UNDP AltFinLab — Original Proposal

RFP-05 APPLICATION - UNDP AltFinLab (1).pdf

RFP-05 APPLICATION Government and Emerging Markets Entry Strategy

Government Blockchain Adoption Pathways and Emerging Market Readiness Assessment Leveraging UNDP AltFinLab's Government Blockchain Academy and

SDG Blockchain Accelerator

**Submitted by:**​ UNDP Alternative Finance Lab (AltFinLab)

**COVER LETTER **

Dear CPC Committee,

UNDP AltFinLab is pleased to submit this proposal under RFP-05: Government and Emerging Markets Entry Strategy.

This proposal builds on UNDP AltFinLab's ongoing work supporting governments, public institutions, UNDP Country Offices, and the broader blockchain ecosystem in exploring responsible blockchain adoption and implementation pathways through initiatives including the Government Blockchain Academy (GBA), the SDG Blockchain Accelerator, the Blockchain Academy, the UNDP Blockchain Advisory Group, and the UNDP Blockchain Impact Fund.

The proposal is uniquely positioned due to UNDP's direct engagement with governments through more than 170 Country Offices globally. These Country Offices work closely with ministries, regulators, public-sector agencies, and digital transformation stakeholders, providing operational visibility into institutional priorities, implementation barriers, infrastructure readiness, and public-sector innovation dynamics.

Importantly, the proposal is grounded in existing government engagement and implementation discussions already underway through the Government Blockchain Academy (GBA) with countries including Malaysia, El Salvador, Türkiye, Dominican Republic, Uzbekistan, and Argentina. The Academy provides a structured platform for ongoing collaboration with governments and ministries across emerging markets. Beyond blockchain education, the GBA supports governments through strategic guidance on priority public-sector use cases and potential pilot initiatives identified by participating ministries and institutions. Through onboarding workshops, live sessions, solution facilitation discussions, and post-Academy engagement, the GBA creates direct channels for understanding government priorities, implementation interests, operational constraints, and institutional readiness for blockchain adoption. As the Academy begins engaging governments, it will also generate additional real-time insights into how governments are evaluating blockchain technologies, which sectors and use cases are being prioritised, and what forms of infrastructure, policy support,

partnerships, and implementation pathways are required to move from education and exploration toward pilot development and operational deployment.

In addition, the SDG Blockchain Accelerator has supported more than 45 blockchain-enabled use cases aligned with sustainable development challenges, 23 of which have been building on Cardano infrastructure or related technologies. Several of these use cases involved governments, ministries, public-sector stakeholders, and national development programmes. These experiences provide valuable implementation insights into public-sector blockchain adoption realities, institutional readiness, infrastructure constraints, and operational deployment pathways, while also informing this proposal through practical lessons learned from supporting blockchain-enabled innovation across emerging markets.

Unlike traditional market-entry research focused primarily on ecosystem mapping or theoretical adoption analysis, this proposal combines:

●​ institutional insights from UNDP Country Offices that have worked closely with governments and ministries in these countries for many years, ●​ direct access to government insights across different ministries and public institutions, strengthened through interviews and one-on-one discussions with relevant stakeholders, ●​ operational implementation insights, ●​ comparative country assessments, ●​ and implementation-grounded strategic intelligence through Government Blockchain Academy and SDG Blockchain Accelertor.

The project aims to generate practical and actionable recommendations regarding:

●​ government adoption readiness, ●​ public-sector implementation pathways, ●​ emerging-market prioritisation, ●​ infrastructure and regulatory requirements, ●​ and responsible ecosystem engagement models.

We appreciate your consideration and look forward to contributing to this important research effort.

Sincerely,

UNDP Alternative Finance Lab (AltFinLab)

**1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY **

This proposal presents a government and emerging-markets entry strategy research initiative led by UNDP AltFinLab, leveraging the Government Blockchain Academy (GBA), SDG Blockchain Accelerator, and UNDP's global institutional network across more than 170 countries.

The project aims to generate practical and implementation-oriented strategic intelligence on how blockchain ecosystems can responsibly engage governments and public institutions across emerging markets.

The proposal is grounded in:

●​ direct government engagement, ●​ ministry-level discussions, ●​ existing public-sector blockchain exploration initiatives, ●​ and operational implementation insights.

The research builds on ongoing government discussions and blockchain engagement activities already underway in:

●​ Malaysia ●​ El Salvador ●​ Türkiye ●​ Dominican Republic ●​ Uzbekistan ●​ Argentina

Importantly, 23 use cases within the SDG Blockchain Accelerator have been building on Cardano infrastructure or related technologies, several of which involved governments, ministries, regulators,public-service delivery systems, and national development programmes.

The research will assess:

●​ government readiness, ●​ institutional feasibility, ●​ infrastructure maturity, ●​ regulatory environments, ●​ use-case suitability, ●​ procurement realities, ●​ and long-term adoption pathways.

The outputs are intended to support practical decision-making regarding:

●​ government engagement, ●​ ecosystem positioning, ●​ public-sector implementation opportunities,

●​ and emerging-market strategy development.

**2. UNDERSTANDING OF THE BRIEF **

This proposal understands RFP-05 as a request for practical and evidence-based research focused on how blockchain ecosystems can responsibly and sustainably engage governments and public institutions across emerging markets.

The proposal recognises that government adoption depends not only on technology readiness, but also on:

●​ institutional trust, ●​ operational feasibility, ●​ procurement realities, ●​ regulatory alignment, ●​ implementation capacity, ●​ political prioritisation, ●​ infrastructure maturity, ●​ and stakeholder coordination.

The proposal therefore focuses on:

●​ identifying realistic government entry pathways, ●​ assessing implementation readiness, ●​ evaluating public-sector use-case suitability, ●​ understanding institutional barriers, ●​ and generating actionable recommendations for sustainable ecosystem engagement.

Unlike purely theoretical market analysis, the proposal is grounded in direct government engagement and operational implementation realities.

**3. PROPOSED METHODOLOGY****​ **** **Phase 1 — Country & Stakeholder Mapping

**Activities Outputs: **

●​ UNDP Country Office consultations ●​ ministry mapping ●​ stakeholder identification ●​ digital strategy review ●​ public-sector blockchain landscape assessment

●​ stakeholder map ●​ initial country readiness overview ●​ institutional landscape analysis

Phase 2 — Government Engagement & Interviews

**Activities Outputs: **

●​ ministry interviews ●​ regulator consultations ●​ technical stakeholder discussions ●​ operational workflow mapping ​ *Stakeholders may include a diverse set of ministries and institutions, including ministries responsible for digital transformation, technology, industry, and finance, as well as central banks, national authorities, innovation agencies, climate agencies, and public procurement bodies.

●​ interview summaries ●​ institutional readiness insights ●​ operational feasibility analysis

Phase 3 — Use-Case Assessment

**Assessments Assessment Criteria Outputs **

●​ digital identity ●​ financial inclusion ●​ government registries ●​ climate MRV systems ●​ supply-chain traceability ●​ aid transparency ●​ public-sector coordination systems

●​ operational feasibility ●​ implementation complexity ●​ institutional ownership ●​ infrastructure requirements ●​ regulatory feasibility ●​ sustainability potential

●​ use-case prioritisation matrix ●​ implementation readiness analysis

Phase 4 — Regulatory & Infrastructure Assessment

**Activities Outputs **

●​ digital asset policy analysis ●​ procurement framework assessment ●​ data governance analysis ●​ digital infrastructure review ●​ interoperability assessment ●​ cybersecurity maturity assessment

●​ comparative regulatory matrix ●​ infrastructure readiness assessment ●​ enabling vs blocking factor analysis

Phase 5 — Comparative Adoption Strategy Analysis

**Activities Outputs **

●​ adoption signal analysis ●​ ecosystem engagement assessment ●​ implementation barrier analysis ●​ comparative country benchmarking ●​ sustainability analysis

●​ government adoption pathway analysis ●​ ecosystem engagement recommendations ●​ comparative country strategy framework

Phase 6 — Final Recommendations & Validation

**Activities Outputs **

●​ validation workshops ●​ stakeholder review ●​ final comparative analysis ●​ strategic recommendation drafting

●​ final strategic report ●​ country opportunity profiles ●​ implementation recommendations

**4. DECISION GATE MAPPING Decision Gate 1 — Government Interest **

Indicators:

●​ ministry participation ●​ policy alignment ●​ government engagement level ●​ national digital strategy references ●​ public-sector blockchain interest

**Decision Gate 2 — Use-Case Viability **

Indicators:

●​ operational pain points ●​ blockchain suitability ●​ institutional ownership ●​ measurable public value ●​ feasibility of deployment

**Decision Gate 3 — Infrastructure Readiness **

Indicators:

●​ digital identity infrastructure ●​ payment infrastructure

●​ interoperability maturity ●​ cybersecurity readiness ●​ cloud and connectivity readiness

**Decision Gate 4 — Regulatory Feasibility **

Indicators:

●​ digital asset regulation ●​ procurement flexibility ●​ data governance maturity ●​ public-sector compliance constraints ●​ regulatory openness

**Decision Gate 5 — Sustainability Potential **

Indicators:

●​ institutional support ●​ implementation capacity ●​ ecosystem maturity ●​ scalability potential ●​ funding and operational sustainability

**5. REGIONAL SCOPE & PRIORITISATION PLAN **

The six primary countries were selected to span the full range of conditions that determine government adoption: regulatory maturity (Türkiye, Uzbekistan), existing political endorsement of blockchain (El Salvador, Malaysia), ecosystem density (Argentina, Türkiye), and active institutional engagement already underway through the Government Blockchain Academy. Together they form a portfolio designed to test what works under different starting conditions, not a list of best guesses.

**Primary Countries **

**Malaysia: **Launching a national blockchain strategy, participating in the Government Blockchain Academy, and already engaged with UNDP AltFinLab in blockchain strategy discussions with focal point institutions within the Ministry of Digital.

**El Salvador: **Existing blockchain adoption within the country and selected as part of the Government Blockchain Academy, with strong interest from ministerial-level stakeholders, particularly in the climate and natural resources sectors.

**Türkiye: **High public familiarity with crypto, the presence of both local and international blockchain companies, a growing blockchain ecosystem, strong digital government infrastructure, and interest from the Ministry of Industry and Technology. Türkiye also already

has an established national blockchain research and development centre under TÜBİTAK BİLGEM focused on blockchain technologies and related infrastructure development.

**Dominican Republic: **Emerging momentum around public-sector digital transformation, particularly in the environment and energy sectors, alongside strong interest from government stakeholders.

**Uzbekistan: **Existing government blockchain structures and institutional engagement, including the National Agency of Perspective Projects (NAPP).

**Argentina: **Strong local blockchain ecosystem and growing interest from global blockchain companies, alongside increasing exploration of blockchain-related opportunities within the country.

**Secondary Expansion Markets **

Potential expansion countries include:

●​ Venezuela ●​ Nigeria ●​ Kenya ●​ Zambia ●​ Ecuador

depending on research progression and stakeholder engagement opportunities.

**6. USE-CASE ASSESSMENT PLAN **

Priority use cases include:

●​ digital identity ●​ digital payments ●​ financial inclusion ●​ supply-chain traceability ●​ climate resilience and MRV ●​ aid transparency ●​ public registries ●​ public-sector coordination systems

The assessment framework will evaluate:

●​ institutional feasibility ●​ operational readiness ●​ regulatory compatibility ●​ infrastructure requirements ●​ scalability

●​ sustainability ●​ interoperability ●​ procurement complexity

Importantly, 23 Cardano-related Accelerator use cases provide practical implementation insights and evidence informing this assessment.

**7. STAKEHOLDER ACCESS PLAN **

UNDP operates through more than 170 Country Offices globally, many of which work directly with ministries, regulators, public-sector agencies, innovation authorities, and national digital transformation programmes.

The project will leverage:

●​ existing Country Office relationships, ●​ Government Blockchain Academy engagement channels, ●​ Accelerator partnerships, ●​ and ongoing ministry discussions.

Stakeholder engagement methods include interviews, workshops, roundtables, consultations, and technical discussions.

Existing engagement discussions are already underway in:

●​ Malaysia ●​ El Salvador ●​ Türkiye ●​ Dominican Republic ●​ Uzbekistan ●​ Argentina

**8. REGULATORY MAPPING PLAN **

Assessment areas:

●​ blockchain regulation ●​ digital asset policy ●​ procurement law ●​ data protection ●​ digital identity regulation ●​ AI governance ●​ CBDC/stablecoin positioning ●​ interoperability standards

Outputs:

●​ comparative regulatory framework ●​ enabling/blocking factor assessment ●​ regulatory maturity analysis

**9. INFRASTRUCTURE PREREQUISITE PLAN **

Assessment areas:

●​ digital identity systems ●​ payment infrastructure ●​ interoperability readiness ●​ cybersecurity maturity ●​ cloud infrastructure ●​ internet penetration ●​ public-sector databases ●​ digital public infrastructure

The project will also evaluate:

●​ whether blockchain is genuinely warranted versus conventional systems.

**10. ADOPTION SIGNAL PLAN **

Key adoption indicators include:

●​ active ministry participation ●​ inter-ministerial engagement ●​ pilot requests ●​ policy references ●​ budget allocation discussions ●​ regulator involvement ●​ local ecosystem maturity ●​ existing blockchain initiatives ●​ public-sector innovation alignment

**11. WORKPLAN **Month 1–2

●​ stakeholder mapping ●​ country prioritisation ●​ desk research ●​ UNDP Country Office consultations

**Month 2–4 **

●​ ministry interviews ●​ workshops ●​ regulatory assessment ●​ infrastructure assessment

**Month 4–5 **

●​ comparative analysis ●​ use-case prioritisation ●​ adoption pathway assessment

**Month 5–6 **

●​ final report drafting ●​ validation workshops ●​ strategic recommendations ●​ final submission

**12. TEAM QUALIFICATIONS **

The project will be led by UNDP AltFinLab, leveraging:

●​ blockchain implementation expertise, ●​ government engagement experience, ●​ public-sector innovation knowledge, ●​ Government Blockchain Academy infrastructure, ●​ and SDG Blockchain Accelerator implementation experience.

The team combines institutional engagement expertise, blockchain implementation visibility, and emerging-market operational understanding.

The team will consist of:

●​ Burcu Mavis, Government Blockchain Academy Lead at UNDP AltFinLab ●​ Teodor Petricevic, Product and Growth Lead at UNDP AltFinLab ●​ Ben Thomspon Coon, Accelerator Lead at UNDP AltFinLab ●​ Chiara Laffi, Blockchain Communication and Data Analyst

**13. RELEVANT EXPERIENCE **

Relevant initiatives include:

●​ Government Blockchain Academy ●​ SDG Blockchain Accelerator ●​ Blockchain Academy for UN personnel

●​ UNDP Blockchain Advisory Group

Achievements include:

●​ 46 pilot-ready solutions across SDG Blockchain Accelerator ●​ 12 real-world implementation tests ●​ 70% embedded into national or regional programmes ●​ 23 Cardano-related use cases

Illustrative case: Plastiks: plastic waste recovery and traceability. Through the SDG Blockchain Accelerator, AltFinLab supported Plastiks in developing a blockchain-based platform on Cardano that tokenises verified plastic recovery and links it to financing from corporate and philanthropic buyers.

The engagement moved from a single-country concept to active pilots with UNDP Country Offices in Armenia, El Salvador, India, and Zambia, with additional pilot funding secured from the Fondation Valery.

Lessons from this replication particularly the institutional onboarding time required when moving between UNDP Country Offices with different operational priorities, and the importance of aligning blockchain-based MRV with existing national waste-management reporting systems directly inform the country-engagement sequencing and infrastructure-readiness assessment.

**14. DATA SOURCES **

The project will utilise:

●​ ministry interviews ●​ UNDP Country Office consultations ●​ government strategy documents ●​ policy frameworks ●​ accelerator implementation data ●​ ecosystem stakeholder interviews ●​ workshop findings ●​ public-sector operational discussions** **

**15. RISK & BIAS MITIGATION PLAN **

Risks include:

●​ political shifts ●​ regulatory uncertainty ●​ institutional turnover ●​ ecosystem bias ●​ overestimation of blockchain suitability

Mitigation measures:

●​ technology-neutral methodology ●​ evidence-based analysis ●​ stakeholder validation ●​ comparative frameworks ●​ multi-source verification

Risk: researcher proximity to government counterparts. UNDP's embedded position with ministries is the proposal's central asset, but it also creates a risk that markets we are actively engaged in are scored more favourably than evidence warrants.

Mitigation: every country opportunity profile applies the same five-gate scoring rubric independent of UNDP engagement intensity; each use-case recommendation includes an explicit "is blockchain genuinely warranted vs. conventional systems" test (Section 9); and all final country recommendations are reviewed by at least one external technical reviewer from our team.** **

**16. CONFIDENTIALITY & DATA HANDLING APPROACH **

The project will follow UNDP standards regarding:

●​ confidentiality, ●​ secure stakeholder handling, ●​ informed participation, ●​ and responsible data management.

Sensitive discussions and institutional interviews will remain confidential where requested.

**17. ETHICS APPROACH **

The project will follow principles of:

●​ responsible innovation, ●​ public-sector neutrality, ●​ informed participation, ●​ responsible digital governance, ●​ and technology-neutral assessment.** **

**18. TIMELINE **

Phase Timeline

Stakeholder Mapping Month 1

Country Prioritisation Month 1–2

Ministry Interviews Month 2–4

Regulatory & Infrastructure Assessment Month 2–4

Comparative Analysis Month 4–5

Validation Workshops Month 5

Final Recommendations & Reporting Month 6

**19. BUDGET BREAKDOWN****​ **** **

Budget item Indicative cost (ADA)

Personnel & research team 16,000

Country consultations & workshops 6,600

Stakeholder interviews & coordination 9,500

Research & analysis support 2,800

Report production & communications 1,900

Administrative & coordination costs 2,800

Contingency 1,800

Total 41,400

**Milestone-based payment schedule **

Mileston e

Month Deliverable Tranche Amount (ADA)

M1 End of Month 3 Inception report, stakeholder mapping, country selection framework, government and ecosystem consultations, and preliminary country assessments completed

50% 20,700

M2 End of Month 6 Final report, government blockchain adoption pathways analysis, emerging market readiness assessment, country opportunity profiles, use-case prioritisation framework, and strategic recommendations submitted

50% 20,700

Mileston e

Month Deliverable Tranche Amount (ADA)

Total 100% 41,400

20. CONFLICTS DECLARATION

UNDP AltFinLab operates as a neutral public-sector innovation and development actor.

The proposal maintains a technology-neutral and evidence-based approach and does not promote any specific blockchain protocol or commercial vendor.

Any references to Cardano-related use cases are based on existing implementation exposure through the SDG Blockchain Accelerator and are included solely for research and implementation-learning purposes.

21. PRIOR WORK EXAMPLES

Examples include:

●​ Government Blockchain Academy ●​ SDG Blockchain Accelerator ●​ blockchain implementation workshops ●​ public-sector blockchain advisory support ●​ ministry engagement programmes ●​ blockchain-enabled public-sector pilot discussions ●​ accelerator-supported blockchain solutions involving governments and ministries

Government and Emerging Markets Entry Strategy

Government Blockchain Adoption Pathways and Emerging Market Readiness Assessment Leveraging UNDP AltFinLab's Government Blockchain Academy and SDG Blockchain Accelerator

Submitted by: UNDP Alternative Finance Lab (AltFinLab)

COVER LETTER

Dear CPC Committee,

UNDP AltFinLab is pleased to submit this proposal under RFP-05: Government and Emerging Markets Entry Strategy.

This proposal builds on UNDP AltFinLab's ongoing work supporting governments, public institutions, UNDP Country Offices, and the broader blockchain ecosystem in exploring responsible blockchain adoption and implementation pathways through initiatives including the Government Blockchain Academy (GBA), the SDG Blockchain Accelerator, the Blockchain Academy, the UNDP Blockchain Advisory Group, and the UNDP Blockchain Impact Fund.

The proposal is uniquely positioned due to UNDP's direct engagement with governments through more than 170 Country Offices globally. These Country Offices work closely with ministries, regulators, public-sector agencies, and digital transformation stakeholders, providing operational visibility into institutional priorities, implementation barriers, infrastructure readiness, and public-sector innovation dynamics.

Importantly, the proposal is grounded in existing government engagement and implementation discussions already underway through the Government Blockchain Academy (GBA) with countries including Malaysia, El Salvador, Türkiye, Dominican Republic, Uzbekistan, and Argentina. The Academy provides a structured platform for ongoing collaboration with governments and ministries across emerging markets. Beyond blockchain education, GBA supports governments through strategic guidance on priority public-sector use cases and potential pilot initiatives identified by participating ministries and institutions. Through onboarding workshops, live sessions, solution facilitation discussions, and post-Academy engagement, the GBA creates direct channels for understanding government priorities, implementation interests, operational constraints, and institutional readiness for blockchain adoption. As the Academy engages governments, it will also generate additional real-time insights into how governments are evaluating blockchain technologies, which sectors and use cases are being prioritised, and what forms of infrastructure, policy support,

partnerships, and implementation pathways are required to move from education and exploration toward pilot development and operational deployment.

In addition, the SDG Blockchain Accelerator has supported more than 45 blockchain-enabled use cases aligned with sustainable development challenges, 23 of which have been building on Cardano infrastructure or related technologies. Several of these use cases involved governments, ministries, public-sector stakeholders, and national development programmes. These experiences provide valuable implementation insights into public-sector blockchain adoption realities, institutional readiness, infrastructure constraints, and operational deployment pathways, while also informing this proposal through practical lessons learned from supporting blockchain-enabled innovation across emerging markets.

Unlike traditional market-entry research focused primarily on ecosystem mapping or theoretical adoption analysis, this proposal combines:

• institutional insights from UNDP Country Offices that have worked closely with governments and ministries in these countries for many years,
• direct access to government insights across different ministries and public institutions, strengthened through interviews and one-on-one discussions with relevant stakeholders,
• operational implementation insights,
• comparative country assessments,
• and implementation-grounded strategic intelligence through Government Blockchain Academy and SDG Blockchain Accelerator.

The project aims to generate practical and actionable recommendations regarding:

• government adoption readiness,
• public-sector implementation pathways,
• emerging-market prioritisation,
• infrastructure and regulatory requirements,
• and responsible ecosystem engagement models.

We appreciate your consideration and look forward to contributing to this important research effort.

Sincerely,

UNDP Alternative Finance Lab (AltFinLab)

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This proposal presents a government and emerging-markets entry strategy research initiative led by UNDP AltFin Lab, leveraging the Government Blockchain Academy (GBA), SDG Blockchain Accelerator, and UNDP's global institutional network across more than 170 countries.

The project aims to generate practical and implementation-oriented strategic intelligence on how blockchain ecosystems can responsibly engage governments and public institutions across emerging markets.

The proposal is grounded in:

• direct government engagement,
• ministry-level discussions,
• existing public-sector blockchain exploration initiatives,
• and operational implementation insights.

The research builds on ongoing government discussions and blockchain engagement activities already underway in:

• Malaysia
• El Salvador
• Türkiye
• Dominican Republic
• Uzbekistan
• Argentina

Importantly, 23 use cases within the SDG Blockchain Accelerator have been building on Cardano infrastructure or related technologies, several of which involved governments, ministries, regulators, public-service delivery systems, and national development programmes.

The research will assess:

• government readiness,
• institutional feasibility,
• infrastructure maturity,
• regulatory environments,
• use-case suitability,
• procurement realities,
• and long-term adoption pathways.

The outputs are intended to support practical decision-making regarding:

• government engagement,

• ecosystem positioning,

• public-sector implementation opportunities,

• and emerging-market strategy development.

2. UNDERSTANDING OF THE BRIEF

This proposal understands RFP-05 as a request for practical and evidence-based research focused on how blockchain ecosystems can responsibly and sustainably engage governments and public institutions across emerging markets.

The proposal recognises that government adoption depends not only on technology readiness, but also on:

• institutional trust,
• operational feasibility,
• procurement realities,
• regulatory alignment,
• implementation capacity,
• political prioritisation,
• infrastructure maturity,
• and stakeholder coordination.

The proposal therefore focuses on:

• identifying realistic government entry pathways,
• assessing implementation readiness,
• evaluating public-sector use-case suitability,
• understanding institutional barriers,
• and generating actionable recommendations for sustainable ecosystem engagement.

Unlike purely theoretical market analysis, the proposal is grounded in direct government engagement and operational implementation realities.

3. PROPOSED METHODOLOGY

Phase 1 — Country & Stakeholder Mapping

Activities	Outputs:
- UNDP Country Office consultations - ministry mapping - stakeholder identification - digital strategy review - public-sector blockchain landscape assessment	- stakeholder map - initial country readiness overview - institutional landscape analysis

Phase 2 — Government Engagement & Interviews

Activities	Outputs
- ministry interviews	- interview summaries
- regulator consultations	- institutional readiness insights
- technical stakeholder discussions	- operational feasibility analysis
- operational workflow mapping

*Stakeholders may include a diverse set of ministries and institutions, including ministries responsible for digital transformation, technology, industry, and finance, as well as central banks, national authorities, innovation agencies, climate agencies, and public procurement bodies.

Phase 3 — Use-Case Assessment

Assessments	Assessment Criteria	Outputs
- digital identity	- operational feasibility	- use-case prioritisation matrix
- financial inclusion	- implementation complexity
- government registries	- institutional ownership	- implementation readiness analysis
- climate CRM systems	- infrastructure requirements
- supply-chain traceability	- regulatory feasibility
- aid transparency	- sustainability
- public-sector coordination systems	- potential

Phase 4 — Regulatory & Infrastructure Assessment

Activities	Outputs
- digital asset policy analysis	- comparative regulatory matrix
- procurement framework assessment	- infrastructure readiness assessment
- data governance analysis	- enabling vs blocking factor analysis
- digital infrastructure review
- interoperability assessment
- cybersecurity maturity assessment

Phase 5 — Comparative Adoption Strategy

Activities	Outputs

| :--- | :--- | | - adoption signal analysis
- ecosystem engagement assessment
- implementation barrier analysis
- comparative country benchmarking
- sustainability analysis | - government adoption pathway analysis
- ecosystem engagement recommendations
- comparative country strategy framework |

Phase 6 — Final Recommendations & Validation

Activities	Outputs
- validation workshops - stakeholder review - final comparative analysis - strategic recommendation drafting	- final strategic report - country opportunity profiles - implementation recommendations

4. DECISION GATE MAPPING

Decision Gate 1 — Government Interest

Indicators:

• ministry participation
• policy alignment
• government engagement level
• national digital strategy references
• public-sector blockchain interest

Decision Gate 2 — Use-Case Viability

Indicators:

• operational pain points
• blockchain suitability
• institutional ownership
• measurable public value
• feasibility of deployment

Decision Gate 3 — Infrastructure Readiness

Indicators:

• digital identity infrastructure

• payment infrastructure

• interoperability maturity

• cybersecurity readiness

• cloud and connectivity readiness

Decision Gate 4 — Regulatory Feasibility

Indicators:

• digital asset regulation
• procurement flexibility
• data governance maturity
• public-sector compliance constraints
• regulatory openness

Decision Gate 5 — Sustainability Potential

Indicators:

• institutional support
• implementation capacity
• ecosystem maturity
• scalability potential
• funding and operational sustainability

5. REGIONAL SCOPE & PRIORITISATION PLAN

The six primary countries were selected to span the full range of conditions that determine government adoption: regulatory maturity (Türkiye, Uzbekistan), existing political endorsement of blockchain (El Salvador, Malaysia), ecosystem density (Argentina, Türkiye), and active institutional engagement already underway through the Government Blockchain Academy. Together they form a portfolio designed to test works under different starting conditions, not a list of best guesses.

Primary Countries

Malaysia: Launching a national blockchain strategy, participating in the Government Blockchain Academy, and already engaged with UNDP AltFinLab in blockchain strategy discussions with focal point institutions within the Ministry of Digital.

El Salvador: Selecting blockchain adoption within the country and selected as part of the Government Blockchain Academy, with strong interest from ministerial-level stakeholders, particularly in the climate and natural resources sectors.

Türkiye: High public familiarity with crypto, the presence of both local and international blockchain companies, a growing blockchain ecosystem, strong digital government infrastructure, and interest from the Ministry of Industry and Technology. Türkiye also already

has an established national blockchain research and development centre under TÜBİTAK BILGEM focused on blockchain technologies and related infrastructure development.

Dominican Republic: Emerging momentum around public-sector digital transformation, particularly in the environment and energy sectors, alongside strong interest from government stakeholders.

Uzbekistan: Existing government blockchain structures and institutional engagement, including the National Agency of Perspective Projects (NAPP).

Argentina: Strong local blockchain ecosystem and growing interest from global blockchain companies, alongside increasing exploration of blockchain-related opportunities within the country.

Secondary Expansion Markets

Potential expansion countries include:

• Venezuela
• Nigeria
• Kenya
• Zambia
• Ecuador

depending on research progression and stakeholder engagement opportunities.

6. USE-CASE ASSESSMENT PLAN

Priority use cases include:

• digital identity
• digital payments
• financial inclusion
• supply-chain traceability
• climate resilience and MRV
• aid transparency
• public registries
• public-sector coordination systems

The assessment framework will evaluate:

• institutional feasibility

• operational readiness

• regulatory compatibility

• infrastructure requirements

• scalability

• sustainability

• interoperability

• procurement complexity

Importantly, 23 Cardano-related Accelerator use cases provide practical implementation insights and evidence informing this assessment.

7. STAKEHOLDER ACCESS PLAN

UNDP operates through more than 170 Country Offices globally, many of which work directly with ministries, regulators, public-sector agencies, innovation authorities, and national digital transformation programmes.

The project will leverage:

• existing Country Office relationships,
• Government Blockchain Academy engagement channels,
• Accelerator partnerships,
• and ongoing ministry discussions.

Stakeholder engagement methods include interviews, workshops, roundtables, consultations, and technical discussions.

Existing engagement discussions are already underway in:

• Malaysia
• El Salvador
• Türkiye
• Dominican Republic
• Uzbekistan
• Argentina

8. REGULATORY MAPPING PLAN

Assessment areas:

• blockchain regulation
• digital asset policy
• procurement law
• data protection
• digital identity regulation
• AI governance
• CBDC/stablecoin positioning
• interoperability standards

Outputs:

• comparative regulatory framework
• enabling/blocking factor assessment
• regulatory maturity analysis

9. INFRASTRUCTURE PREREQUISITE PLAN

Assessment areas:

• digital identity systems
• payment infrastructure
• interoperability readiness
• cybersecurity maturity
• cloud infrastructure
• internet penetration
• public-sector databases
• digital public infrastructure

The project will also evaluate:

• whether blockchain is genuinely warranted versus conventional systems.

10. ADOPTION SIGNAL PLAN

Key adoption indicators include:

• active ministry participation
• inter-ministerial engagement
• pilot requests
• policy references
• budget allocation discussions
• regulator involvement
• local ecosystem maturity
• existing blockchain initiatives
• public-sector innovation alignment

11. WORKPLAN

Month 1–2

• stakeholder mapping
• country prioritisation
• desk research
• UNDP Country Office consultations

Month 2–4

• ministry interviews
• workshops
• regulatory assessment
• infrastructure assessment

Month 4–5

• comparative analysis
• use-case prioritisation
• adoption pathway assessment

Month 5–6

• final report drafting
• validation workshops
• strategic recommendations
• final submission

12. TEAM QUALIFICATIONS

The project will be led by UNDP AltFinLab, leveraging:

• blockchain implementation expertise,
• government engagement experience,
• public-sector innovation knowledge,
• Government Blockchain Academy infrastructure,
• and SDG Blockchain Accelerator implementation experience.

The team combines institutional engagement expertise, blockchain implementation visibility, and emerging-market operational understanding.

The team will consist of:

• Burcu Mavis, Government Blockchain Academy Lead at UNDP AltFinLab
• Teodor Petricevic, Product and Growth Lead at UNDP AltFinLab
• Ben Thompson Coon, Accelerator Lead at UNDP AltFinLab
• Chiara Laffi, Blockchain Communication and Data Analyst

13. RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

Relevant initiatives include:

• Government Blockchain Academy

• SDG Blockchain Accelerator

• Blockchain Academy for UN personnel

• UNDP Blockchain Advisory Group

Achievements include:

• 46 pilot-ready solutions across SDG Blockchain Accelerator
• 12 real-world implementation tests
• 70% embedded into national or regional programmes
• 23 Cardano-related use cases

Illustrative case: Plastiks: plastic waste recovery and traceability. Through the SDG Blockchain Accelerator, AltFinLab supported Plastiks in developing a blockchain-based platform on Cardano that tokenises verified plastic recovery and links it to financing from corporate and philanthropic burdens.

The engagement moved from a single-concept to active pilots with UNDP Country Offices in Armenia, El Salvador, India, and Zambia, with additional pilot funding secured from the Fondation Valley.

Lessons from this replication particularly the institutional onboarding time required when moving between UNDP Country $Country$ Offices with different operational priorities, and the importance of aligning blockchain-based MRV with existing national waste-management reporting systems directly inform the country-engagement sequencing and infrastructure-readiness assessment.

14. DATA SOURCES

The project will utilise:

• ministry interviews
• UNDP Country Office consultations
• government strategy documents
• policy frameworks
• accelerator implementation data
• ecosystem stakeholder interviews
• workshop findings
• public-sector operational discussions

15. RISK & BIAS MITIGATION PLAN

Risks include:

• political shifts
• regulatory uncertainty
• institutional turnover
• ecosystem bias
• overestimation of blockchain suitability

Mitigation measures:

• technology-neutral methodology
• evidence-based analysis
• stakeholder validation
• comparative frameworks
• multi-source verification

Risk: researcher proximity to government counterparts. UNDP's embedded position with ministries is the proposal's central asset, but it also creates a risk that markets we are actively engaged in are scored more favourably than evidence warrants.

Mitigation: every country opportunity profile applies the same five-gate scoring rubric independent of UNDP engagement intensity; each use-case recommendation includes an explicit "is blockchain genuinely warranted vs. conventional systems" test (Section 9); and all final country recommendations are reviewed by at least one external technical reviewer from our team.

16. CONFIDENTIALITY & DATA HANDLING APPROACH

The project will follow UNDP standards regarding:

• confidentiality,
• secure stakeholder handling,
• informed participation,
• and responsible data management.

Sensitive discussions and institutional interviews will remain confidential where requested.

17. ETHICS APPROACH

The project will follow principles of:

• responsible innovation,
• public-sector neutrality,
• informed participation,
• responsible digital governance,
• and technology-neutral assessment.

18. TIMELINE

Phase	Timeline
Stakeholder Mapping	Month 1

Country Prioritisation Month 1–2 Ministry Interviews Month 2–4 Regulatory & Infrastructure Assessment Month 2–4 Comparative Analysis Month 4–5 Validation Workshops Month 5 Final Recommendations & Reporting Month 6

19. BUDGET BREAKDOWN

Budget item	Indicative cost (ADA)
Personnel & research team	19,000
Country consultations & workshops	6,600
Stakeholder interviews & coordination	9,500
Research & analysis support	2,800
Report production & communications	1,900
Administrative & coordination costs	2,800
Contingency	1,800
Total	41,400

Milestone-based payment schedule

Milestone	Month	Deliverable	Tranche	Amount (ADA)
M1	End of Month 3	Inception report, stakeholder mapping, country selection framework, government and ecosystem consultations, and preliminary country assessments completed	50%	20,700
M2	End of Month 6	Final report, government blockchain adoption pathways analysis, emerging market readiness assessment, country opportunity profiles, use-case prioritisation framework, and strategic recommendations submitted	50%	20,700

Milestone	Month	Deliverable	Tranche	Amount (ADA)
Total			100%	41,400

20. CONFLICTS DECLARATION

UNDP AltFinLab operates as a neutral public-sector innovation and development actor.

The proposal maintains a technology-neutral and evidence-based approach and does not promote any specific blockchain protocol or commercial vendor.

Any references to Cardano-related use cases are based on existing implementation exposure through the SDG Blockchain Accelerator and are included solely for research and implementation-learning purposes.

21. PRIOR WORK EXAMPLES

Examples include:

• Government Blockchain Academy
• SDG Blockchain Accelerator
• blockchain implementation workshops
• public-sector blockchain advisory support
• ministry engagement programmes
• blockchain-enabled public-sector pilot discussions
• accelerator-supported blockchain solutions involving governments and ministries