Go Balance Credits now available as Digital Financial Assets on the Northern Trust Carbon Ecosystem

November 7, 2025 | By Go Balance

First tranche of Natural Capital Credits available as Digital Financial Assets within the Northern Trust Carbon Ecosystem

Introduction by Ciaran Kelly, CEO of Go Balance

We are pleased to announce that Go Balance has listed its first tranche of Natural Capital Credits (NCCs) on the Natural Forest Standard (NFS) Registry within Northern Trust’s Carbon Ecosystem (NTCE)—bringing bank-grade custody, clear legal treatment, and full lifecycle traceability to verified REDD+ credits generated through the Trocano Araretama Project in Brazil.

This marks an important milestone in the digitisation pathway for the Go Balance credits and the Trocano Project.

Go Balance is the first REDD+ project developer to have its credits formally classified as Digital Financial Assets (DFAs) – proving that high-integrity, nature-based credits can sit within a secure, institutional financial environment—strengthening their environmental integrity, provenance, and audit trail.

— Ciaran Kelly, CEO, Go Balance

Why this Matters: What this means for Go Balance Carbon Credits

Scaling credible climate action requires two things at once: real-world impact and modern market infrastructure. Too often, the voluntary carbon market has had one without the other.

With Natural Capital Credits (NCCs) now listed on the NFS Registry within Northern Trust’s Carbon Ecosystem (NTCE), Go Balance brings these two pillars together: measurable conservation outcomes supported by a modern digital infrastructure that provides clarity, security, and traceability.

Buyers want confidence—knowing what they’re purchasing, how it’s safeguarded, and how it’s tracked across its lifecycle. The Northern Trust Carbon Ecosystem provides that foundation.

Recap: Digital Financial Assets in the Voluntary Carbon Market

In our earlier piece, How Digital Financial Assets Are Changing the Carbon Market Forever, we explained how digitalisation upgrades carbon credits into custody-ready Digital Financial Assets (DFAs).

This transformation matters because DFAs enable:

Custody and settlement with bank-grade controls;
Clearer ownership and legal definition across the lifecycle;
Audit-ready traceability from issuance to retirement;
Market access for buyers requiring governance and transparency.

What’s New: First tranche of Go Balance credits listed on the NFS Registry within NTCE

Go Balance has now listed the first tranche of its Natural Capital Credits (NCCs) on the NFS Registry within Northern Trust’s Carbon Ecosystem (NTCE). This marks a step forward in aligning nature-based assets with modern financial infrastructure.

This milestone shows that verified, high-integrity credits can operate within an institutional-grade custody environment, supported by the same audit and control systems that underpin regulated financial assets.

Practically, this means:

Visibility and governance through the new NFS Registry powered by NTCE;
Lifecycle traceability with secure custody, transfer, and retirement tracking;
Institutional confidence, as NTCE applies the same operational standards used across Northern Trust’s $15 trillion custody platform;
Legal clarity, as NCCs are classified as DFAs – clearly defined, traceable, and governed throughout their lifecycle.

By combining environmental integrity with financial-grade assurance, this listing moves the market toward a future where nature-based assets can be held and transacted with the same confidence as traditional financial instruments.

Go Balance is the first REDD+ project to achieve formal classification of its credits as DFAs, setting a precedent for how verified nature-based projects can integrate directly into institutional-grade financial systems.

Northern Trust Bets on Carbon Credit Demand as Emission Goals Loom – Carbon credits have been around for decades but the market has lacked the maturity and infrastructure for many institutional investors, says Justin Chapman, global head of digital assets and financial markets at Northern Trust.

From Offsets to Financial-Grade Climate Assets

Through Northern Trust’s infrastructure, Go Balance NCCs are now recognised as financial assets under UCC Article 8 with enforceable ownership rights and fiduciary protections. They are further classified as intangible commodities by the CFTC, ensuring clear legal status and oversight.

Additional features include:

Bank-grade custody within NTCE, the same system used for cash, bonds, and equities;
Smart-contract settlement via Avvoka for automated Delivery-versus-Payment (DvP), removing escrow delays;
Immutable audit trails using distributed-ledger technology for full lifecycle transparency.

This digital and legal foundation transforms carbon credits from paper-based offsets into financial-grade climate assets. This enables buyers to integrate verified REDD+ credits directly into sustainability and reporting frameworks with confidence.

Go Balance is the first REDD+ project developer to have its credits classified as Digital Financial Assets — proving that verified, nature-based projects can now operate within secure, institutional financial systems with full traceability and confidence.”

— Ciaran Kelly, CEO, Go Balance

About the Go Balance Project

Go Balance credits originate from the Trocano Araretama REDD+ Project in Borba, Amazonas, Brazil. The project focuses on:

Avoided deforestation and forest protection; conserving large areas of rainforest and maintaining critical biodiversity whilst supporting sustainable land-use practices;
Community-centred outcomes such as environmental education, firefighter training, local capacity building, and resilience initiatives;
Risk-based carbon accounting aligned with the NFS methodology, using systematic risk mapping and high-quality geospatial data.

Over the past year, Go Balance has documented numerous community initiatives. Our programs include firefighting training, environmental education, womens health outreach, and more. These initiatives demonstrate how carbon projects deliver meaningful and measurable social and ecological impact.

The Trocano Project operates under the Natural Forest Standard (NFS). Independent project verification carried out by third-party Validation and Verification Bodies (VVBs). Go Balance implements the project and achieves credit issuance through verified outcomes; the NFS issues the credits once verification is complete.

Reframing the Value of Older Vintages

Despite the common perception that older vintages are less valuable, they can, in fact, offer significant portfolio value when supported by transparent documentation and digital custody.

Now, with Go Balance credits classified as DFAs through the Northern Trust Platform, older vintages gain the same regulated structure and immutable lineage as new ones. Digitisation and custody transform them from “aged inventory” into traceable, auditable, and legally protected climate assets—strengthening their role in diversified procurement and sustainability portfolios.

What’s Next: Expanding Access and Transparency

This first tranche listing represents a key milestone for Go Balance’s credits. It demonstrates that high-integrity, nature-based carbon credits can operate within secure, institutional-grade custody infrastructure. This sets a new benchmark for credibility and transparency in the voluntary carbon market.

In the weeks ahead, Go Balance will continue to build on this milestone by expanding the availability of further tranches on the NFS Registry within NTCE. Each new release will, in turn, reinforce our commitment to verified environmental outcomes while helping organisations move decisively with trust and clarity.

Engage with Go Balance

If you are seeking high-integrity, registry-listed REDD+ carbon credits with full digital traceability and bank-grade custody through Northern Trust’s Carbon Ecosystem, Go Balance can arrange a structured allocation from this first tranche and outline future issuances.

Contact us about Go Balance credits here to discuss current availability, pricing, and how Natural Capital Credits can align with your sustainability strategy.

Go Balance Project - visiting the Trocano Project area that generates the Natural Capital Credits

View across the Trocano Araretama Project area in Borba, Amazonas. (Image: Go Balance)

Press Release

Read the official announcement distributed via PRLog: Go Balance Carbon Credits Now Available as Digital Financial Assets on Northern Trust Carbon Ecosystem