Distributed Ledger Technologies for Developing Asia

Hype over distributed ledger technologies (DLTs) has spurred adoption involving huge sums of investments at breath-taking speeds. Ironically, that same hype is what hinders the objective evaluation of the benefits and drawbacks of these exciting technologies. This paper takes a first pass at assessing feasible areas of practical implementation for DLTs mainly in the context of development finance. It takes a closer look at five use cases—digital identity, trade finance, project aid monitoring, smart energy, and supply chain management—to assess their implementation limits and potential. This paper also points to areas of potential application of DLTs within the Asian development context, including providing financial system access to billions of excluded populations.