Assets under Tokenization

Abstract

Recent years have seen rapid growth in IS scholarship addressing the efficacy and utility of blockchain technology in trade-processing and financial services. Numerous IS scholars encourage applied research into the ostensible synergies between the nascent technology and its various use cases. Yet the vast majority of published research approaches the issue from a purely contemplative or theoretical perspective. Addressing this gap in the IS literature, we apply the design science research methodology in the construction a software artefact for the abstract representation of physical assets in the form of blockchain tokens, a process colloquially referred to as tokenization. We present the final iteration of the artefact, evaluating our results against the requirements collected through the design search process. This informs a rigorous evaluation of the conceptual limitations of blockchain-based software artefacts. We conclude that, provided the aforementioned requirements are adequately observed within the design search process, blockchain technology can indeed improve post-trade processing.