The Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC) and Mashreq Bank have together launched a  Blockchain  Blockchain Blockchain comprises a digital network of blocks with a comprehensive ledger of transactions made in a cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin or other altcoins.One of the signature features of blockchain is that it is maintained across more than one computer. The ledger can be public or private (permissioned.) In this sense, blockchain is immune to the manipulation of data making it not only open but verifiable. Because a blockchain is stored across a network of computers, it is very difficult to tamper with. The Evolution of BlockchainBlockchain was originally invented by an individual or group of people under the name of Satoshi Nakamoto in 2008. The purpose of blockchain was originally to serve as the public transaction ledger of Bitcoin, the world’s first cryptocurrency.In particular, bundles of transaction data, called “blocks”, are added to the ledger in a chronological fashion, forming a “chain.” These blocks include things like date, time, dollar amount, and (in some cases) the public addresses of the sender and the receiver.The computers responsible for upholding a blockchain network are called “nodes.” These nodes carry out the duties necessary to confirm the transactions and add them to the ledger. In exchange for their work, the nodes receive rewards in the form of crypto tokens.By storing data via a peer-to-peer network (P2P), blockchain controls for a wide range of risks that are traditionally inherent with data being held centrally.Of note, P2P blockchain networks lack centralized points of vulnerability. Consequently, hackers cannot exploit these networks via normalized means nor does the network possess a central failure point.In order to hack or alter a blockchain’s ledger, more than half of the nodes must be compromised. Looking ahead, blockchain technology is an area of extensive research across multiple industries, including financial services and payments, among others. Blockchain comprises a digital network of blocks with a comprehensive ledger of transactions made in a cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin or other altcoins.One of the signature features of blockchain is that it is maintained across more than one computer. The ledger can be public or private (permissioned.) In this sense, blockchain is immune to the manipulation of data making it not only open but verifiable. Because a blockchain is stored across a network of computers, it is very difficult to tamper with. The Evolution of BlockchainBlockchain was originally invented by an individual or group of people under the name of Satoshi Nakamoto in 2008. The purpose of blockchain was originally to serve as the public transaction ledger of Bitcoin, the world’s first cryptocurrency.In particular, bundles of transaction data, called “blocks”, are added to the ledger in a chronological fashion, forming a “chain.” These blocks include things like date, time, dollar amount, and (in some cases) the public addresses of the sender and the receiver.The computers responsible for upholding a blockchain network are called “nodes.” These nodes carry out the duties necessary to confirm the transactions and add them to the ledger. In exchange for their work, the nodes receive rewards in the form of crypto tokens.By storing data via a peer-to-peer network (P2P), blockchain controls for a wide range of risks that are traditionally inherent with data being held centrally.Of note, P2P blockchain networks lack centralized points of vulnerability. Consequently, hackers cannot exploit these networks via normalized means nor does the network possess a central failure point.In order to hack or alter a blockchain’s ledger, more than half of the nodes must be compromised. Looking ahead, blockchain technology is an area of extensive research across multiple industries, including financial services and payments, among others. Read this Term-based data-sharing platform that will facilitate faster and easier  Know Your Customer (KYC)  Know Your Customer (KYC) Know Your Customer (KYC) is the process via which the broker is verifying the true identity of its clients in order to comply with multiple regulations. KYC is used to assess the suitability of customers when it comes to anti-money laundering regulations, any type of financial fraud and determining whether they are potentially risky for the brokerage.In particular, KYC guidelines in financial services mandate that individuals make a cohesive effort to verify the identity, suitability, and risks involved with maintaining a business relationship. KYC processes are also utilized by companies for the purpose of ensuring their proposed customers, agents, consultants, or distributors are anti-bribery compliant. In an age of identity theft and myriad hacking, KYC has become a major emphasis by regulators.As such, banks, insurers, export creditors and other financial institutions are increasingly demanding that customers provide detailed due diligence information. These regulations had initially been imposed only on the financial institutions, having now extended to the non-financial industry, fintech, virtual assets dealers, and many non-profit organizations.Regulators Taking No Chances with Identities Regulated brokers in the retail industry are very stringent when applying appropriate KYC verifications after financial watchdogs worldwide have become stricter in monitoring their compliance with the procedure in recent years. Not only brokers use KYC, the procedure is also widely used by banks, and any financial companies that provide insurance or credit and require appropriate due diligence. Most major jurisdictions in the financial space mandate KYC requirements as well as all regulated brokers.The vast majority of these countries have adopted KYC standards as mandatory only during the past two decades. This has helped curb illicit behavior and has become a fixture of the industry. Know Your Customer (KYC) is the process via which the broker is verifying the true identity of its clients in order to comply with multiple regulations. KYC is used to assess the suitability of customers when it comes to anti-money laundering regulations, any type of financial fraud and determining whether they are potentially risky for the brokerage.In particular, KYC guidelines in financial services mandate that individuals make a cohesive effort to verify the identity, suitability, and risks involved with maintaining a business relationship. KYC processes are also utilized by companies for the purpose of ensuring their proposed customers, agents, consultants, or distributors are anti-bribery compliant. In an age of identity theft and myriad hacking, KYC has become a major emphasis by regulators.As such, banks, insurers, export creditors and other financial institutions are increasingly demanding that customers provide detailed due diligence information. These regulations had initially been imposed only on the financial institutions, having now extended to the non-financial industry, fintech, virtual assets dealers, and many non-profit organizations.Regulators Taking No Chances with Identities Regulated brokers in the retail industry are very stringent when applying appropriate KYC verifications after financial watchdogs worldwide have become stricter in monitoring their compliance with the procedure in recent years. Not only brokers use KYC, the procedure is also widely used by banks, and any financial companies that provide insurance or credit and require appropriate due diligence. Most major jurisdictions in the financial space mandate KYC requirements as well as all regulated brokers.The vast majority of these countries have adopted KYC standards as mandatory only during the past two decades. This has helped curb illicit behavior and has become a fixture of the industry. Read this Term) processes that will allow licensed businesses and corporates opening digital bank accounts instantly. The announcement of the platform's launch came in a DIFC blog post on March 1st.

According to an official statement regarding the announcement, the platform is available to all corporations and banks based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and is thereby designed to expedite KYC processes for new companies looking to business in the UAE.

يسرنا أن نعلن عن بدء تشغيل أول منصة مشاركة بيانات في المنطقة للتعرف على العميل بتقنية بلوك تشين، ويأتي إطلاق مبادرة "التعرّف على العميل“ في إطار تحالف استراتيجي بين #مركز_دبي_المالي_العالمي وبنك المشرق في يوليو 2019 بالتعاون مع شركة نوربلوك الرائدة في مجال التكنولوجيا المالية. pic.twitter.com/nu2W1hD95w

— DIFC (@DIFC) March 1, 2020

DIFC and Mashreq, which formed a consortium in July of 2019, have already reportedly called on other banks and licensing authorities to become a part of the platform.

The launch "earmark[s] the beginning of a journey towards a broader vision" of blockchain-based systems

Arif Amiri, chief executive officer of DIFC Authority, said in the announcement that "this initiative provides financial institutions and businesses a platform in order to seamlessly undertake operations," and that "as we enter a new period of growth and expansion, our core focus on fintech and blockchain are major steps on our journey towards transforming the future of finance."

Indeed, in April of 2018, the UAE Government launched the Emirates Blockchain Strategy 2021, an effort that is intended to "transform 50 percent of government transactions [onto blockchain platforms] by 2021," per the UAE government website.

In addition to supporting the initiative, Ahmed Abdelaal, chief executive of Mashreq, said that the launch of the platform "earmark[s] the beginning of a journey towards a broader vision of forming a Consortium of Banks, Government Bodies as well as other Licensing Authorities, for seamless sharing of customer KYC data, thus leading to increased transparency, added security and a better customer experience."

Here's how it works

The platform has been designed such that DIFC will be responsible for preparing each KYC record during the application process for corporate licensing. With customer approval, the record will be shared via blockchain with Mashreq--and, eventually, with other relevant financial institutions and licensing authorities.

The blockchain platform itself was built by Norbloc, a fintech firm that was incubated by the DIFC. Multinational professional services network Deloitte supported Mashreq in designing the platform's governance and program management, while multinational law firm Gowling WLG supported the drafting of legal agreements.

The platform has also been designed for scalability. Therefore, when designing the platform, Mashreq and DIFC were guided by principals that would facilitate large-scale adoption by participants of all sizes. These include various consortium governance models, ownership structures, technical considerations, participation criteria, and dispute management procedures.

While the KYC platform is the newest blockchain-based initiative to be released as part of the UAE's Emirates Blockchain Strategy 2021, it isn't the first: several other projects, including a document exchange platform known as the "Bank Trust Network" and a digitized trade project known as the "Digital Silk Road," are already underway.