Ready to Write Your Blockchain Business Case?
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Quick Answer
A blockchain business case requires 6 sections: Problem Definition (1 page — specific, business terms), Current State Cost (1-2 pages — CFO-verifiable numbers), Proposed Solution (2-3 pages — before/after format), Projected Financials (1-2 pages — NPV, payback), Risk Assessment (1 page), Implementation Plan (1 page). The most common reason business cases fail: vague problem definition and unverified cost numbers.
Section 1: Problem Definition (1 Page)
Describe the specific problem in business terms — not technical terms. "Our cross-border payment process costs $45 per payment, takes 10 business days, and requires 5 FTE for reconciliation" is a CFO-credible problem statement. "Blockchain will transform our payment infrastructure" is not.
Be precise: Which process? Which costs? Which parties are affected? What is the annual frequency?
Section 2: Current State Cost (1–2 Pages, With CFO-Verifiable Numbers)
Document every cost component of the current-state problem:
| Cost Category | Annual Amount | Source/Verification |
|---|---|---|
| Direct transaction fees | $1,188,000 | Accounts payable data |
| Operations FTE (70% of $680K) | $476,000 | HR payroll allocation |
| Error remediation costs | $180,000 | Error log × remediation time |
| Working capital float cost | $144,000 | Finance: cost of capital × avg float |
| Total | $1,988,000 |
These numbers must be verifiable by Finance. If they are estimates, document the methodology clearly.
Section 3: Proposed Solution (2–3 Pages)
Describe what blockchain replaces or improves. Do not assume technical literacy. Use the "before and after" format:
"Before: Payment instruction from our treasury system → correspondent bank A → correspondent bank B → receiving bank. Timeline: 10 business days. Cost: $45."
"After: Payment instruction triggers USDC transfer on Hyperledger Fabric network. Payment confirmed in 4 minutes. Cost: $0.08."
Include a diagram of the architecture. Identify all participants in the network (internal teams, external counterparties who must join). Note regulatory compliance architecture.
Section 4: Projected Financials (1–2 Pages)
| Item | Amount | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Development cost | $284,000 | Year 1 |
| Annual infrastructure cost | $84,000 | Ongoing |
| Annual AML licensing | $48,000 | Ongoing |
| Annual savings | $1,794,000 | Beginning Year 1 |
| Year 1 net benefit | $1,510,000 | |
| Payback period | 1.9 months | |
| 5-year NPV | $7,800,000 | At 8% discount rate |
Section 5: Risk Assessment (1 Page)
| Risk | Probability | Impact | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Counterparty fails to onboard | Medium | High | Web portal + API option + onboarding support |
| Regulatory change | Low | High | Regulatory monitoring + architecture flexibility |
| Smart contract vulnerability | Low | Very High | Independent security audit |
| Key loss/compromise | Very Low | Very High | HSM infrastructure + multi-sig |
Section 6: Implementation Plan (1 Page)
Phased timeline: Discovery → Specification → Development → Pilot with 2 counterparties → Full rollout. Include milestones, owner, and success metric for each phase.