Evaluation of a technological proposal based on the application of Blockchain for financial inclusion in savings groups

Abstract

Financial inclusion has boomed with various initiatives and community-based entities, such as savings groups, seeking to offer alternatives to sectors underserved by traditional financial institutions. The digitisation of traditional services has revolutionised social life by democratising access to a wide range of services, including investments, credit, financing and savings, thanks to decentralised technologies. Although blockchain technology is in its early stages of mass adoption, it has already demonstrated efficiency in solving problems linked to financial inclusion through various protocols, presenting a diversity of options and solutions with different approaches and complexities. The philosophy behind blockchain implementations is based on fundamental principles: transparency, immutability, efficiency and cost reduction by eliminating intermediaries. These values are reflected in the technical components of blockchain networks, such as consensus protocols and transaction models. Web 3.0 solutions, by adopting decentralised technologies, have the potential to empower underbanked and geographically remote savings communities, enabling them to achieve financial autonomy and improve their quality of life. Therefore, this paper addresses theoretical foundations that allow the design of a base network applied to a community savings and loan group of the economic initiative promoted by the CLC Solidarity Service Association.