The financial markets argue that blockchain technology may replace current methods of trade record keeping. Using blockchain for bond issuance has the potential to streamline processes among numerous debt capital market intermediaries and agents. Therefore, for debt managers the technique could create opportunities since it has the potential to simplify raising capital and trading securities, improve operational efficiencies, enhance regulatory oversight and would significantly speed up these processes and make them more secure.

However, the blockchain technology is new and totally unproven for most market participants. In this regard the bond-i, issued by the World Bank Treasury in August this year, is the world’s first legally binding bond issued operated on a global blockchain platform throughout its life cycle and is an innovative and revolutionary financial transaction. The World Bank Treasury’s blockchain bond issuance helps market participants to gain understanding of the possibilities and challenges using the technology.

In this webinar World Bank experts shared their experiences as well as discuss challenges and opportunities moving forward and Mr. Markus Stix, from Austrian Treasury, shared Austria’s Blockchain experience at government bond auctions.

Agenda

Webinar agenda

9:00 - 9:05 a.m. Welcome and introduction
Coskun Cangoz, Manager, Government Debt and Risk Management, World Bank Treasury

9:05 – 9:25 a.m. Background on the Blockchain Bond, bond-i
Paul Snaith, Manager, Treasury Operations Capital Markets, World Bank Treasury

9:25 – 9:45 a.m. Recent involvement of the Blockchain Bond
Andrea Dore, Head of Capital Markets, Capital Markets Department, World Bank Treasury

9:45 – 10:05 a.m. Austria’s Blockchain experience at government bond auctions
Markus Stix, Managing Director, Austrian Treasury

10:05 – 10:25 a.m. Q&A session

10:25 – 10:30 a.m. Wrap-up and closing
Mats Filipsson, Senior Financial Officer, Government Debt and Risk Management, World Bank Treasury