The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) recently published a study titled “The Potential Use of Blockchain in International Trade and its Facilitation” (International Trade Series No. 188, 2025). The report highlights how blockchain technology can reshape cross-border trade by fostering transparency, traceability, and efficiency in global supply chains.
A Disruptive Technology in Trade
The authors stress that international trade still struggles with bureaucracy, high transaction costs, and lack of trust among actors. Blockchain — thanks to its decentralization, immutability, cryptography, and smart contracts — offers a technological response to these structural issues. By reducing reliance on intermediaries and creating tamper-proof records, it can enhance legal certainty and lower risks in cross-border operations.
Key Benefits for Trade Facilitation
The report identifies several areas where blockchain can improve trade facilitation:
- Border efficiency: faster customs clearance and reduced costs through digital documents and automated verifications.
- Sustainability: improved traceability of raw materials and supply chains, supporting compliance with regulations such as the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
- Risk management: immutable transaction histories and verifiable credentials strengthen fraud detection and compliance.
- Customs and logistics procedures: digitalization of certificates, interoperable documentation, and smoother coordination among authorities.
- Infrastructure optimization: enhanced visibility in ports, terminals, and transport corridors through secure real-time data sharing.
Real-World Applications
The study presents case studies from around the world, including:
- Peru: blockchain-based certificates of origin issued by the Lima Chamber of Commerce.
- Mercosur: customs modernization through blockchain 4.0.
- Brazil: livestock traceability to guarantee authenticity and sustainability.
- Peru (cotton chain): transparency in textile production from farm to garment.
- Global initiatives: IBM Food Trust, TradeLens by Maersk/IBM, ICC TradeFlow, and the Marco Polo trade finance project.
- Regional platform CADENA: secure exchange of Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) data among Latin American customs administrations.
These initiatives show that blockchain is not a distant possibility but a present-day solution already being tested and scaled in international trade.
Challenges to Adoption
Despite its promise, blockchain adoption faces multiple challenges:
- Regulatory uncertainty and lack of cross-border legal recognition of digital documents.
- Technological interoperability across platforms.
- Financial and human resources gaps, especially in developing economies.
- Infrastructure deficiencies, particularly in transport and communications.
Strategic Conclusions
The report concludes that blockchain has the potential to become a key enabler of a more agile, inclusive, and secure global trading system. However, scaling its use requires coordinated action between governments, international organizations, and private actors. Flexible regulatory frameworks, open standards, and investment in skills and infrastructure are critical to unlock its benefits.
For Latin America and the Caribbean, blockchain represents not only a tool to cut costs and reduce delays but also an opportunity to strengthen regional integration and competitiveness in the global economy.
Summary by DigitalTrade4.EU