Sealed Storage policies
A policy is the on-chain rule that decides who may decrypt sealed content. You choose one when you encrypt. Each policy is a self-contained on-chain module with a matching option in the app.
Built-in policies
Access-gate NFT (nft-gate)
Only holders of a valid pass for a chosen Access Gate can decrypt.
- Encrypt with: the gate's object ID.
- Decrypt with: the pass NFT you hold for that gate (and whether it's soulbound).
- Use it when: you want membership- or purchase-gated content — a paid community, subscriber-only files, gated downloads. Combine it with the Access Gate tool to sell the passes.
Content is namespaced to the specific gate, so a pass for one gate can never decrypt another gate's content. A single-use pass acts as membership here — decrypting doesn't consume a use — but an already-exhausted pass is rejected.
Time-lock (time-lock)
Anyone can decrypt once a chosen unlock time has passed.
- Encrypt with: an unlock time.
- Decrypt with: nothing special — just wait until the time arrives.
- Use it when: you want a timed reveal — embargoed announcements, scheduled disclosures, "open after" content, commit-and-reveal schemes.
The unlock time is checked against the on-chain clock, so it can't be faked by changing your device clock.
Choosing a policy
| You want… | Use |
|---|---|
| Access limited to holders of a pass you sell or grant | Access-gate NFT |
| A timed reveal open to everyone after a date | Time-lock |
| Both (e.g. gated and not before a date) | Not a single built-in today — see roadmap |
Roadmap
The policy system is extensible — each new policy is an additional on-chain module plus an app option, without touching existing ones. Planned policies (not yet available) include allowlists, time-bound subscriptions, owner-only, token/balance gating, and more. These will appear in the app's policy picker automatically as they ship.
Developer note
The mechanics of writing a new policy (the on-chain seal_approve module + the matching client provider) are covered in the developer guide Writing policies. The Reference lists the current policy identifiers.