Derivative image lineage has become part of the payout workflow.
Audit teams increasingly want to know not only which raw capture started a chain, but which transforms, reductions, and handling steps produced the version that ultimately entered a claim, dispute, or sale. That demand can slow settlement, but it also makes the market less vulnerable to ambiguity hidden inside polished products.
When money moves only after lineage review, operators have a strong incentive to keep their derivative systems legible from the beginning.