Cyber Security and Applications (Dec 2023)
A decentralised KYC based approach for microfinance using blockchain technology
Abstract
Financial inclusion is seen as a dynamic tool for achieving multifaceted microeconomic stability, (and) sustainable economic growth, job creation, poverty reduction, and income equality for both developed and developing nations. The needy segments of the population must be provided with financial services to accomplish this inclusion. Still, the traditional financial market is unavailable due to its lack of collateral and shallow income. Thus, they go to local moneylenders, also known as ''loan sharks,'' who charge exorbitant interest rates. Introduction to microfinance came as a new and refreshing light to these needy segments of the population as it provides small valued loans (micro-credit) to support their micro-scale businesses and engage in productive activities. As emerging technology started to be incorporated into every aspect of society, thus microfinance also needed to be incorporated into the technology. An application is required to protect data integrity and smoothly influence the microfinance sector. As the databases are vulnerable to data manipulation, this can affect the transaction history of the loan. Blockchain technology can be used to solve this problem, as data in the Blockchain is stored immutably. So, we designed a microfinance application that uses blockchain technology with decentralised KYC architecture to reduce multiple KYC verification and easy access to micro-credit.