Overview
- Bank for International Settlements researchers published Working Paper No. 1374 describing the prototype on Sept. 2, 2026 and released the code in a public BIS repository.
- The system converts SDMX statistical files to SHA3-512 hashes, groups multiple hashes into a Merkle root, and records that root in an XRP Ledger transaction so users can check whether a file has been changed.
- Tests run on XRPL DevNet showed median publication latency of about three to five seconds and verification times of about one to two seconds under controlled conditions.
- The authors stress the software is an experimental, unmaintained proof of concept not meant for production, and major data publishers such as the IMF and World Bank did not take part in the tests.
- Before any institutional use the project would need work on governance, key management, handling revisions and compromised credentials, privacy limits for public ledger entries, and operational security.