Trace DPP Solution by Gate2Chain
PROJECT OVERVIEW
• Product: Trace Platform - blockchain-powered digital product passports using digital twin technology for supply chain traceability and authentication
• Solution Provider: Gate2Chain (in partnership with IBM)
• Website URL: https://www.gate2chain.com/
• Industries: Digital Product Passports, Digital Twins, Supply Chain Traceability, Luxury Goods, Food & Fashion, Anti-Counterfeiting
• Geographic Reach: Global (headquartered in London, development in Mallorca)
• BSV Integration Start Date: 2022
BUSINESS CHALLENGES
Inefficiencies or Risks:
• Rampant counterfeiting and product theft costing industries billions annually
• Lack of transparency in product sourcing, journey, and ownership
• Inability to verify sustainability or ethical claims across supply chains
• Complex, siloed supply chains with inefficient record-keeping
• No way for consumers to authenticate products or trace their origin
• Emerging EU digital product passport regulations requiring comprehensive lifecycle tracking
Why Traditional Systems Were Insufficient:
• Centralized databases prone to data tampering or inaccessibility
• High costs and limited scalability for per-product tracking
• No native mechanisms for immutable digital records or ownership verification
• Paper-based certificates and documentation easily forged
• Manual tracking systems cannot provide real-time, cradle-to-grave visibility
WHY BSV?
BSV as the Ideal Solution:
Gate2Chain explicitly chose BSV over other blockchains for Trace's digital product passport infrastructure due to its unique capabilities for creating and managing product digital twins at scale.
• No Cryptocurrency Required: Businesses pay for data storage in fiat currency (USD/EUR), eliminating volatility
• Massively Scalable Protocol: Essential for millions of product digital twins and lifecycle transactions per year
• Extremely Low Transaction Fees: Enables digital twin creation for every product at negligible cost
• Public Verifiability: Anyone can verify product authenticity and journey without special permissions
• Legal Compliance: BSV's design aligns with regulatory frameworks and enterprise trust requirements
• Data Integrity: Immutable, timestamped records provide tamper-proof product passports
• Stable Protocol: Unchanging infrastructure ensures product digital twins remain accessible for decades
Comparison to Other Blockchain Options:
When building IoT and digital twin solutions, Gate2Chain initially used Ethereum but found it "very expensive with backlogs." BSV's stable protocol, no native token requirement, and suitability for fiat use made it ideal for enterprise integration versus other chains' high fees, throughput limitations, and volatility.
SOLUTION ARCHITECTURE
Overview:
Trace is built on the Gate2Chain Suite and creates digital product passports using digital twin technology. Each physical product receives a persistent digital identity on the blockchain that tracks its complete lifecycle, providing provenance, authenticity, traceability, and ownership verification.
Key Components:
1. Digital Twin Creation - Product Identity
Digital twin generated for any physical product (watches, garments, food ingredients, etc.)
Unique identifier linking physical item to blockchain record via QR codes or NFC tags
Embedded metadata containing origin, specifications, certifications
Digital twin acts as comprehensive product passport
2. Data Logging - Lifecycle Tracking
Blockchain-stamped records for ownership, origin, and sustainability credentials
Each supply chain event creates an update to the product's digital twin
Creates "Metanet tree" showing complete product journey over time
Manufacturing, transportation, custody transfers, retail sale all logged immutably
3. Authentication & Verification
Consumers scan product to view complete digital passport
Verify authenticity, origin, ethical sourcing, sustainability claims
Anti-theft functionality: marking digital twin as stolen renders item useless
Similar to how stolen credit cards become ineffective
4. Integration Capabilities
Seamless connection with ERP and CRM systems via APIs
Dashboard for real-time monitoring and event logging
Wallet infrastructure for secure data management
Bridges business systems and consumer-facing applications
5. Compliance & Reporting
Automated compliance with EU digital product passport regulations
One-click generation of sustainability and ethical sourcing reports
Immutable audit trails for regulatory verification
Partner Roles:
• Gate2Chain: Blockchain integration, digital twin infrastructure, tokenization platform
• IBM: Co-development partner providing enterprise-grade integration, architecture design, and global reach
• Studio Plus: Extension to sports industry audiences and fan engagement
IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS
Integration with Legacy Systems:
Gate2Chain Suite's standardized APIs enable seamless integration without disrupting existing workflows. Businesses onboard via user-friendly platforms (Storynvalue.com for SMEs, Tracestamp.net for enterprises).
Initial Rollout:
• Luxury Fashion: Pilots with designer Cortana creating digital product passports for high-end garments
• Culinary Excellence: Demonstration at VIP dining experience with Michelin-starred chef Ollie Dabbous (May 2023)
• Real-world Validation: Five-course tasting menu where diners traced ingredient journey from farm to table
USE CASE: LUXURY FOOD TRACEABILITY
The Challenge:
High-end diners and conscious consumers want verifiable proof of ingredient origin, quality, and ethical sourcing - not just claims on a menu.
The Digital Product Passport Solution:
At a London dinner hosted by Calvin Ayre and curated by chef Ollie Dabbous (co-founder of HIDE restaurant), Trace demonstrated digital product passports for luxury ingredients.
Implementation:
• Digital twin created for each ingredient used in five-course menu
• Ingredients sourced from local producers known for seasonal, sustainable practices
• Each digital product passport contained:
Origin farm and producer information
Harvest date and agricultural methods
Transportation route and conditions
Quality certifications and authenticity verification
Complete supply chain timestamps
Results:
• Diners scanned QR codes to view complete ingredient journey
• Verified origin and authenticity in real-time
• Demonstrated farm-to-table transparency with cryptographic proof
• Proved viability for luxury food, hospitality, and retail sectors
As Jessica Jaume explains: "Trace provides provenance, authenticity, traceability and ownership value. It helps companies improve and prolong their relationship with consumers, increase the value of their products, and enhance their brand recognition."
OUTCOMES & BUSINESS IMPACT
Quantifiable Improvements:
• Elimination of counterfeit-related revenue loss (e.g., securing $1.2M watches through authentication)
• Increased consumer trust in ethical sourcing and sustainability claims
• Streamlined compliance with emerging EU digital product passport regulations
• Enhanced brand value through transparent supply chain visibility
• Operational efficiencies from automated tracking and reporting
Before vs. After Metrics:
Before:
Manual documents and paper certificates (easily forged)
Unverifiable sustainability and sourcing claims
No real-time product location or condition tracking
Consumers unable to authenticate products
Weeks to compile supply chain documentation
After:
Immutable blockchain certificates with cryptographic proof
Real-time data synchronization across supply chain
Complete digital product passport accessible via QR scan
Instant consumer authentication and verification
One-click compliance reporting and audit trails
Stakeholder Feedback:
Dr. Agata Slater (IBM): "Trace offers seamless integration with ERP or CRM systems, enabling the creation and updating of Digital Twin data. With an integrated approach, the application acts as a central hub, bridging the gap between business systems and consumer applications."
Enterprises using Trace report operational efficiencies, enhanced brand value, and stronger consumer relationships through transparent product passports.
CHALLENGES & MITIGATIONS
Challenges:
• Changing misconceptions about blockchain requiring cryptocurrency
• Integrating blockchain into legacy systems without disrupting workflows
• Educating brands and retailers about digital product passport benefits
• Scaling to handle millions of products across diverse industries
Mitigations:
• BSV's fiat compatibility and no native token model eliminated volatility concerns
• Gate2Chain Suite's APIs and SDKs ensured seamless back-end integration
• Real-world demonstrations (Ollie Dabbous dinner, Cortana fashion) proved concept viability
• User-friendly onboarding platforms simplified adoption for SMEs and enterprises
• IBM partnership provided enterprise credibility and global reach
FUTURE VISION
Expansion Plans:
• Rollout to art, automotive, pharmaceutical, and real estate sectors
• Cross-border traceability for global supply chains
• Wider adoption as EU digital product passport regulations expand
Additional BSV Functionalities:
• NFT tagging for premium collectibles with resale royalties
• Micropayment support for pay-per-use scenarios or usage tracking
• Smart contracts for automated compliance enforcement
• Secondary market integration enabling tracked resales with brand commission
• Integration with circular economy initiatives tracking products through end-of-life recycling
Digital Product Passport Ecosystem:
As digital product passport regulations expand across the EU and globally, Trace provides ready infrastructure for compliance. Trace enables any industry to create verifiable digital identities for products.
TESTIMONIAL HIGHLIGHTS
"Trace brings certainty. Trace adds value. It provides provenance, authenticity, traceability and ownership value."
— Jessica Jaume, Operations and Business Development Manager, Gate2Chain
"We believe solutions like Trace can drive trust and traceability across industries."
— Dr. Agata Slater, Business Transformation Consultant, IBM
"If an item is stolen, marking the digital twin as stolen renders the item useless to the thief, much like a stolen credit card becomes ineffective."
— Bart Olivares, CEO, Gate2Chain
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