Decentralized Ecosystems 

Our Service

Within the web3 space we are seeing an increase in common, blockchain-based infrastructure being shared by multiple business consortia for multiple enterprise use-cases simultaneously. We call such platforms “decentralized enterprise ecosytems”, or “decentralized ecosystems” for short. The focus of our team on the subject of decentralized ecosystems is twofold: firstly, we help enterprises understand and reap the benefits of decentralized ecosystems. Secondly, we aim to assist decentralized ecosystems on their journey to becoming more enterprise friendly.

Our Approach

Historically, two types of blockchain networks were the most common: consortium blockchains and permissionless blockchains.
Consortium blockchains are operated by a single business consortium for a specific use-case. Since the cost of implementation is high, many use-cases cannot support this type of blockchain while remaining viable. It is also difficult to ensure enough decentralization with the often limited number of parties in the consortium.
Permissionless blockchains, on the other hand, are use-case agnostic and do not suffer from the previously described issues consortium blockchains have. However, permissionless blockchains can be daunting for enterprises from a risk perspective. It is hard for a business to feel in control when faced with the complicated and sometimes vague governance structures of permissionless blockchains. Additionally, it may be impossible to perform adequate third party risk assessment on the parties that process transactions in permissionless blockchains.
Decentralized enterprise ecosystems, therefore, are usually implemented using a “public permissioned” approach which offers a middle ground between the previously described two types of blockchains. That said, public permissionless blockchains that invest in enterprise readiness can also appeal to corporates with a higher risk appetite.
In summation: within the decentralized ecosystems proposition we focus on both public permissioned and public permissionless blockchain ecosystems, though more emphasis is placed on the former.
Within the field of decentralized ecosystems, our core activities are:

• Participating in the governance of reputable ecosystems
• Running infrastructural nodes in relevant ecosystems
• Assisting decentralized ecosystems to become increasingly enterprise-ready and mature
• Helping enterprises unlock the benefits of decentralized ecosystems
   

Client Benefits

You can read about the benefits of blockchain in general under our closely related “Enterprise Blockchain”. Deloitte focuses on the specific decentralized ecosystems that are best in class on the following points:

• Compliance: companies should be able to comply with internal guidelines when participating in the ecosystem. Ecosystems that only allow vetted parties to participate in the infrastructural layer of the blockchain usually score better on this point.
• Low barrier to entry: not all users should have to invest in the construction of the network or run a node in the network. Tokenomics can be used to incentivize people to contribute to the infrastructure without making it mandatory.
• Decentralization: having a diverse set of participants prevents power centralization and is crucial to ensure blockchain’s advantages. Typically, public use-case agnostic blockchains are more decentralized than private use-case specific blockchains.
   

Why Deloitte?

Deloitte has uniquely positioned itself as first-mover, we combine hands-on
experience with an enormous expertise spanning various services and industries. Deloitte’s focus on responsible business creates best practices and our multidisciplinary teams bring abundant knowledge and experience.

More Information

Would you like more information on Decentralized Ecosystems? Don't hesitate to get in touch with Tommie van der Bosch via the contact details below.