# Chain Perspective — Brand Guidelines

Version 1.1 · 3 November 2026

Live visual reference: https://chainperspective.com/brand/

## 1. Brand foundation

**Name:** Chain Perspective. Use title case and two words. The legal publisher name is **chainperspective Reader Technology Limited**; preserve its exact spelling in legal notices, publisher details and disclosures.

**Descriptor:** Independent digital-asset research.

**Slogan:** Looking at the data, not the narratives.

**Positioning:** Chain Perspective is an independent digital-asset research publication connecting original evidence with market, technical and policy context.

**Audience:** Professional readers, researchers and market participants. Hong Kong and the United States are focus markets within international coverage. Do not equate a professional audience with a verified investor classification.

**Promise:** Explain what changed, why it matters, and what remains uncertain. Give readers access to the evidence behind the interpretation.

**Character:** Disciplined, independent, precise, composed, internationally aware and transparent about uncertainty.

**Current business representation:** The public offering is research and reporting. Do not describe an active fund, licensed asset manager, capital-management service, verified performance record or investment product unless the specific capability and authority have been confirmed. Future investment-management ambitions are a separate business-development path; visual positioning is not evidence that such a service exists.

## 2. Verbal identity

Use a calm, direct voice. Lead with the development and explain its consequence. Prefer a concrete noun and verb over a promotional adjective. Attribute company claims to the company. Distinguish evidence, interpretation, scenarios and unresolved questions.

Approved short description:

> Independent digital-asset research and source-linked reporting on the forces shaping global markets.

Approved longer description:

> Chain Perspective examines digital-asset markets through original documents and clearly dated evidence. We connect market structure, stablecoins, decentralized finance, tokenization, technology and policy with the context readers need to assess developments for themselves.

Illustrative wording:

| Use | Avoid |
| --- | --- |
| The pilot tests settlement outside conventional hours. | A revolutionary platform changes finance forever. |
| The company says it plans to launch the service. | The service is live, when only a plan has been announced. |
| The available evidence does not establish the outcome. | An outcome stated with certainty without evidence. |
| Join the newsletter launch list and get RSS access. | Daily emails delivered now, before delivery is active. |

Use original English, short paragraphs and explained technical terms. Detailed articles should earn their length through useful explanation and relevant sources. Do not pad short developments, repeat references or treat multiple links from one issuer as independent corroboration. Retain source titles, publishers, event dates, publication dates, uncertainty and automation disclosure. Never imply human review or independent field reporting that did not occur.

## 3. Logo and wordmark

The identity combines a geometric cube symbol, the Georgia wordmark **Chain Perspective**, and a restrained final dot. Use the existing geometry; no token symbols, new monograms, faux seals or decorative effects.

Assets:

- `/brand/wordmark.svg` — primary forest/ink lockup on a light surface.
- `/brand/wordmark-reversed.svg` — ivory lockup for a dark forest surface.
- `/brand/symbol.svg` — standalone symbol.
- `/favicon.svg` — small-format symbol on forest.

Leave clear space equal to at least half the symbol width around the complete lockup. The wordmark should be at least 180 px wide. Use the symbol at 24 px or larger, with the favicon as the small-format exception. Retain the original proportions, alignment and stroke weights. Do not rotate, stretch, outline the text, add shadows, overlay detailed photography or recolour outside the approved variants.

## 4. Colour system

| Token | Name | Value | Use |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `--cp-ink` | Ink | `#1C3530` | Headlines, body text, primary buttons |
| `--cp-forest` | Forest | `#285A47` | Links, icons, interactive emphasis |
| `--cp-paper` | Ivory | `#F8F8F2` | Main page background |
| `--cp-surface` | Mist | `#EFF1E7` | Reading notes and secondary surfaces |
| `--cp-muted` | Slate green | `#5C6A61` | Secondary copy and metadata |
| `--cp-sage` | Sage | `#72816B` | Large display emphasis only |
| `--cp-bronze` | Bronze | `#7D683C` | Small accent text and focus rings |
| `--cp-gold` | Gold | `#9B8756` | Decorative details, not small text |
| `--cp-line` | Rule | `#D8DDD2` | Dividers and decorative borders |
| `--cp-inverse` | Inverse | `#C5D0BF` | Supporting text on dark surfaces |
| `--cp-white` | White | `#FFFFFF` | Necessary neutral utility surfaces |

Text contrast on ivory: Ink 12.30:1; Forest 7.45:1; Slate green 5.34:1; Bronze 5.03:1. Sage is 3.89:1 and is reserved for large headings. These ratios cover the listed foreground/background pair only; check actual component pairs. Do not use pale borders as the sole visible boundary of form fields. Colour must not be the sole signal for errors, selection, risk or data categories.

The canvas should be predominantly ivory. Forest anchors the identity; mist groups content. Gold is a small accent, not a metallic luxury effect. Functional error colours are permitted when accompanied by a clear text explanation.

## 5. Typography

Display, logo and long-form reading: `Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif`.

Interface, supporting copy and forms: `Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif`.

Do not add remote font dependencies. Use regular serif weight for editorial authority; use semibold sans serif for action labels and small structural labels. Reserve italics for a short phrase. Avoid paragraphs in capitals and excessive letter spacing.

| Role | Desktop | Mobile | Line height |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Hero | 48–68 px | 34–46 px | 1.08 |
| Page title | 44–58 px | 34–46 px | 1.12 |
| Section title | 30–38 px | 28–34 px | 1.2 |
| Story title | 23–30 px | 21–25 px | 1.25 |
| Reading text | 18 px | 17 px | 1.85 |
| Body and forms | 16 px | 16 px | 1.65–1.8 |
| Card summary | 14 px | 13–14 px | 1.75 |
| Metadata and labels | 11–13 px | 11–13 px | 1.6–1.7 |

Use one `h1` per page and hierarchical section headings. Keep reading text within a 760 px column. Headlines may use slight negative tracking; supporting text should remain naturally spaced.

## 6. Layout and spacing

Use a 4 px base rhythm with preferred steps of 4, 8, 12, 16, 24, 32, 48 and 64 px. The maximum page canvas is 1,280 px. Desktop outer gutters are 48 px, medium gutters 32 px, and mobile gutters 20 px or 16 px on very narrow screens.

Use 16–24 px within related content and 32–64 px between major sections. Prefer thin rules and alignment to a repeated grid of decorative cards. Keep corners square or use 2 px for controls. Avoid decorative shadows, oversized promotional panels and continuous animation.

The header is compact, with Research, Our approach, Sources and About on desktop. Search and the newsletter action stay visible. On small screens, use the wordmark, search and a menu disclosure. Include markets, archive, saved stories, Learn and contact in the mobile menu. Close the menu after navigation and on Escape. Keep Homelab within Learn rather than primary navigation.

## 7. Components and interaction

Primary button: ink background, ivory text, 2 px corners, at least 44 px height; forest hover. Secondary button: transparent surface and an ink outline. Text link: clear label, optional simple line arrow, underlining where needed to distinguish links within prose. Use SVG icons, not platform-dependent emoji.

All actions need an evident purpose. Use “Explore the research”, “Get the briefing” in the compact header, and “Join the newsletter + RSS” for the full signup action. Avoid urgency, countdowns and implied returns.

Inputs need persistent labels, 16 px text, a visible border and a clear focus ring. Consent checkboxes are unchecked by default. Identify errors in text and provide a next step. Do not show success until the operation succeeds. Preserve privacy settings, saved-story behavior and existing access controls.

Use at least 44 × 44 px touch targets, visible keyboard focus and logical focus order. Support reduced motion and readable reflow at narrow widths and increased text sizes. Validate layouts at 320, 375, 390 and 430 px when a suitable browser is available. Do not claim visual verification that has not been performed.

## 8. Imagery, charts and iconography

Original editorial illustrations use simple geometric forms tied to the subject: payment flows, tokenized assets, permissions and infrastructure. The controlled palette is forest, ink, sage, mist, inverse and gold. Preserve a distinct composition for each story. Avoid neon gradients, generic crypto coins and fabricated trading dashboards.

Illustrations are conceptual and must not be presented as photographs, observed events or market data. Keep meaningful alt text on editorial figures and a caption explaining their role. Decorative linked thumbnails can have empty alt text when the adjacent headline identifies the destination.

Charts require actual data, dates, units, labelled axes and sources. Forecasts, simulations and scenarios must be explicit. Do not use random bars or upward lines as implied performance. Photography needs known provenance and usage rights. Disclose synthetic media where applicable.

## 9. Channel applications

Website: use shared tokens, header, footer, article styles, controls and disclosures throughout. Article-specific Open Graph images retain the original story illustration. General pages use `/brand/social-card.png` at 1,200 × 720 px.

Newsletter: call it **The Daily Perspective**. Include the Chain Perspective wordmark, original slogan, event dates, headlines, concise context and canonical article links. Retain publisher identity, unsubscribe controls and AI-assistance disclosure. Email editions are awaiting launch; configured provider access, sending-domain authentication, confirmed addresses and end-to-end checks are required before delivery is described as active. Brand work does not activate email sending.

RSS: use Chain Perspective with an optional topic label. Private feeds require newsletter email opt-in, and withdrawal revokes access. Never publish private bearer feed links in public brand assets. Homelab has no separate RSS feed.

Research reports: include title, date, version, author or automated-desk identity, sources, assumptions and limitations. Separate historical evidence from future scenarios. Do not invent benchmarks, assets under management, clients or performance.

Future videos: use a short wordmark opening, readable captions, source references and dated charts. Keep essential text inside platform safe areas. Disclose synthetic voice or imagery and avoid sensational investment promises.

## 10. Governance and maintenance

Implementation references:

- `newsroom/identity.ts`: shared name, slogan and public navigation.
- `public/brand.css`: shared tokens, type, components, responsive behavior and public/admin styling.
- `public/frontpage.css`: front-page composition.
- `newsroom/brand-guide.ts` and `public/brand-guide.css`: visual guide.
- `public/brand-guidelines.md`: complete written specification.
- `scripts/create-brand-assets.mjs`: repeatable source for logo, favicon and social assets.
- `newsroom/artwork.ts`: original editorial illustrations and technical diagrams.

For a change, update the written and visual guide, shared implementation and affected assets together. Check contrast, text reflow, focus, image loading, real routes, form validation, empty states and disclosures. Run relevant existing behavior tests and the production build. Preserve scheduled publishing, site audience, domains and subscriber access unless separately instructed.

Brand rules complement the saved editorial workflow; they do not replace its freshness, source, duplication, validation or publishing checks. Historical article facts and dates must not be rewritten as part of a visual refresh.


## 11. Professional research experience

The frontend presents a focused digital-asset policy and market-structure publication for professional readers, with Hong Kong and US focus markets within global coverage. Use the enduring slogan unchanged.

Primary navigation: Research, Methodology, Sources, Professional. Newsletter and RSS are secondary reader actions. Keep Homelab within Learn, without its own feed. Dates and source counts belong with research results, while individual articles distinguish development date, publication date and evidence type. Source counts are descriptive, never a confidence score.

The professional page invites pilot enquiries by email. Available public research and proposed team features must be visibly separate. Do not display the internal business model's test prices as an established commercial offer. Do not imply shared watchlists, targeted alerts, a paid workspace, human review, predictive performance or capital management exists before it is verified.

Keep mobile layouts compact: a 66px header, at least 44px primary controls, wrapping metadata and filters, readable article text and a single-column reading flow. No decorative market data or fabricated charts. The existing forest, ivory, serif display and sans-serif interface system remains in effect.

### Research growth surfaces

Briefings are focused reading paths, not keyword landing-page variants. Reuse article dates and source disclosures. Tools expose their method, limits and hypothetical inputs; never present results as forecasts. Social previews use the same ivory, forest and serif identity. Citations retain the automated-desk attribution.

### Homepage hero

Use the unchanged slogan as the single H1, set in regular Georgia with a brief forest italic emphasis. Pair the ivory introduction with a compact ink panel explaining evidence, context and uncertainty. The primary action opens research; a secondary action invites a research pilot. Keep a direct jump to the prominent latest-news section. On mobile, collapse the explanatory panel to its source-monitor link so news remains within easy reach. No invented statistics or implied performance charts.