diff --git a/packages/ERTP/src/displayInfo.js b/packages/ERTP/src/displayInfo.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..b008bcb1a083
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/ERTP/src/displayInfo.js
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+import { assert, details, q } from '@agoric/assert';
+
+/**
+ * Assert all values from `part` appear in `whole`.
+ *
+ * @param {string[]} whole
+ * @param {string[]} part
+ */
+export const assertSubset = (whole, part) => {
+  part.forEach(key => {
+    assert.typeof(key, 'string');
+    assert(
+      whole.includes(key),
+      details`key ${q(key)} was not one of the expected keys ${q(whole)}`,
+    );
+  });
+};
+
+// Assert that the keys of `record` are all in `allowedKeys`. If a key
+// of `record` is not in `allowedKeys`, throw an error. If a key in
+// `allowedKeys` is not a key of record, we do not throw an error.
+export const assertKeysAllowed = (allowedKeys, record) => {
+  const keys = Object.getOwnPropertyNames(record);
+  assertSubset(allowedKeys, keys);
+  // assert that there are no symbol properties.
+  assert(
+    Object.getOwnPropertySymbols(record).length === 0,
+    details`no symbol properties allowed`,
+  );
+};
+
+export const assertDisplayInfo = allegedDisplayInfo => {
+  if (allegedDisplayInfo === undefined) {
+    return;
+  }
+  const displayInfoKeys = harden(['decimalPlaces']);
+  assertKeysAllowed(displayInfoKeys, allegedDisplayInfo);
+};
diff --git a/packages/ERTP/src/issuer.js b/packages/ERTP/src/issuer.js
index d58ef51c4279..c785cd563a5f 100644
--- a/packages/ERTP/src/issuer.js
+++ b/packages/ERTP/src/issuer.js
@@ -10,14 +10,20 @@ import { isPromise } from '@agoric/promise-kit';
 
 import { makeAmountMath, MathKind } from './amountMath';
 import { makeInterface, ERTPKind } from './interfaces';
+import { assertDisplayInfo } from './displayInfo';
 
 import './types';
 
 /**
  * @type {MakeIssuerKit}
  */
-function makeIssuerKit(allegedName, amountMathKind = MathKind.NAT, decimals) {
+function makeIssuerKit(
+  allegedName,
+  amountMathKind = MathKind.NAT,
+  displayInfo = undefined,
+) {
   assert.typeof(allegedName, 'string');
+  assertDisplayInfo(displayInfo);
 
   const brand = Remotable(
     makeInterface(allegedName, ERTPKind.BRAND),
@@ -32,10 +38,7 @@ function makeIssuerKit(allegedName, amountMathKind = MathKind.NAT, decimals) {
       getAllegedName: () => allegedName,
 
       // Give information to UI on how to display the amount.
-      // Fungible digital assets should be represented in integers, in
-      // the smallest unit (i.e. USD might be represented in mill,
-      // a thousandth of a dollar. In that case, `decimals` would be 3).
-      decimals: () => decimals,
+      getDisplayInfo: () => displayInfo,
     },
   );
 
diff --git a/packages/ERTP/src/types.js b/packages/ERTP/src/types.js
index 6aea2a024c37..0461c35681a3 100644
--- a/packages/ERTP/src/types.js
+++ b/packages/ERTP/src/types.js
@@ -97,6 +97,19 @@
  * to set subtraction.
  */
 
+/**
+ * @typedef {Object} DisplayInfo
+ * @property {number} decimalPlaces
+ *   Tells the display software how many decimal places to move the
+ *   decimal over to the left, or in other words, which position corresponds to whole
+ *   numbers. We require fungible digital assets to be represented in
+ *   integers, in the smallest unit (i.e. USD might be represented in mill,
+ *   a thousandth of a dollar. In that case, `decimalPlaces` would be 3.)
+ *   For non-fungible digital assets, this should be left as undefined.
+ *   The decimalPlaces property should be used for *display purposes only*. Any
+ *   other use is an anti-pattern.
+ */
+
 /**
  * @typedef {Object} Brand
  * The brand identifies the kind of issuer, and has a function to get the
@@ -112,12 +125,8 @@
  * @property {(allegedIssuer: ERef<Issuer>) => Promise<boolean>} isMyIssuer Should be used with
  * `issuer.getBrand` to ensure an issuer and brand match.
  * @property {() => string} getAllegedName
- * @property {() => number} decimals
+ * @property {() => DisplayInfo} getDisplayInfo
  *  Give information to UI on how to display the amount.
- *  Fungible digital assets should be represented in integers, in
- *  the smallest unit (i.e. USD might be represented in mill,
- *  a thousandth of a dollar. In that case, `decimals` would be 3).
- *  Should not be used for nonfungible digital assets.
  */
 
 /**
@@ -195,7 +204,7 @@
  * @callback MakeIssuerKit
  * @param {string} allegedName
  * @param {AmountMathKind} [amountMathKind=MathKind.NAT]
- * @param {number} [decimals]
+ * @param {DisplayInfo=} [displayInfo=undefined]
  * @returns {IssuerKit}
  *
  * The allegedName becomes part of the brand in asset descriptions. The
@@ -207,11 +216,7 @@
  * from the mathHelpers library. For example, natMathHelpers, the
  * default, is used for basic fungible tokens.
  *
- *  `decimals` gives information to UI on how to display the amount.
- *  Fungible digital assets should be represented in integers, in
- *  the smallest unit (i.e. USD might be represented in mill,
- *  a thousandth of a dollar. In that case, `decimals` would be 3).
- *  `decimals` should not be used for nonfungible digital assets.
+ *  `displayInfo` gives information to UI on how to display the amount.
  *
  * @typedef {Object} IssuerKit
  * The return value of makeIssuerKit
diff --git a/packages/ERTP/test/unitTests/test-issuerObj.js b/packages/ERTP/test/unitTests/test-issuerObj.js
index 39e67a905eab..2bc7792cd133 100644
--- a/packages/ERTP/test/unitTests/test-issuerObj.js
+++ b/packages/ERTP/test/unitTests/test-issuerObj.js
@@ -14,26 +14,35 @@ test('issuer.getBrand, brand.isMyIssuer', t => {
   );
   t.is(issuer.getAllegedName(), myBrand.getAllegedName());
   t.is(issuer.getAllegedName(), 'fungible');
-  t.is(brand.decimals(), undefined);
+  t.is(brand.getDisplayInfo(), undefined);
 });
 
-test('brand decimals', t => {
-  const { brand } = makeIssuerKit('fungible', MathKind.NAT, 3);
-  t.is(brand.decimals(), 3);
+test('brand.getDisplayInfo()', t => {
+  const displayInfo = harden({ decimalPlaces: 3 });
+  const { brand } = makeIssuerKit('fungible', MathKind.NAT, displayInfo);
+  t.is(brand.getDisplayInfo(), displayInfo);
   const display = amount => {
     const { brand: myBrand, value } = amount;
-    const decimals = myBrand.decimals();
+    const { decimalPlaces } = myBrand.getDisplayInfo();
     const valueDisplay = value.toString();
     const length = valueDisplay.length;
     return [
-      valueDisplay.slice(0, length - decimals),
+      valueDisplay.slice(0, length - decimalPlaces),
       '.',
-      valueDisplay.slice(length - decimals),
+      valueDisplay.slice(length - decimalPlaces),
     ].join('');
   };
   t.is(display({ brand, value: 3000 }), '3.000');
 });
 
+test('bad display info', t => {
+  const displayInfo = harden({ somethingUnexpected: 3 });
+  t.throws(() => makeIssuerKit('fungible', MathKind.NAT, displayInfo), {
+    message:
+      'key "somethingUnexpected" was not one of the expected keys ["decimalPlaces"]',
+  });
+});
+
 test('amountMath from makeIssuerKit', async t => {
   const { issuer, amountMath, brand } = makeIssuerKit('fungible');
   const ibrand = await E(issuer).getBrand();