: Merchandise, digital distribution, film, and TV
Web3: Onchain games, digital collectibles, and digital assets
AI and beyond: Controlled attribution and usage in generative tools and emerging platforms
By embedding these rights into smart contracts, rightsholders can selectively open their IP to new forms of monetization on their terms.
Built on Story: Infrastructure for IP on the Internet
To power this transformation, Aria is built on Story — a purpose-built Layer 1 blockchain designed specifically for intellectual property.
Story provides the infrastructure for transparent licensing, automated attribution, and fair, programmable monetization. It also supports AI-driven collaboration and remixing, enabling new forms of creativity and IP usage. Built for scale and compliance, Story ensures Aria can evolve with the broader Web3 and AI economies.
So who is Aria built for?
For Investors
Cultural IP is becoming a new asset class.
With the StakeStone vault, Aria offers access to IP-backed, real-world assets with income potential, depending on the rights and revenue streams. Future iterations of IPRWA will unlock new, programmable income sources from derivative works, generating streaming and sync deals to royalties tied to games, merchandise, and more. Every usage of a derivative work flows revenue goes back to the work’s token.
For Iconic Creators
Monetize your IP with upfront capital without ceding control.
With Aria, you can now tokenize your work, clearly define licensing terms, and unlock new revenue. Every remix, license, or usage is tracked onchain and paid out programmatically. Attribution and revenue? Baked in.
The Future of Programmable IP
Aria is building more than a platform for tokenized music; we are designing the foundation for how intellectual property will function in the era of Web3, AI, and beyond.
In this new model, IP becomes accessible to a broader ecosystem of investors and fans—not just legacy gatekeepers. It becomes liquid, with assets tradable across compliant, global markets. It becomes programmable, with permissioned usage, royalties, and licensing governed by smart contracts. And it becomes connected, interoperable with DAOs, DeFi protocols, digital platforms, and emerging technologies.
Music is just the beginning. Our infrastructure is built to scale across art, entertainment, patents, and other IP verticals—laying the groundwork for the future of IP finance.
Join us at Aria
Whether you’re an investor exploring new assets, a fan looking to co-own the works you love, or a creator ready to unlock new revenue—Aria is where intellectual property becomes a liquid, programmable asset class.
Follow @ariaprotocol on X for the latest updates, announcements, insights or tune into our twitter spaces.
Join our Discord to connect with the Aria community, ask questions, and stay in the loop as we expand. We are thrilled to have you here with us!
The future of IP is onchain.
Own the iconic.
We’re just getting started.
— The Aria Team
Disclaimer
This post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, legal guidance, or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets in any jurisdiction. Any references to potential yield, participation, or economic exposure are illustrative only and do not guarantee financial performance. All investing involves risk. Always conduct your own due diligence before making financial decisions. Aria works closely with regulatory partners to ensure compliance and investor protection and is committed to transparency and responsible innovation in the IP and blockchain space. Participation in Aria’s products may be restricted by jurisdiction and subject to compliance requirements. Please consult legal, financial, and tax advisors before engaging with tokenized IP assets.
