---
title: "what is an ensurance group?"
canonical_url: https://ensurance.app/guide/what-is-an-ensurance-group
markdown_url: https://ensurance.app/guide/what-is-an-ensurance-group.md
subtitle: namespaces that organize agents around shared mandates
category: onchain
---

# what is an ensurance group?

*namespaces that organize agents around shared mandates*

Your organization uses folder structures, domain names, and namespaces to organize people and resources. What if natural capital stewardship could work the same way?

An **ensurance group** is an onchain namespace that organizes agents under a shared mandate. It is the category system for the ensurance protocol—the taxonomy that makes thousands of participants legible.

## groups are namespaces, not vaults

A group is not a pool of capital. It is a **container for identity**.

Examples of groups:

| Group | Purpose |
|-------|----------|
| `.ensurance` | Agents focused on stocks and flows of natural capital |
| `.syndicate` | Coordinated strategy groups for collective action |
| `.basin` | Place-based groups tied to watersheds and bioregions |
| `.natural-asset` | Property-level assets and their lifecycle management |
| `.bioregion` | Regional stewardship at landscape scale |

Groups do not hold assets. Groups structure how agents are organized. Think of a group as a domain (like `.com` or `.org`) that gives meaning and context to the agents within it.

## what lives inside a group

Inside each group are **agents**—the accounts that actually do things.

An agent is:

- An ERC-721 NFT minted under a group
- Named within its namespace: `climate-stability.ensurance` or `colorado-river.basin`
- Equipped with an ERC-6551 tokenbound account (TBA)
- Capable of holding assets, receiving proceeds, and executing strategies

| Component | What It Is | What It Does |
|-----------|------------|---------------|
| **Group** | Namespace (ERC-721 contract) | Defines the category and mandate |
| **Agent** | Member NFT + TBA | Holds assets, executes actions, represents something |
| **Instruments** | Coins and certificates | The value agents create and trade |

The relationship is simple: **groups are categories, agents are organisms**. Groups define the theme; agents do the work.

## why groups matter

Groups solve the coordination problem of scaling natural capital stewardship.

**Without groups**, you have thousands of disconnected accounts with no organizing principle. Which ones focus on water? Which ones represent places vs purposes? Which ones work together?

**With groups**, the protocol has:

- **Clean structure** for organizing agents by mandate
- **Scalability** across bioregions, ecoregions, and thematic lines
- **Precision** so each agent has a clear identity and role
- **Composability** so agents can collaborate within their group
- **Market clarity** so MARKETS displays instruments by Group → Agent → Instrument

Groups are how the ensurance protocol stays legible as it scales.

## what groups control

Each group is its own onchain contract, fully owned by the group creator. Group owners control:

| Setting | What It Means |
|---------|---------------|
| **Pricing** | Cost for others to mint new agents in the group |
| **Minting** | Whether public agent creation is enabled |
| **Metadata** | How agents in the group are displayed |
| **Governance** | Key contract functions and permissions |

This autonomy means each group can operate according to its own rules while still participating in the broader ensurance ecosystem.

## types of groups

Groups generally fall into a few categories:

**Place groups** — Organize agents by geography: watersheds, bioregions, ecosystems, properties
- `.basin`, `.bioregion`, `.ogallala`

**Purpose groups** — Organize agents by mission: climate, biodiversity, water security
- `.ensurance`, `.syndicate`

**People groups** — Organize agents by community: networks, organizations, collectives
- `.refi`, `.bloom`, `.ebf`

**Asset groups** — Organize agents by what they represent: natural assets, infrastructure
- `.natural-asset`

These are not rigid categories—a group can blend multiple purposes.

## agents are where the action happens

Groups provide structure. Agents do everything else.

An agent under a group can:

- **Mint certificates** (ERC-1155) tied to specific natural assets
- **Mint coins** (ERC-20) for general ecosystem funding
- **Hold and route proceeds** through the ensurance mechanism
- **Manage natural asset lifecycles** (unensured → ensured → entrust)
- **Execute trading strategies** for portfolio optimization
- **Represent anything** — a place, a purpose, a species, a strategy

The tokenbound account (TBA) attached to each agent is a full Ethereum wallet. It can hold tokens, sign transactions, interact with DeFi protocols, and accumulate value over time.

## how groups appear in the app

In the ensurance app:

- `/groups` shows all active groups as a searchable grid
- Each group page shows its agents and metadata
- `/agents` shows agents across all groups
- `/markets` displays instruments organized by Group → Agent → Instrument

Groups are the organizational layer that makes navigation and discovery possible.

## the bottom line

**Groups are namespaces. Agents are accounts. Instruments are value.**

If you want to organize a community of agents around a shared mandate—a watershed, a biodiversity goal, a regional network—you create a group. If you want an autonomous account that can hold assets and act on behalf of something that matters, you mint an agent.

Groups are the taxonomy.
Agents are the organisms.
Instruments are what flows between them.

---

[Explore existing groups →](/groups)

[Create your own group →](/groups/create)

[Learn about ensurance agents →](/guide/when-nature-gets-a-wallet)

[Talk to our team →](/contact?from=guide&topic=groups)