Atomic Settlement
A transaction mechanism where all parts of a trade execute simultaneously and completely, or not at all.
Full Definition
Atomic settlement is a blockchain-native transaction mechanism that ensures all components of a trade (delivery of securities AND payment) occur simultaneously and irrevocably, or the entire transaction fails and both parties retain their original assets. There is no intermediate state where one party has delivered while waiting for the counterparty.
This eliminates the settlement risk inherent in traditional securities trading, where T+2 or T+3 settlement windows create exposure to counterparty default.
Why It Matters
On Sails.to's Solana-based infrastructure, secondary trades settle atomically in approximately 400 milliseconds. When you buy a security token, the token transfer and payment occur in the same transaction - instantly and irreversibly.
This is fundamentally different from traditional markets where buyers send money and hope sellers deliver securities days later. Atomic settlement means trade = settlement = finality, all in one moment.
Combined with smart contracts, atomic settlement enables programmable trading rules that execute automatically without counterparty risk.