Framework for a Blockchain-Based Infrastructure Project Financing System

Infrastructure is the lifeline for fulfilling most of the basic needs that support the well-being and prosperity of human society. To sustain improvements in quality of life, China, as a developing economy, needs more and better infrastructure, despite facing massive funding shortages. An enormous amount of its private capital is locked up because of the many obstacles to private investment. This study introduces a blockchain-based financing instrument for unlocking massive private capital to fund infrastructure projects in China. It draws on a literature review and expert survey to identify the major holdups preventing private capital from funding infrastructure projects and to compare the existing instruments used in infrastructure financing. A fuzzy AHP-SWOT analysis is conducted to reveal the main internal factors (strengths and weaknesses) and external factors (opportunities and threats) in using blockchain-based finance in infrastructure projects. Finally, a conceptual framework for a blockchain-based infrastructure financing system is formulated to take advantage of the strength and opportunities, meanwhile, counter the weakness and threats, and the framework is also validated through its deployment on Hyperledger Fabric.