Trade server, trade system, method, and program

Abstract

This trade server is in a trade system including the trade server and a blockchain node. The trade server receives trade document information related to a trade and transmits the trade document information to the blockchain node. When the trade document information satisfies a preset condition, the blockchain node transmits a crypto asset associated with the trade to a wallet in which the exporter participates.

Description

Trading Server, Trading System, Method, and Program

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a trading server, a trading system, a method, and a program.

[0002] Conventionally, a technique for guaranteeing the simultaneous performance of obligations in a trading transaction is known. For example, the technique disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 7083031 is related to a bilateral contract including both obligations of name change from one of the contracting parties to the other accompanying the transfer of ownership of goods traded by trading and settlement by a predetermined electronic currency for the consideration related to the trading. The settlement is performed by a smart contract in a blockchain.

[0003] Also, a trading transaction management system for managing trading transactions using virtual currency is known. For example, the trading transaction management system disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 6712733 includes means for receiving a request for issuing something equivalent to a letter of credit for setting a payment guarantee by performing reserve processing on the guarantee amount, means for performing an issuance approval process for the issued thing equivalent to a letter of credit, means for receiving registration of reserve information corresponding to the thing equivalent to a letter of credit, and means for performing reserve processing on the guarantee amount based on the reserve information in order to set a payment guarantee of virtual currency held by an importer for a wallet held by an exporter on a predetermined payment date, and means for transferring virtual currency as the guarantee amount to the wallet held by the exporter on the payment date.

[0004] Also, a method for generating a blockchain-based letter of credit ( "BLC" ) related to a contract of a trading transaction between a seller and a buyer is known. For example, the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-525303 transfers a payment for a trading transaction contract to the seller in response to detecting the occurrence of both of the first supply chain flow events among a plurality of supply chain flow events corresponding to a supply chain flow payment trigger event.

[0005] Furthermore, a logistics management system using blockchain is known. For example, the trade settlement logistics management system disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 6878680 includes a computer system held by each party involved, a logistics blockchain creation unit 110 that constructs a logistics blockchain in common in the logistics management application 120, and each block or data has an open password and a closed password set. The logistics management application 120 has an unlocking function that opens the data in the logistics block upon input of the open password, a data editing function that edits the data, and a closing function that successfully completes and closes the edited data upon input of the close password.

[0006] Traditionally, when goods are exported or imported through trade, an exchange of bills of lading and letters of credit takes place between the exporter, importer, and other parties involved.

[0007] The technology disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Publication No. 7083031 enables trade settlement without the need for letter of credit transactions, using blockchain technology. For this reason, the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Publication No. 7083031 does not disclose how the letter of credit is handled.

[0008] Furthermore, the technology disclosed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Publication No. 6712733 is a technology that enables the trading of letters of credit using blockchain technology. However, the aforementioned Japanese Patent Publication No. 6712733 does not disclose details regarding how bills of lading are handled.

[0009] Furthermore, the technology disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-525303 is, like the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Publication No. 6712733, a technology that enables the trading of letters of credit using blockchain technology. However, the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-525303 also does not disclose details regarding how bills of lading will be handled.

[0010] On the other hand, the aforementioned Japanese Patent Publication No. 6878680 contains disclosures relating to letters of credit and bills of lading. In the aforementioned Japanese Patent Publication No. 6878680, each time an exchange relating to a letter of credit or bill of lading takes place, its contents are recorded in each block (Figure 17) within the blockchain. This enables "visualization of logistics" (paragraph

[0126] ).

[0011] Letters of credit and bills of lading have long been used in the practice of trade transactions. Therefore, when systematizing trade transactions, it is preferable to use both whenever possible, but it is also conceivable that there may be cases where a more flexible trade transaction would be advantageous for the user. Furthermore, although the technology disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Publication No. 6878680 visualizes the exchange of letters of credit or bills of lading, it is preferable that the trade transaction itself be executed more simply and quickly.

[0012] This disclosure is made in light of the circumstances described above and aims to simplify trade transactions.

[0013] To achieve the above objective, a first aspect of this disclosure is a trade system including a trade server and a blockchain node, wherein the trade server receives trade document information related to trade, transmits the trade document information to a blockchain node, and the blockchain node transmits trade-related crypto assets to a wallet involving the exporter if the trade document information satisfies pre-set conditions.

[0014] Furthermore, a second aspect of this disclosure is a trade server in a trade system including a trade server and blockchain nodes, wherein the trade server receives trade document information related to trade, transmits the trade document information to blockchain nodes, and the blockchain nodes transmit trade-related crypto assets to a wallet involving the exporter if the trade document information satisfies pre-set conditions.

[0015] Furthermore, a third aspect of this disclosure is a program to be executed on a computer constituting a trade server in a trade system including a trade server and blockchain nodes, wherein the trade server receives trade document information related to trade, transmits the trade document information to a blockchain node, and the blockchain node transmits trade-related crypto assets to a wallet involving the exporter if the trade document information satisfies pre-set conditions.

[0016] Furthermore, a fourth aspect of this disclosure is a method executed by a computer constituting a trade server in a trade system including a trade server and blockchain nodes, wherein the trade server receives trade document information related to trade, transmits the trade document information to a blockchain node, and the blockchain node transmits crypto assets related to trade to a wallet involving the exporter if the trade document information satisfies pre-set conditions.

[0017] This disclosure provides the benefit of making trade transactions easier to conduct.

[0018] This is a diagram showing an example of the schematic configuration of the trade system of this embodiment. This is a schematic block diagram of the computers that function as each device of the trade system. This is a diagram illustrating the process performed by the trade system of the first embodiment. This is a diagram illustrating the process performed by the trade system of the first embodiment. This is a diagram illustrating the process performed by the trade system of the first embodiment. This is a diagram illustrating the process performed by the trade system of the first embodiment. This is a diagram illustrating the process performed by the trade system of the first embodiment. This is a diagram illustrating the process performed by the trade system of the first embodiment. This is a diagram illustrating the process performed by the trade system of the first embodiment. This is a diagram illustrating the process performed by the trade system of the second embodiment. This is a diagram illustrating the process performed by the trade system of the third embodiment.

[0019] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0020] [First Embodiment] <System Configuration of the Trade System> Figure 1 is a block diagram of the trade system 10 of this embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the trade system 10 of this embodiment includes an exporter terminal 12A, an importer terminal 12B, an issuing bank terminal 12C, an eBL issuance system 12D, a shipping company terminal 12E, a trade server 14, and a plurality of blockchain nodes 16A, 16B, 16C. The exporter terminal 12A, the importer terminal 12B, the issuing bank terminal 12C, the eBL issuance system 12D, the shipping company terminal 12E, the trade server 14, and the plurality of blockchain nodes 16A, 16B, 16C are communicated together by a network 20 such as the Internet. Hereinafter, at least one of the plurality of blockchain nodes 16A, 16B, 16C will simply be referred to as blockchain node 16.

[0021] (Exporter Terminal 12A) The exporter terminal 12A is a terminal operated by the exporter of goods exported through trade. The wallet used in the trade system 10 is linked to the exporter terminal 12A. Hereinafter, the wallet used by the exporter will be referred to as the exporter wallet. The exporter wallet is just one example of a wallet that the exporter is involved with, and it can be any wallet in which the exporter is directly or indirectly involved, even if the exporter does not manage it themselves.

[0022] (Importer Terminal 12B) The Importer Terminal 12B is a terminal operated by the importer of goods exported through trade. A wallet used in the trade system 10 is linked to the Importer Terminal 12B. Hereinafter, the wallet used by the importer will be referred to as the Importer Wallet. The Importer Wallet is just one example of a wallet that the importer is involved with, and it can be any wallet in which the importer is directly or indirectly involved, even if the importer does not manage it themselves.

[0023] (Issuing Bank Terminal 12C) The issuing bank terminal 12C is a terminal operated by a bank employee who issues letters of credit used in trade. The wallet used in the trade system 10 is linked to the issuing bank terminal 12C. Hereinafter, the wallet used by the issuing bank will be referred to as the issuing bank wallet.

[0024] (eBL Issuance System 12D) The eBL Issuance System 12D is a system for issuing electronic bills of lading (eB / L), which are electronic bills of lading used in trade. The eBL Issuance System 12D is implemented, for example, by a blockchain system. For example, the eBL Issuance System 12D is operated by an existing platform provider, etc., and converts paper bills of lading provided by shipping companies (described later) into electronic bills of lading, and records said electronic bills of lading on the blockchain.

[0025] (Shipping company terminal 12E) The shipping company terminal 12E is a terminal operated by a representative of the shipping company that transports the goods. The wallet used in the trade system 10 is linked to the shipping company terminal 12E. Hereinafter, the wallet used by the shipping company will be referred to as the shipping company wallet.

[0026] (Trade Server 14) The trade server 14 sets up the smart contract for the target trade on the blockchain managed by multiple blockchain nodes 16A, 16B, and 16C. Hereinafter, the wallet used by the trade server 14 will be referred to as the trade server wallet.

[0027] Smart contracts can be implemented on known Ethereum blockchain nodes or other blockchains compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). For trade smart contracts, it is possible to set conditions related to trade transactions. For example, it is possible to set conditions for a trade smart contract such as providing various electronic documents registered in the trade smart contract to the importer when a payment of a specified cryptocurrency is received from the importer. This allows for the execution of automated trade transactions by pre-setting conditions for the trade smart contract.

[0028] (Blockchain Node 16) Blockchain node 16 is an Ethereum blockchain node or another blockchain node compatible with the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), and holds a blockchain on which smart contracts can be deployed. Specifically, the memory unit (not shown) of blockchain node 16 stores a blockchain on which smart contracts can be deployed.

[0029] The smart contracts for trade are executed by the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), which is virtually implemented on blockchain node 16.

[0030] Furthermore, smart contracts for trade are configured to prevent cryptocurrency from being transferred to the wallets of the parties involved (for example, the exporter's wallet) until certain conditions are met, thus acting as a kind of safe.

[0031] As mentioned above, letters of credit and bills of lading have long been used in the practice of trade transactions. Therefore, when systematizing trade transactions, it is preferable to use both whenever possible. However, in some cases, it may be more advantageous for users if trade transactions are made more flexible, such as when trade settlement is executed once the payment terms agreed upon in advance between the importer and exporter are met.

[0032] Therefore, in this embodiment, when the trade document information related to the trade satisfies pre-set conditions, crypto assets related to the traded goods are sent to the exporter's wallet. These trade-related crypto assets represent the cost of the goods and freight charges payable to the exporter. In addition, in this embodiment, when the above trade document information satisfies pre-set conditions, an electronic bill of lading is sent to the importer's wallet. The pre-set conditions are, for example, conditions agreed upon in advance between the importer and the exporter, and are payment terms for the price of the goods. For example, if the combination of documents requested by the importer, documents provided by the exporter, and documents provided by relevant parties satisfies the conditions agreed upon in advance between the two parties, or if the contents of the bill of lading (including electronic bills of lading) and the contents of a letter of credit (including NFT-enabled or similar electronic letters of credit) from a financial institution are confirmed to match, the exchange of crypto assets and bills of lading is automatically performed, resulting in the transmission of crypto assets equivalent to the price of the goods to the exporter and the transmission of a bill of lading for the goods to the importer. In this embodiment, we will describe an example where the exchange of an electronic bill of lading and crypto assets is performed when a letter of credit, an electronic bill of lading, various certificates, payment of crypto assets, and other conditions (e.g., approval by the final settler) are met. In this embodiment, although the above embodiments are described, the submission of a letter of credit and an electronic bill of lading are not mandatory. For example, if the combination of document information provided by the importer (e.g., receipt of goods) and document information provided by the exporter (e.g., invoice for the cost of goods) satisfies a predetermined condition (e.g., the receipt of goods and the invoice for the cost of goods have already been submitted), crypto assets related to the payment for the shipment of goods may be sent to the exporter's wallet. Alternatively, trade document information may be provided by only one of the importer, exporter, and relevant parties.

[0033] Specifically, the trade server 14 of this embodiment deploys a trade smart contract on the blockchain such that, when pre-set conditions are met, crypto assets are sent to the exporter's wallet and electronic bills of lading and certificate information are sent to the importer's wallet. In this embodiment, we will explain using the example where the pre-set conditions are the submission of a letter of credit, submission of an electronic bill of lading, submission of various certificates, payment (deposit) of crypto assets, and the fulfillment of other conditions. Specifically, the multiple documents required to satisfy the pre-set conditions are, as described above, documents agreed upon in advance between the importer and the exporter. When setting up the trade smart contract described later, the multiple documents required to satisfy the pre-set conditions are also identified, and this information is stored in a predetermined storage unit (not shown) of the trade server 14. This list of multiple documents is used in the processing described later.

[0034] Other conditions for the execution of a trade smart contract include, for example, that the smart contract is executed only when permission is obtained from the final settler (e.g., the importer, exporter, or issuing bank).

[0035] In this case, the trade server 14 presents information (for example, a screen requesting permission) to the wallet or terminal of the party who is the final settler, requesting permission to execute the smart contract for trade. In this case, the final settler verifies the contents of the letter of credit, electronic bill of lading, and various certificates registered in the smart contract for trade.

[0036] Furthermore, various certificates may include certificates relating to goods exported through trade. For example, various certificates may include at least one of the following: certificates of origin, certificates of quality, certificates of type, certificates of radioactivity, certificates of quarantine, certificates of genetic modification, certificates of fumigation, and certificates of quantity.

[0037] The final settler verifies the contents of the letter of credit, electronic bill of lading, and various certificates registered in the trade smart contract. If the final settler determines that the contents of the letter of credit, electronic bill of lading, and various certificates are acceptable, they authorize the execution of the trade smart contract. On the other hand, if the final settler determines that there are problems with the contents of the letter of credit, electronic bill of lading, and various certificates, they do not authorize the execution of the trade smart contract. The trade server 14 may also determine whether pre-set conditions are met by automatically matching the letter of credit, electronic bill of lading, and various certificates without relying on settlement by the final settler. Alternatively, for example, the final settler may verify documents that require human visual confirmation, while the trade system 10 performs the matching process for documents that can be automatically matched, thereby confirming whether all necessary documents are present. For example, in a pair of letter of credit and electronic bill of lading issued in a single trade transaction, there may be sections containing identical numerical or textual information. Therefore, it is possible to determine whether the corresponding letter of credit and electronic bill of lading are present by matching numerical or text information in designated locations within each of the letter of credit and electronic bill of lading issued in a single trade transaction. For example, the numerical or text information in designated locations within each of the letter of credit and electronic bill of lading may be hashed, and the letter of credit and electronic bill of lading may be matched based on whether the hash values ​​are the same.

[0038] If permission is granted to execute the trade smart contract, the trade smart contract will be executed, crypto assets will be sent to the exporter's wallet, and electronic bill of lading and certificate information will be sent to the importer's wallet.

[0039] In this way, by deploying smart contracts for trade onto the blockchain, trade transactions using bills of lading and letters of credit can be executed more easily.

[0040] Each of the exporter terminal 12A, importer terminal 12B, issuing bank terminal 12C, eBL issuing system 12D, shipping company terminal 12E, trade server 14, and blockchain node 16 of the trading system 10 can be realized by, for example, the computer 70 shown in FIG. 2. The computer 70 includes a CPU 71, a memory 72 as a temporary storage area, and a nonvolatile storage unit 73. The computer 70 also includes an input / output interface (I / F) 74 to which an input / output device etc. (not shown) is connected, and a read / write (R / W) unit 75 that controls reading and writing of data to and from a recording medium. The computer 70 also includes a network I / F 76 connected to a network such as the Internet. The CPU 71, memory 72, storage unit 73, input / output I / F 74, R / W unit 75, and network I / F 76 are connected to each other via a bus 77.

[0041] The storage unit 73 can be realized by a Hard Disk Drive (HDD), solid state drive (SSD), flash memory, etc. A program for operating the computer 70 is stored in the storage unit 73 as a storage medium. The CPU 71 reads the program from the storage unit 73, expands it in the memory 72, and sequentially executes the processes included in the program.

[0042] <Operation of the trading system 10> Next, the operation of the trading system 10 of the present embodiment will be described.

[0043] (Case 1: When a letter of credit is not issued) The trading system 10 executes the sequence shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. The sequences shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B represent the flow when a trading transaction is made without issuing a letter of credit. The sequences shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B can be executed via the wallets managed by each party.

[0044] In step S100, the importer operates his / her importer terminal 12B to send an order notice for the goods to be transported by the trade to the trade server 14.

[0045] In step S102, the trading server 14 receives the order notice transmitted in step S100.

[0046] In step S104, the trading server 14 transmits the order notice received in step S102 to the exporter terminal 12A. Specifically, the trading server 14 transmits the order notice to the exporter wallet.

[0047] In step S106, the exporter terminal 12A receives the order notice transmitted in step S104 and transmits information indicating approval of the order to the trading server 14.

[0048] In step S108, the trading server 14 sets a smart contract for trading. Note that the smart contract for trading at this point is an empty smart contract, and conditions etc. will be set in each process described later. Also, in step S108, the trading server 14 transmits a notice indicating that the order of the item has been approved and a notice indicating that the smart contract for trading of the item has been set to the importer terminal 12B.

[0049] In step S110, the issuing bank terminal 12C requests the exporter terminal 12B to deposit (margin). The deposit is paid with a stable coin, which is an example of a cryptocurrency.

[0050] In step S112, the exporter terminal 12B executes the payment of the deposit to the issuing bank terminal 12C. In this case, for example, the deposit is transferred to the issuing bank wallet.

[0051] In step S114, the issuing bank terminal 12C receives the deposit transferred in step S120.

[0052] In step S116, the issuing bank terminal 12C transmits the received deposit to the trading server 14. In this case, for example, the deposit is transferred to the trading server wallet.

[0053] In step S118, the trading server 14 receives the deposit transferred in step S116.

[0054] In step S120, the trade server 14 registers the deposit received in step S118 into a smart contract for trade.

[0055] In step S122, the trade server 14 sends a notification to the exporter terminal 12A that the deposit has been registered.

[0056] In step S124, the exporter terminal 12A receives the notification sent in step S122.

[0057] In step S126, the exporter terminal 12A transmits the payment for the transportation of the goods to the shipping company terminal 12E. In this case, for example, the payment is sent to the shipping company's wallet. For example, the payment is made in stablecoins, which are an example of cryptocurrencies. Examples of stablecoins include USDT and USDC.

[0058] In step S128, the shipping company terminal 12E receives the payment made in step S126.

[0059] In step S130, a request to issue an electronic bill of lading (hereinafter also simply referred to as eBL) linked to the payment received in step S128 is sent to the eBL issuance system 12D.

[0060] In step S132, the eBL issuance system 12D receives the issuance request transmitted in step S130, issues an eBL, and transmits the eBL to the shipping company terminal 12E.

[0061] In step S134, the shipping company terminal 12E receives the eBL transmitted in step S132.

[0062] In step S136, the shipping company terminal 12E transmits the eBL transfer request received in step S134 to the eBL issuance system 12D.

[0063] In step S138, the eBL issuance system 12D receives the eBL transfer request transmitted in step S136 and executes a process on the blockchain constituting the eBL issuance system 12D that indicates that the eBL will be transferred from the shipping company terminal 12E to the exporter terminal 12A.

[0064] In step S140, the exporter terminal 12A receives the eBL whose transfer process was performed in step S138.

[0065] In step S142, the exporter terminal 12A transmits the eBL received in step S140 and various certificate information related to the exported goods to the trade server 14. The eBL and various certificate information related to the exported goods are examples of trade document information.

[0066] In step S144, the trade server 14 sends a request to the blockchain node 16 to issue eBL tokens corresponding to the eBL and various certificate information. In step S144, the blockchain node 16 issues eBL tokens based on the request. For example, the eBL token is an NFT (Non-Fungible Token). The eBL token contains a hash value obtained by hashing the contents of the eBL. Note that another system other than the blockchain node 16 may perform the tokenization.

[0067] In step S146, the trade server 14 registers the eBL tokens issued in step S144 with the smart contract for trade.

[0068] In step S148, the importer transfers the remaining balance of the total cost of the goods to the trade server 14 or blockchain node 16 by operating their importer terminal 12B. Alternatively, the importer may also transfer the relevant documents to the trade server 14 or blockchain node 16 by operating their importer terminal 12B. These relevant documents are an example of trade document information.

[0069] In step S150, the trade smart contract deployed on the blockchain is executed. Specifically, in step S150, the EVM implemented on the blockchain node 16 sends crypto assets equivalent to the price to the exporter's wallet and the eBL and various certificate information to the importer's wallet when the price of the goods and the freight charges for the goods are registered in the trade smart contract.

[0070] In step S152, the exporter terminal 12A receives stablecoins equivalent to the price of the goods and the freight charges for the goods.

[0071] In step S154, the importer terminal 12B receives the eBL and various certificate information.

[0072] (Case 2: When a letter of credit is issued) <When the issuing bank is involved in the trade transaction> The sequences shown in Figures 4A, 4B, and 4C represent the flow when a trade transaction takes place after a letter of credit has been issued. The sequences shown in Figures 4A, 4B, and 4C represent the processing flow when the issuing bank is involved in the trade transaction. The issuing bank is the entity that issues the letter of credit and also appears in conventional trade transactions. The sequences shown in Figures 4A, 4B, and 4C can be executed via wallets managed by each party involved. In the trade system 10 below, a banking system 13 is added. The banking system 13 is implemented by the computer in Figure 2 and issues the letter of credit.

[0073] In step S200, the importer sends an order notification for goods to be transported by trade to the trade server 14 by operating their importer terminal 12B.

[0074] In step S202, the trade server 14 receives the order notification sent in step S200.

[0075] In step S204, the trade server 14 sends the order notification received in step S202 to the exporter terminal 12A. Specifically, the trade server 14 sends the order notification to the exporter wallet.

[0076] In step S206, the exporter terminal 12A receives the order notification sent in step S204 and sends information acknowledging the order to the trade server 14.

[0077] In step S208, the trade server 14 receives the acknowledgment sent from step S206.

[0078] In step S210, the trade server 14 transmits the acknowledgment received in step S208 to the importer terminal 12B.

[0079] In step S212, the importer sends a request for the issuance of a letter of credit (hereinafter also simply referred to as "LC") to the bank system 13 by operating their importer terminal 12B.

[0080] In step S214, the banking system 13 receives the LC issuance request transmitted from the importer terminal 12B in step S212.

[0081] In step S216, the bank system 13 notifies the issuing bank terminal 12C that a request for issuance of an LC has been received.

[0082] In step S218, the person operating the issuing bank terminal 12C confirms the issuance details of the LC.

[0083] In step S220, the person in charge approves the issuance of the LC by operating the issuing bank terminal 12C.

[0084] In step S222, the person in charge transmits information representing a deposit request to the importer terminal 12B by operating the issuing bank terminal 12C.

[0085] In step S224, the importer operating the importer terminal 12B pays the deposit by operating the importer terminal 12B.

[0086] In step S226, the issuing bank terminal 12C receives the deposit.

[0087] In step S228, the person operating the issuing bank terminal 12C transmits information representing the LC issuance request to the bank system 13 by operating the issuing bank terminal 12C.

[0088] In step S230, the banking system 13 issues an LC and transmits it to the issuing banking terminal 12C. The LC is tokenized. For example, the banking system 13 requests the trade server 14, the blockchain node 16, or other system to tokenize the LC and issues an LC token. For example, the LC token is an NFT (Non-Fungible Token). The LC token contains a hash value obtained by hashing the contents of the LC.

[0089] In step S232, the person operating the issuing bank terminal 12C transmits information representing a request to issue a smart contract for trade to the trade server 14 by operating the issuing bank terminal 12C.

[0090] In step S234, the trade server 14 sets up a smart contract for trade.

[0091] In step S236, the person operating the issuing bank terminal 12C transmits the LC token received in step S230 to the trade server 14 by operating the issuing bank terminal 12C.

[0092] In step S238, the trade server 14 receives the LC token.

[0093] In step S240, the trade server 14 registers the LC tokens received in step S238 with the trade smart contract set up in step S234.

[0094] In step S242, the trade server 14 sends a notification to the exporter terminal 12A indicating that the LC token has been registered in the smart contract for trade.

[0095] In step S244, the exporter terminal 12A receives the notification sent in step S242. The exporter confirms the contents of the LC and the list of required documents by operating the exporter terminal 12A.

[0096] In step S246, the exporter transmits information to the shipping company terminal 12E by operating the exporter terminal 12A, which represents a request for arranging a ship for the transport of goods.

[0097] In step S248, the shipping company terminal 12E receives information representing a request for ship arrangements. The shipping company managing the shipping company terminal 12E then arranges a ship and transports the goods.

[0098] In step S250, the exporter transmits the shipping fee to the shipping company terminal 12E by operating the exporter terminal 12A.

[0099] In step S252, the shipping company managing the shipping company terminal 12E receives the shipping fee.

[0100] In step S254, the shipping company representative managing the shipping company terminal 12E transmits information representing a request for the issuance of an electronic bill of lading (hereinafter also simply referred to as "eBL") to the eBL issuance system 12D by operating the shipping company terminal 12E.

[0101] In step S256, the eBL issuance system 12D issues an eBL and transmits it to the shipping company terminal 12E.

[0102] In step S258, the shipping company terminal 12E receives the eBL.

[0103] In step S260, the shipping company representative managing the shipping company terminal 12E sends information representing the eBL transfer request to the eBL issuance system 12D.

[0104] In step S262, the eBL issuance system 12D transmits information to the exporter terminal 12A indicating that it will perform the transfer of the eBL.

[0105] In step S264, the exporter terminal 12A receives the eBL.

[0106] In step S266, the exporter operating the exporter terminal 12A transmits the eBL and document information to the trade server 14 by operating the exporter terminal 12A. The eBL and document information are examples of trade document information as described in this disclosure.

[0107] In step S268, the trade server 14 issues an eBL token. The trade server 14 also converts the document information into an NFT. For example, the eBL token is an NFT (Non-Fungible Token). The eBL token contains a hash value obtained by hashing the contents of the eBL.

[0108] In step S270, the trade server 14 registers the eBL token and document information (NFT) with the smart contract for trade.

[0109] In step S272, the trade server 14 sends a notification to the issuing bank terminal 12C indicating that the eBL token and document information (NFT) have been registered in the smart contract for trade.

[0110] In step S274, the person operating the issuing bank terminal 12C checks the submitted document information, for example, by visual inspection. If all the necessary documents to meet the pre-set conditions are present, the person inputs a confirmation that it is OK into the issuing bank terminal 12C.

[0111] In step S276, the issuing bank terminal 12C sends the confirmation result that the person in charge has confirmed it is OK to the trade server 14.

[0112] In step S278, the trade server 14 performs an automatic matching process. For example, as described above, documents that require visual inspection are checked by a human. On the other hand, it is also possible to determine whether the necessary documents are complete or not by an automatic matching process instead of visual inspection. For example, as described above, the trade server 14 performs an automatic matching process between the letter of credit and the eBL. For example, an automatic matching process (matching hash values) is performed between hash values.

[0113] In step S280, if the confirmation result received in step S276 is OK and the result of the automatic matching process in step S278 is deemed to be without problems, the smart contract for trade is executed.

[0114] In step S282, the trade smart contract is executed, and the eBL is sent to the banking system 13.

[0115] In step S284, the banking system 13 receives the eBL.

[0116] In step S286, the person operating the issuing bank terminal 12C confirms that the eBL has been received by the bank system 13 and sends information indicating a payment request to the bank system 13.

[0117] In step S288, the banking system 13 executes a payment to the exporter terminal 12A. The payment is made in stablecoins, which are an example of cryptocurrency, as described above.

[0118] In step S290, the exporter terminal 12A receives the payment.

[0119] In step S292, the importer terminal 12B makes a payment of the remaining balance to the banking system 13.

[0120] In step S294, when the remaining balance is paid, the banking system 13 sends the eBL to the importer terminal 12B.

[0121] In step S296, the importer terminal 12B receives the eBL.

[0122] In the sequences shown in Figures 4A, 4B, and 4C, although the smart contract for trade is a smart contract for document verification, crypto assets may be registered to this smart contract for trade and automatic payments may be made.

[0123] <When an issuing bank and a receiving bank are involved in a trade transaction> Next, we will explain an example of a trade transaction in which an issuing bank and a receiving bank are involved. The sequences shown in Figures 4D, 4E, and 4F represent the processing flow when an issuing bank and a receiving bank are involved in a trade transaction. The receiving bank is also called the advising bank or negotiating bank. The receiving bank plays the role of providing the exporter with a letter of credit issued by the issuing bank when the exporter submits various documents. The receiving bank also appears in conventional trade transactions. The sequences shown in Figures 4D, 4E, and 4F can be executed via wallets managed by each party involved. In addition, the following trade system 10 includes a receiving bank terminal 12F. The receiving bank terminal 12F is implemented by the computer shown in Figure 2.

[0124] The processing of the sequences shown in Figures 4D, 4E, and 4F is mostly the same as the processing of the sequences shown in Figures 4A, 4B, and 4C. Below, we will explain the differences between the processing of the sequences shown in Figures 4D, 4E, and 4F and those shown in Figures 4A, 4B, and 4C. The sequences shown in Figures 4D, 4E, and 4F differ from those shown in Figures 4A, 4B, and 4C in that a first smart contract, which is a trade smart contract for the issuing bank, and a second smart contract, which is a trade smart contract for the receiving bank, are executed.

[0125] In step S232, the issuing bank terminal 12C requests the trade server 14 to issue a smart contract for trade.

[0126] In step S334, the trade server 14 sets up a first smart contract as a smart contract for trade. The first smart contract is a smart contract that pays the payment to the receiving bank when the pre-set conditions are met.

[0127] In step S335, the trade server 14 sets up a second smart contract as a smart contract for trade. The second smart contract is a smart contract that sends an eBL to the issuing bank when pre-set conditions are met.

[0128] In step S340, the trade server 14 registers the LC tokens received in step S238 with the first smart contract set up in step S334 and the second smart contract set up in step S335.

[0129] In step S342, the trade server 14 sends a notification to the receiving bank terminal 12F indicating that LC tokens have been registered in the first smart contract and the second smart contract.

[0130] In step S343, the receiving bank terminal 12F receives the notification sent in step S342. The person in charge operates the receiving bank terminal 12F to transfer the contents of the LC and a list of required documents to the exporter terminal 12A.

[0131] When the process in step S278 is executed, the first smart contract and the second smart contract are executed.

[0132] Specifically, in step S380, the first smart contract is executed.

[0133] Then, in step S381, the first smart contract is executed, and payment is made to the receiving bank in cryptocurrency. Specifically, the first smart contract is executed, and the payment (cryptocurrency) is sent to the receiving bank terminal 12F (wallet).

[0134] In step S382, the receiving bank terminal 12F receives the payment sent in step S381. The receiving bank terminal 12F then sends the received payment to the importer terminal 12A (wallet).

[0135] In step S390, the importer terminal 12A receives the payment transmitted in step S382.

[0136] Next, in step S383, the second smart contract is executed.

[0137] In step S384, the eBL is sent to the issuing bank by the execution of the second smart contract. Specifically, the eBL is sent to the banking system 13 or the issuing bank terminal 12C (wallet) by the execution of the second smart contract.

[0138] Furthermore, if a discrepancy occurs with respect to the letter of credit, an error value may be displayed, but if the buyer (importer) approves, the settlement process may be permitted. A discrepancy refers to a situation where the contents of the letter of credit do not match the contents of the shipping documents, including the bill of lading.

[0139] As described above, the trade server according to the first embodiment acquires letter of credit information related to trade, transmits the letter of credit information to the exporter wallet managed by the exporter of the goods exported through trade, and registers a first token corresponding to the letter of credit information in a smart contract for trade. The trade server acquires electronic bill of lading information and certificate information related to trade transmitted from the exporter wallet, and registers a second token corresponding to the electronic bill of lading and certificate information in the smart contract for trade. The trade server then configures the smart contract for trade so that when crypto assets equivalent to the price of the goods are registered in the smart contract for trade, the crypto assets are transmitted to the exporter wallet, and the electronic bill of lading and certificate information are transmitted to the importer wallet managed by the importer of the goods. This makes it easier to execute trade transactions using bills of lading and letters of credit. Furthermore, the trade system according to this embodiment is a system that includes a trade server and blockchain nodes. The trade server receives trade document information related to trade and transmits the trade document information to the blockchain nodes. The blockchain node sends trade-related crypto assets to the exporter's wallet when the trade document information meets pre-defined conditions. These pre-defined conditions are those agreed upon in advance between the importer and exporter, and relate to the payment terms for the trade. This allows the parties to set the payment terms for the trade, making trade transactions easier to execute. Furthermore, the processing performed by the blockchain node is implemented using a trade-specific smart contract. Therefore, when the above-mentioned pre-defined conditions are met, the Ethereum virtual machine implemented on the blockchain node executes the trade-specific smart contract, sending the crypto assets to the exporter's wallet.Furthermore, since trade document information includes electronic bills of lading related to trade, blockchain nodes exchange electronic bills of lading and crypto assets by sending crypto assets to the wallets of exporters and importers, respectively, when the trade document information, which includes at least an electronic bill of lading, meets pre-set conditions. This makes it easier to execute trade transactions using bills of lading and letters of credit.

[0140] [Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment will be described. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a management wallet is set up to manage multiple wallets.

[0141] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the management wallet. As shown in Figure 5, generally, an importer wallet and an exporter wallet are generated for each trade transaction. For example, as shown in Figure 5, importer wallet 1 and exporter wallet 1 are associated with the trade smart contract for trade transaction 1, importer wallet 2 and exporter wallet 2 are associated with the trade smart contract for trade transaction 2, and importer wallet 3 and exporter wallet 3 are associated with the trade smart contract for trade transaction 3.

[0142] However, as mentioned above, if a different wallet is set up for each trade transaction, managing the wallets becomes complicated for exporters and importers who use them. Therefore, the trade server 14 of this embodiment sets up a management importer wallet and a management exporter wallet on the blockchain for managing multiple trade transactions. As a result, importers can manage importer wallets related to multiple trade transactions by using the management importer wallet, and exporters can manage importer wallets related to multiple trade transactions by using the management exporter wallet.

[0143] Specifically, as shown in Figure 5, importer wallets and exporter wallets are generated for each trade transaction. Therefore, these multiple importer wallets are associated with a management importer wallet. Similarly, multiple exporter wallets are associated with a management exporter wallet. As a result, for example, if the address of an importer wallet registered in the management importer wallet changes, the address of that importer wallet will also be changed.

[0144] As explained above, the trade server according to the second embodiment sets up a management importer wallet and a management exporter wallet on the blockchain for managing multiple trade transactions. This allows importers to manage importer wallets related to multiple trade transactions by using the management importer wallet, and exporters to manage importer wallets related to multiple trade transactions by using the management exporter wallet. For example, if 100 transaction wallets are created and in operation, and the private key set for them is lost, requiring a change in the wallet settings, the settings of all 100 wallets must be changed with the approval of both the importer (buyer) and the seller. In contrast, if the wallets are multi-layered as in the second embodiment, changing the address of the management wallet set within that wallet group completes the settings for all 100 wallets connected to that wallet group.

[0145] [Third Embodiment] Next, a third embodiment will be described. The third embodiment differs from the first and second embodiments in that it performs a cross-chain bridge between different blockchains.

[0146] Figure 6 is a diagram illustrating a third embodiment. As shown in Figure 6, consider a case where, for example, there is a first blockchain BC1 that issues electronic bills of lading (eBLs) and a second blockchain BC2 that issues stablecoins SC, which are an example of crypto assets. In this case, since electronic bills of lading and crypto assets are traded on different blockchains, simultaneous exchange of electronic bills of lading and crypto assets is difficult.

[0147] Therefore, in the third embodiment, an example of a known cross-chain bridge technology, Layer 0 (for example, <https: / / www.lcx.com / introduction-to-layer-0-blockchain / >), is used to exchange an electronic bill of lading (eBL) issued on the first blockchain BC1 with a stablecoin (SC), an example of a crypto asset issued on the second blockchain BC2.

[0148] Specifically, as shown in Figure 6, the trade server 14 sets up trade smart contracts for each of the first blockchain BC1 and the second blockchain BC2. As shown in Figure 6, trade smart contract C1 is set up for the first blockchain BC1, and trade smart contract C2 is set up for the second blockchain BC2. Trade smart contracts C1 and C2 are linked to each other.

[0149] Blockchain nodes enable interconnection between the first and second blockchains by executing cross-chain bridges.

[0150] Specifically, first, as shown in Figure 6, an electronic bill of lading (eBL) is registered with the trade smart contract C1. Next, as shown in Figure 6, a stablecoin SC, an example of a cryptocurrency, and signatures are registered with the trade smart contract C2. These signatures are from at least two people: the importer, the exporter, and the intermediary.

[0151] Then, as shown in Figure 6, when it is determined that the trade document information registered to trade smart contract C1 and trade smart contract C2 meets the pre-set conditions, a stablecoin SC, which is an example of a crypto asset registered in trade smart contract C2, is released and sent to the exporter's wallet.

[0152] When a stablecoin SC, an example of a cryptocurrency, is released, the signature registered in the trade smart contract C2 is sent to the trade smart contract C1 according to the Layer 0 system protocol, as shown in Figure 6.

[0153] Then, as shown in Figure 6, once the trade smart contract C1 receives a signature, the electronic bill of lading (eBL) is released and sent to the importer's wallet.

[0154] In this case, the blockchain node 16 executes a cross-chain bridge, and if the trade document information meets the pre-set conditions, it sends a stablecoin SC, which is an example of a cryptocurrency, to the exporter's wallet, and also sends document information, including at least an electronic bill of lading (eBL), to the importer's wallet, thereby exchanging the cryptocurrency for the electronic bill of lading.

[0155] As described above, the trade server according to the third embodiment sets up smart contracts for trade for each of the first blockchain BC1 and the second blockchain BC2. Furthermore, the blockchain node enables interconnection between the first blockchain and the second blockchain by executing a cross-chain bridge. Specifically, when the trade document information satisfies pre-set conditions, the blockchain node sends a stablecoin SC, which is an example of a cryptocurrency, to the exporter's wallet and documents including at least an electronic bill of lading (eBL) to the importer's wallet, thereby exchanging the cryptocurrency for the electronic bill of lading. This makes it possible to exchange cryptocurrency for electronic bills of lading even if the blockchain on which the electronic bill of lading is issued and the blockchain on which the cryptocurrency is issued are different.

[0156] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and applications are possible without departing from the gist of this disclosure.

[0157] For example, in the first embodiment described above, the pre-set conditions for trade settlement were explained as being the submission of a letter of credit, submission of an electronic bill of lading, submission of various certificates, payment (deposit) of crypto assets, and fulfillment of other conditions, but the invention is not limited to this. For example, the pre-set conditions for trade settlement may be any of the following three patterns: (1) A letter of credit or other certificate has been provided; (2) The provision of an electronic bill of lading is not required, and the certificates required in the contract concluded in advance between the importer and exporter have been provided; (3) An electronic bill of lading and other certificates have been provided.

[0158] Furthermore, although the third embodiment described above uses the example of a case where the first blockchain and the second blockchain are different, these blockchains can be of any type. For example, the first blockchain may be an EVM-compatible blockchain that issues electronic bills of lading, and the second blockchain may be Ethereum or Japan Open Chain, etc. Users of this system may select the blockchains they wish to use and designate them as the first and second blockchains.

[0159] Furthermore, although the first embodiment described two cases, (Case 1: when a letter of credit is not issued) and (Case 2: when a letter of credit is issued), it is not limited to these. Also, although the above two cases were explained using the sequence diagrams in Figures 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, and 4F, it is not limited to the processing shown in these sequence diagrams. In addition, the eBL issuance system 12D in the above embodiment may be constructed by the entity that manages the trade server 14. In this case, the trade server 14 and the eBL issuance system 12D can become an integrated system. Other systems can also be integrated or separated. Furthermore, any processing performed by any entity in the sequence may be performed by other entities. Also, some of the processing in the sequence may be deleted or other processing may be added.

[0160] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, each process that the CPU reads and executes software (programs) may be executed by various processors other than the CPU. Examples of such processors include PLDs (Programmable Logic Devices) whose circuit configuration can be changed after manufacturing, such as FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays), and dedicated electrical circuits that have a circuit configuration specifically designed to execute a particular process, such as ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits). Each process may be executed by one of these various processors, or by a combination of two or more processors of the same or different types (for example, multiple FPGAs, and a combination of a CPU and an FPGA). More specifically, the hardware structure of these various processors is an electrical circuit that combines circuit elements such as semiconductor elements.

[0161] Furthermore, although the above embodiment describes a configuration in which each program is pre-stored (installed) in a storage device, the invention is not limited to this. The program may be provided in a form stored on a storage medium such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, Blu-ray disc, or USB memory. Alternatively, the program may be provided in a form that is downloaded from an external device via a network.

[0162] (Note) The following is a note regarding the nature of this disclosure.

[0163] (Note 1) A trade system comprising a trade server and a blockchain node, wherein the trade server receives trade document information related to trade, transmits the trade document information to a blockchain node, and the blockchain node transmits crypto assets related to trade to a wallet involving the exporter when the trade document information satisfies pre-set conditions. (Note 2) The trade system according to claim 1, wherein the pre-set conditions are conditions agreed upon in advance between the importer and the exporter and are payment conditions relating to the price of the trade. (Note 3) The trade system according to Note 1, wherein the processing performed by the blockchain node is realized by a smart contract for trade, and an Ethereum virtual machine realized in the blockchain node transmits the crypto assets to a wallet involving the exporter by executing the smart contract for trade. (Note 4) The trade system as described in Note 3, wherein the trade document information includes an electronic bill of lading relating to the trade, and the blockchain node exchanges the electronic bill of lading for the crypto assets by sending the crypto assets to the wallet of the exporter and the electronic bill of lading for the wallet of the importer when the trade document information, which includes at least the electronic bill of lading, satisfies pre-set conditions. (Note 5) The trade system as described in Note 4, wherein the blockchain node is capable of using a cross-chain bridge, and the blockchain node exchanges the crypto assets for the electronic bill of lading for the crypto assets by executing the cross-chain bridge, which includes sending the crypto assets for the wallet of the exporter and the document information, which includes at least the electronic bill of lading for the wallet of the importer when the trade document information satisfies pre-set conditions.(Note 6) The trade system according to any one of Notes 3 to 5, wherein the trade server sets up a smart contract for trade for each of the first blockchain and the second blockchain, and the blockchain node realizes interconnection between the first blockchain and the second blockchain by executing a cross-chain bridge. (Note 7) The trade system according to Note 4 or 5, wherein the wallets involved with the exporter and the wallets involved with the importer are generated for each trade case, the trade server sets up a management importer wallet and a management exporter wallet on the blockchain for managing multiple trade cases, the importer manages the wallets involved with the importer related to multiple trade cases by using the management importer wallet, and the exporter manages the wallets involved with the importer related to multiple trade cases by using the management exporter wallet. (Note 8) A trade server in a trade system including a trade server and blockchain nodes, wherein the trade server receives trade document information related to trade, transmits the trade document information to a blockchain node, and the blockchain node transmits crypto assets related to trade to a wallet involving the exporter when the trade document information satisfies pre-set conditions. (Note 9) A program to be executed on a computer constituting a trade server in a trade system including a trade server and blockchain nodes, wherein the trade server receives trade document information related to trade, transmits the trade document information to a blockchain node, and the blockchain node transmits crypto assets related to trade to a wallet involving the exporter when the trade document information satisfies pre-set conditions.(Note 10) A method to be performed by a computer constituting a trade server in a trade system including a trade server and blockchain nodes, wherein the trade server receives trade document information related to trade, transmits the trade document information to a blockchain node, and the blockchain node transmits crypto assets related to trade to a wallet involving the exporter if the trade document information satisfies pre-set conditions.

[0164] All documents, patent applications, and technical standards described herein are incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual document, patent application, and technical standard were specifically and individually noted to be incorporated by reference.

Claims

1. A trade system comprising a trade server and a blockchain node, wherein the trade server receives trade document information related to trade, transmits the trade document information to a blockchain node, and the blockchain node transmits trade-related crypto assets to a wallet involving the exporter if the trade document information satisfies pre-set conditions.

2. The trade system according to claim 1, wherein the pre-set conditions are conditions agreed upon in advance between the importer and the exporter, and are payment terms relating to the price of trade.

3. The trading system according to claim 1, wherein the processing performed by the blockchain node is realized by a smart contract for trade, and an Ethereum virtual machine realized in the blockchain node executes the smart contract for trade to send the crypto assets to a wallet involving the exporter.

4. The trade system according to claim 3, wherein the trade document information includes an electronic bill of lading relating to the trade, and the blockchain node exchanges the electronic bill of lading for the crypto assets by sending the crypto assets to a wallet involving the exporter and sending the electronic bill of lading to a wallet involving the importer when the trade document information, which includes at least the electronic bill of lading, satisfies pre-set conditions.

5. The trade system according to claim 4, wherein the blockchain node is capable of using a cross-chain bridge, and by executing the cross-chain bridge, the blockchain node transmits the crypto assets to a wallet involving the exporter and transmits document information including at least the electronic bill of lading to a wallet involving the importer, when the trade document information satisfies pre-set conditions, thereby exchanging the crypto assets for the electronic bill of lading.

6. The trade system according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the trade server sets up the smart contract for trade for each of the first blockchain and the second blockchain, and the blockchain node realizes interconnection between the first blockchain and the second blockchain by executing a cross-chain bridge.

7. The trade system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the wallets involving the exporter and the wallets involving the importer are generated for each trade transaction, the trade server sets up a management importer wallet and a management exporter wallet on the blockchain for managing multiple trade transactions, the importer manages the wallets involving the importer related to multiple trade transactions by using the management importer wallet, and the exporter manages the wallets involving the importer related to multiple trade transactions by using the management exporter wallet.

8. A trade server in a trade system including a trade server and blockchain nodes, wherein the trade server receives trade document information related to trade, transmits the trade document information to a blockchain node, and the blockchain node transmits trade-related crypto assets to a wallet involving the exporter if the trade document information satisfies pre-set conditions.

9. A program to be executed on a computer constituting a trade server in a trade system including a trade server and blockchain nodes, wherein the trade server receives trade document information related to trade, transmits the trade document information to a blockchain node, and the blockchain node transmits trade-related crypto assets to a wallet involving the exporter if the trade document information satisfies pre-set conditions.

10. A method performed by a computer constituting a trade server in a trade system including a trade server and blockchain nodes, wherein the trade server receives trade document information related to trade, transmits the trade document information to a blockchain node, and the blockchain node transmits trade-related crypto assets to a wallet involving the exporter if the trade document information satisfies pre-set conditions.

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