Terminology

When using Aria, you may come across a few key terms that are central to how the protocol works. This page provides a concise overview of those terms and what they mean in context.

Story and $IP

Story is the Layer 1 blockchain that Aria is built on. As a foundational network, all transactions and smart contract operations on Aria are executed directly on Story.

$IP is the native token of the Story blockchain. Within the Aria ecosystem, it’s primarily used to pay for gas fees — the transaction fees that keep the network secure and running efficiently.

To learn more about Story, visit Story’s official documentation.

IPRWA

IPRWA stands for Intellectual Property Real World Asset and denotes a category of token. IPRWA tokens are fungible tokens backed by a portfolio of real world IP asset rights, acquired by Aria Protocol. These give token holders exposure to royalties associated with the works in that portfolio, such as music.

Aria will launch many IPRWA tokens, each backed by different IP assets.

Explore the IPRWA technical documentation here IPRWA

stIPRWA

stIPRWA refers to Staked IPRWA token. When users stake an IPRWA token on Aria, they receive stIPRWA in return, for example staking $APL for $stAPL. This token accrues royalties over time.

At the time of staking, 1 IPRWA = 1 stIPRWA. As royalties are collected and used to buy back IPRWA on the open market, the value of each stIPRWA increases relative to IPRWA — reflecting your share of the growing royalty pool.

There is no lock-up period enforced by the protocol — users can unstake anytime — though some campaigns may offer incentives for longer staking.

Learn more in the stIPRWA documentation stIPRWA

$APL

$APL stands for the Aria Premiere Launch token and is the first IPRWA token issued by Aria. $APL tokens represent the Aria Premiere Launch catalog — a collection of partial rights to more than 48 iconic songs acquired to date from the $10.95 million USDC raised using StakeStone’s LiquidityPad.

Each $APL token is a fungible token backed by iconic music rights acquired by Aria Protocol. Holders own the tokenized representation of this IP and are entitled to a share of potential real-world revenue generated by the underlying IP assets.

DEX

DEX stands for Decentralized Exchange. These platforms allow users to trade cryptocurrencies directly with one another without relying on a centralized intermediary. DEXs operate on blockchain infrastructure, offering enhanced privacy and allowing users to maintain custody of their assets and private keys.

CEX

CEX stands for Centralized Exchange. These are traditional trading platforms run by centralized entities that facilitate buying and selling of cryptocurrencies. CEXs typically offer greater liquidity, fiat onramps, and user-friendly experiences — but require users to trust the exchange with their assets and personal data. Most CEXs also require KYC compliance.