With a history spanning centuries, bonds are a primary avenue for businesses to raise capital. However, their journey from the earliest bonds of the 1600s to today highlights their enduring relevance despite the need for a modern makeover.
Traditional debt issuance has historically been essential for companies seeking capital. Still, it poses significant challenges, including stringent assessment criteria, lengthy procedures, and the unpredictable impact of fluctuating interest rates on returns. These hurdles contribute to the inaccessibility of debt capital markets, stifling global financial inclusion.
To empower new players, industries, and markets, particularly those lacking resources to navigate traditional financial institutions, we must introduce innovative technologies to revamp debt capital markets. Blockchain technology emerges as the game-changer we need.
Blockchain’s potential lies in its ability to address existing lending landscape challenges and democratize access to capital, particularly for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which constitute 90% of global businesses, and emerging markets contributing significantly to global GDP.
The limitations of traditional debt capital markets are glaring. Conventional financial institutions impose strict creditworthiness requirements and lengthy, costly application processes, especially when interest rates rise, negatively affecting bond issuers.
The involvement of up to 13 intermediaries, including arrangers, dealers, law firms, and custodians, inflates costs. For instance, issuing a US$50 million bond can incur costs of up to 5% of the bond value and take as long as six weeks. Smaller issuances below US$100 million often become economically unviable.
Extended lock-up periods and restricted liquidity further delay companies’ access to funds post-issuance, amplifying challenges. Even larger corporations experience inconvenience due to these issues.
Blockchain can streamline these processes. Its transparency, verifiability, and immutability eliminate paperwork, with data hosted securely for verification by specific parties. Zero-knowledge proofs safeguard confidentiality during credit assessments, protecting companies’ privacy while proving creditworthiness.
By reducing reliance on intermediaries, blockchain expedites bond issuance, reduces costs, and accelerates fund access, enabling companies to grow more efficiently.
However, regulatory compliance is essential. Blockchain-based bonds should adhere to existing regulations and obtain required licenses to ensure investor confidence.
In the evolving debt capital market, blockchain offers a future-proof solution. While traditional systems persist, they are outdated and burdened by inherent challenges. Blockchain modernizes these markets, granting companies of all sizes access to capital for scaling and growth.
In embracing on-chain solutions, we can enhance the efficiency and accessibility of debt capital markets, benefitting businesses today and securing their future. Blockchain’s potential to reshape these markets is promising and transformative, promising a more inclusive and efficient financial landscape.
