Multi-Utility Market: Framework for a Blockchain Exchange Platform for Sustainable Development

Abstract: Water and other resources are becoming scarcer every day, and developing countries are the neediest for an immediate intervention. Water, as a national need, is considered to be one of the main causes for conflicts in the 21st century. Peer-to-peer trading is one of the most convenient, scalable and sustainable solutions but faces organization challenges such as: the absence of suitable business models motivating normal users to sell their generated resources, currency and financial settlement complexities, and single utility markets. We propose a multi-utility trading platform, based on blockchain technology which can address the challenges faced by peer-to-peer trading. This platform meets the needs of developing countries in particular as well as rural areas of developed countries. The open nature of our proposed design makes it suitable for adoption and use by various stakeholders.