HomeRuedex PublicationsArticlesProject Promissa - BIS Asset tokenisation project

Project Promissa – BIS Asset tokenisation project

Presently, numerous global financial institutions, including multilateral development banks, rely on conventional paper-based promissory notes for partial funding. Although this system facilitates operational controls for member nations to fulfill subscription and contribution payments to entities like the World Bank, the handling of outstanding promissory notes faces operational challenges that could be mitigated through digitization, ultimately enhancing efficiency.

Project Promissa, a collaborative initiative involving the BIS Innovation Hub Swiss Centre, the Swiss National Bank, and the World Bank, seeks to develop a proof of concept (PoC) for a platform dedicated to digital “tokenized” promissory notes. The International Monetary Fund is involved in the project as an observer.

By leveraging distributed ledger technology, Project Promissa aims to streamline note management and establish a single, authoritative source for all involved parties throughout the lifecycle of the notes. This approach ensures that both the government of a member nation and its central bank, acting as custodians, gain a comprehensive overview of outstanding notes across various international financial institutions. Similarly, international financial institutions, including multilateral development banks, gain unified visibility into outstanding notes held by different central banks. The sheer volume of promissory notes across global financial institutions, exemplified by entities like the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA) within the World Bank, underscores the significance of this initiative.

The ultimate objective is to finalize the PoC and undergo testing by early 2025. While initially focusing on simplifying the management of promissory notes, Project Promissa envisions future extensions that could incorporate payments or encashments associated with such notes. This extension could involve integrating tokenized payment systems based on either private or public currencies.

In the ever-evolving landscape of global finance, the convergence of tradition and technology has given rise to groundbreaking initiatives. Project Promissa, a collaborative venture involving the BIS Innovation Hub Swiss Centre, the Swiss National Bank, and the World Bank, stands at the forefront of this intersection. This article explores the nuances of Project Promissa, an ambitious experiment aimed at digitizing promissory notes through the use of distributed ledger technology, promising to transform the way international financial institutions operate.

1.     The Current Landscape

At present, many international financial institutions, including multilateral development banks, rely on paper-based promissory notes for funding. While this system offers operational controls for member nations to fulfill their financial commitments, the manual handling of paper notes poses operational challenges and inefficiencies.

Project Promissa

2.     Enter Project Promissa

Project Promissa is a pioneering initiative that seeks to address these challenges by creating a proof of concept (PoC) for a platform dedicated to digital “tokenized” promissory notes. The project, supported by the World Bank and observed by the International Monetary Fund, aims to leverage distributed ledger technology to simplify note management and provide a single, authoritative source of truth for all involved parties.

3.     Key Objectives

  • Digitization for Efficiency

Streamlining the handling of promissory notes through digitization to eliminate inefficiencies associated with paper-based processes.

  • Comprehensive Overview

Providing member nations and their central banks, acting as custodians, with a comprehensive overview of outstanding notes with different international financial institutions.

  • Uniform Visibility

Offering international financial institutions, including multilateral development banks, a unified visibility of outstanding notes held by different central banks.

  • Proof of Concept and Testing

Aiming to complete the PoC and testing phase by early 2025, demonstrating the feasibility and effectiveness of the digital tokenized approach.

4.     Future Extensions

While the initial focus of Project Promissa is on simplifying the management of promissory notes, the project envisions future extensions. These extensions could include incorporating payments or encashments associated with such notes, integrating tokenized payment systems based on private or public currencies.

5.     Conclusion

We explained Project Promissa in a broader aspect.It stands as a testament to the transformative power of innovative technologies in reshaping the financial landscape. By digitizing promissory notes, this collaborative initiative strives to enhance operational efficiency, provide transparency, and pave the way for potential future developments in the realm of international financial instruments. As the project progresses toward its ambitious goals, it holds the promise of setting new standards for the digitization and management of financial instruments on a global scale.

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