Asset cards for tracking divisible assets in a distributed ledger

A method performed by one or more computing systems for transferring ownership of a transfer number of units of an asset, the method comprising:

• receiving a request to transfer ownership of a unit of an asset from a first entity to a second entity, the first entity owning units of assets, each asset represented by an asset card transaction in an asset card distributed ledger, each asset card transaction having an asset card state indicating entities that each own a specified number of units of the asset;
• identifying an asset card transaction for which the asset card state indicates that the first entity owns some units of the asset, but not all the units of the asset;
• when an asset card transaction is not identified, identifying an asset card transaction for which the asset card state indicates that the first entity owns all the units of the asset;
• and
• transferring ownership of the transfer number of units of the asset of the identified asset card transaction from the first entity to the second entity.

One or more computing systems for tracking units that are divisions of assets, the one or more computing systems comprising:

• one or more computer-readable storage mediums storing computer-executable instructions for controlling the one or more computing system to, for each asset,
• record, in an asset card distributed ledger, an asset card transaction, the asset card transaction having an asset card smart contract and an asset card state, the asset card smart contract for controlling transfer of ownership of units of an asset between entities, the asset card state identifying the asset and a divisibility factor, the divisibility factor indicating the number of units of the asset;
• and
• under control of the asset card smart contract, update the asset card state to reflect a transfer of a transfer number of units of the asset from a current owner to a new owner;
• and
• one or more processors for executing the computer-executable instructions stored in the one or more computer-readable storage mediums.