Ok... so we can direct aliases to websites, crypto clients, etc., can someone expand on the characteristics of NXT assets?
If you are familiar with Ripple, this will sound very similar.
An asset is an IOU that represents a certain item (BTC, usd, gold oz). There are gateways that will issue these assets on the Nxt network. Only the register of the asset name "BTC" will be able to issue an IOU with the name "BTC". Other gateways can still issue bitcoin, but they have to use a different name that is still available (ex. BTC2, BTCTWO). These assets can be bought or sold on the Nxt network for Nxt or other IOUs. You can redeem your IOUs by sending them back to the issuer. The issuer will then send you the physical or digital asset.
Who and what mechanism can enforce that the issuers would keep his promises to redeem his IOU/ assets ?
No one
Did you ever sell your Bitcoin/ Nxt to a stranger asking to pay you by PayPal ? In the last couple of days, quite a number of people offered me a good dollar price for Nxt. They could only pay by Paypal since they can get Bitcoin easily. I refused most of them as you all know the risk that Paypal can reverse the transaction at will up to 30 days.
I think that's sensible decision since I cannot trust these strangers to negate his words and ask Paypal to reverse the transaction. In this case a lack of trust has destroy a market transaction opportunity.
It would also apply in the future Nxt asset exchange, the lack of trust would destroy all market transaction. So to make the market works, we have to have the trust. Trust in the buyers is easier since Nxt transaction is non-reversible. But trust in the asset issuers need to be established. And one way to do it is to create a mechanism in which who breaks the trust will be punished. When an IOU is issued, that is a promise/ a social contract is being written. An issuer who breaks his social contract should have consequences. The loss of reputation is one consequence. There can be more mechanism designed by the community.
Here I want to point out the need to force the asset issuer to announce a clear social contract attached to his asset before the issuance. That social contract should be announced in public such as in a dedicated sub-forum of Nxt community. The social contract should clearly point out why such asset having a value and What are the responsibilities of the issuers to the assets. We can compile and publish a common form that all asset issuers are advised to follow. There should be a period of Q&A which happens after the announcement of asset issuance and before the actual listing of the asset.
This also implicates that the existence of the asset exchange associates with the existence of a public forum in which all the assets being announced, documented at least in the first phase of asset issuance.
We need to test on all these issues before the actual launch of the exchange and all the name tag squatting.