Automating Manual Controls in Digital Asset Custody

Eliminate the labor-intensive, error-prone process of matching transaction records across siloed systems. Smart contracts automatically reconcile data and execute settlements in minutes, not days.

• Example: A global logistics firm reduced its invoice reconciliation time from 14 days to near real-time, cutting FTEs by 70%.
• Benefit: Near-100% accuracy, freeing finance teams for strategic work.

Replace manual evidence gathering for audits with a tamper-proof ledger. Every transaction and document version is cryptographically sealed and timestamped.

• Example: A pharmaceutical company uses blockchain to automate FDA 21 CFR Part 11 compliance, reducing audit preparation from weeks to hours.
• Benefit: Drastically lower compliance costs and risk of penalties from manual record-keeping failures.

Automate the tracking of goods and verification of certifications (e.g., organic, fair trade) from origin to consumer. Digital twins on a shared ledger eliminate manual checkpoints and paperwork.

• Example: A luxury retailer automated authenticity verification, reducing counterfeit incidents by 95% and manual inspection costs by 60%.
• Benefit: Enhanced brand trust, operational savings, and automated recall management.

Automate payment releases, royalty distributions, and service level agreement (SLA) penalties based on verifiable data feeds (oracles).

• Example: A media company automates royalty payments to artists based on real-time streaming data, reducing administrative overhead by 80% and payment disputes.
• Benefit: Eliminates manual invoicing, accelerates cash flow, and ensures contractual fairness.

The Pain Point: A single international shipment requires manual verification of 20+ paper documents (Letters of Credit, Bills of Lading, invoices) across 5+ parties, causing 5-10 day delays and high fraud risk.

The Blockchain Fix: A permissioned blockchain creates a single, immutable record of the transaction lifecycle. Smart contracts auto-execute payments upon digital proof of delivery. Key benefits:

• Eliminates 80% of manual document checks
• Reduces settlement from days to hours
• Real-world example: Marco Polo Network reduced processing costs by 65% for participating banks.

The Pain Point: Manual audits for ethical sourcing or product recalls are slow, costly, and unreliable. Verifying a component's origin can take weeks, damaging brand trust.

The Blockchain Fix: Each item is tagged with a digital twin (NFT) on a blockchain, recording every custody change from raw material to retail. Key benefits:

• Provides instant, cryptographically verifiable audit trails
• Cuts compliance reporting time by over 70%
• Real-world example: Walmart uses IBM Food Trust to trace mango origins in 2.2 seconds vs. 7 days manually.

Replaces paper-based, multi-week processes with smart contract automation. A single shared ledger between buyer, seller, and banks eliminates document discrepancies and manual verification.

• Example: Marco Polo Network reduced settlement times from 5-10 days to under 24 hours.
• ROI Driver: 65-80% reduction in operational costs, faster capital turnover, and mitigated fraud risk.

Automates the tracking of goods and materials from origin to consumer, replacing manual record-keeping and audits.

• Example: Walmart's Food Traceability Initiative uses blockchain to track leafy greens, reducing trace-back time from 7 days to 2.2 seconds.
• ROI Driver: Drastic reduction in recall costs, automated compliance reporting for regulations (e.g., FDA, EU DPP), and enhanced brand trust.

Eliminates correspondent banking layers and manual FX reconciliation through atomic settlement on a shared ledger.

• Example: J.P. Morgan's JPM Coin provides intraday liquidity and 24/7 settlement for institutional clients.
• ROI Driver: Near-instant settlement reduces counterparty risk and frees up billions in trapped capital. Cuts transaction costs by up to 80% compared to traditional wire transfers.

Replaces repetitive, manual Know Your Customer (KYC) checks with user-controlled verifiable credentials. Individuals or entities own and share pre-verified data.

• Example: The Sovrin Network enables reusable digital credentials for banking, travel, and employment.
• ROI Driver: Reduces customer onboarding costs by ~70%, accelerates time-to-revenue, and ensures audit-ready compliance logs.

Uses oracles and smart contracts to trigger payouts automatically based on verified external data (e.g., flight delays, weather events).

• Example: AXA's Fizzy offered parametric flight delay insurance with automatic compensation.
• ROI Driver: Eliminates manual claims adjustment, reduces processing costs from hundreds of dollars to pennies, and improves customer satisfaction with instant payouts.

Digitizes and automates the manual, paper-intensive process of title searches, transfers, and lien management on an immutable ledger.

• Example: Sweden's Lantmäteriet (land registry) has tested a blockchain system to reduce paperwork and cut processing time from months to days.
• ROI Driver: Reduces title insurance costs, minimizes fraud, and creates a single source of truth for all stakeholders (buyers, sellers, banks, agents).