FOUNDATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

Permissioned Blockchain

A blockchain network where participation—reading, writing, or validating—is restricted to pre-approved entities. Permissioned chains offer privacy and regulatory control suited to institutional and consortium use cases.

EXAMPLE

JPM Coin operates on a permissioned blockchain, ensuring only verified institutional counterparties can initiate or receive transfers.

Relevant Roles and Functions

On-chain Role
Chief Blockchain Infrastructure Officer
Head of Blockchain Infrastructure
Function
Blockchain Network Integrations
Node Operations
Smart Contract Infrastructure
Validator Participation
TradFi Equivalent
Core Banking Architecture
Distributed Systems
Payments Infrastructure
Technology

Related Terms

Permissionless Blockchain

An open blockchain network—such as Ethereum or Solana—where any participant can transact or validate without approval. These networks underpin most DeFi activity and public tokenization platforms.

Example

BlackRock chose to launch its BUIDL tokenized fund on the permissionless Ethereum network to maximize accessibility and composability with DeFi protocols.

Blockchain

A distributed, immutable ledger that records transactions across a network of computers in cryptographically linked blocks, providing a shared and tamper-resistant source of truth across multiple parties.

Example

By settling trades on blockchain, two counterparties share an identical, real-time record without requiring a central reconciliation agent.

On-Chain Compliance

The embedding of regulatory requirements—KYC/AML checks, transfer restrictions, investor eligibility rules, and reporting obligations—directly into token logic or smart contracts, enabling automated enforcement at the point of transaction.

Example

Securitize embeds on-chain compliance into tokenized fund transfers so that accredited investor checks run automatically before any secondary market transaction settles.