Bringing Blockchain to Corporate Finance. A Smart Contract for Corporate Bonds

Originally intended to be an innovative electronic payment system, the new technology Bitcoin could have a disruptive impact on other industries as well. Blockchain enthusiasts, private companies, government and academic institutions are currently trying to stake out and unlock the full spectrum of the technology's potential.

Capital market transactions are among these use cases as many players are involved in these transactions, resulting in high costs and long transaction times. By integrating blockchain technology into the settlement of security transactions, the cost and complexity of the processes might be reduced. As Christian Schäfer explains, the crucial instrument for the realization of these potentials are smart contracts, enabled by the Ethereum Blockchain.

In his books, Schäfer examines the technical feasibility of a smart contract that enables the issuing and trading of corporate bonds without intermediaries. The key features for the smart contract have been derived from the payment mechanisms of a bond and the standard for token contracts established within the Ethereum developer community. The requirements for the smart contract could be implemented successfully, as confirmed by the documentation of two simulations.

In this book:

- Internet of Things;

- solidity;

- token;

- ERC20 standard;

- corporate bonds