SBIR Phase I: Leaf Global Fintech: Blockchain-Backed Financial Services for Refugees and Migrants

小型企业创新研究(SBIR)项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是实现安全、数字化的金融服务。金融服务数字化降低了与携带现金相关的盗窃风险，并极大地降低了兑换和转账费用。该市场目前估计为420亿美元。该研究将评估区块链对无法可靠获得加密货币或智能手机的客户的影响。与传统的转账系统相比，其结果可能包括成本降低60%，交易完成30秒，欺诈率为0%。这个SBIR第一阶段项目建议研究和开发基于区块链的资金管理解决方案，在没有智能手机或互联网的情况下存储、发送和交换资金。Leaf的核心技术包括一个区块链后端，该后端为非结构化补充服务数据(USSD)前端提供动力，允许移动设备在没有互联网连接的情况下安全地发送和接收数据。公共区块链上的托管钱包将提供一个透明和安全的账簿。与法定货币挂钩的定制价值数字表示(令牌)允许资产的便携性，而不会让用户面临投机性的加密货币风险。与新的身份管理系统相结合，该解决方案将为用户创建经济身份，而不会失去对敏感数据的控制。研究将评估区块链作为一种合法合规的资金存储和转移方法，并与菲亚特系统集成。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project is to enable secure, digitized financial services. Digitizing financial services lowers the risk of theft associated with carrying cash and greatly reduces exchange and transfer fees. The market is currently estimated at $42 B. The research will assess blockchain’s impact on customers lacking reliable access to cryptocurrency or smartphones. The results could include 60% cost reduction compared to traditional money transfer systems, 30 second transaction completions, and a 0% fraud rate. This SBIR Phase I project proposes to research and develop a blockchain-based money management solution to store, send, and exchange money without a smartphone or internet. Leaf’s core technology includes a blockchain back-end that powers an Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) front-end, allowing mobile devices to securely send and receive data without an internet connection. Custodial wallets on a public blockchain will provide a transparent and secure ledger. Custom digital representations of value (tokens) pegged to fiat currencies allow portability of assets without exposing users to speculative cryptocurrency risks. In conjunction with a novel identity management system, this solution will create economic identities for users without forfeiting control of sensitive data. Research will evaluate blockchain as a method of legally-compliant money storage and transfer, integrated with the fiat system.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.