DORA and Compliance for Multi-Country Blockchain Payment System

Question

I'm a developer working on a blockchain-based payment system that will be used in multiple EU countries. Given the regulatory landscape, how does DORA affect our project, and what specific compliance measures should we be planning for?

Executive Summary

In developing a blockchain-based payment system for use across multiple EU countries, understanding the implications of the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) is essential. The following key points summarize what your project must consider for DORA compliance:

  • DORA’s Regulatory Scope: Your payment system may be categorized as a ‘financial entity’, particularly if it functions as a crypto-asset service provider, necessitating adherence to DORA’s stringent guidelines for digital operational resilience.
  • Resilient Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Framework: There must be robust internal governance to manage ICT risks, requiring continuous monitoring, control, and updating of ICT systems, protocols, and tools.
  • Incident Management Protocols: A comprehensive incident management process is mandatory, including detection, management, and structured reporting of ICT-related incidents, with clear responsibilities even when outsourcing this function.
  • Third-Party Risk Management: Integrating third-party ICT service provider risk management into your overall risk framework, while developing exit strategies for potential provider failures, is crucial.
  • Continuous Testing and Reporting: Regular digital resilience testing and transparent incident reporting to users are essential components of compliance, emphasizing a proactive and accountable approach to operational integrity.

By incorporating these compliance measures into your system’s foundation, your project can align with the EU’s regulatory standards and cultivate durable digital resilience.

Assumptions

  1. Scope of the Payment System: The blockchain-based payment system is assumed to be a complex system with functionalities that may impact the financial sector and potentially fall under the category of financial entities as addressed in DORA.
  2. Targeted Users and Entities: It is assumed that the system will be available to both consumers and financial institutions.
  3. Interconnectedness with Financial Entities: The payment system is assumed to be designed to interact with other financial systems and entities within the EU.
  4. Data Handling: It is presumed that the system will handle financial transactions, which may involve processing personal data and sensitive financial information.
  5. Jurisdictional Presence: We will assume that the developer has or plans to have a legal entity established within the EU, making DORA’s provisions directly applicable to the project.

PDF Repository

We have searched through the PDF repository of draft EBA and ESMA guidelines, draft technical standards, and other documents to provide this supplemental answer.

Details

In this supplemental response, we examine additional pertinent information that complements our prior analysis on how the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) may affect your blockchain-based payment system in the EU. We provide expanded insights and considerations to aid in your strategic planning and compliance efforts in accordance with DORA and related EU regulations.

Legal trace

Given the irrelevance of the suggested excerpts, as noted in the legal assistant’s assessment, we will not include them in our supplemental answer. Instead, we focus on providing new information to address further considerations for compliance with DORA.

Identifying Additional Guidance from European Supervisory Authorities

We explored sources beyond DORA to identify relevant EU guidelines related to ICT risk management that may impact blockchain-based payment systems.

Reviewing Implementation Dates and Transitional Provisions

Our research did not uncover implementation dates or transitional provisions, outside of those mentioned in DORA, that would require direct reference in this context.

Analysis of Local Implementation Variances within EU Countries

Our review revealed no specific local variances in the implementation of DORA’s requirements by EU member states that would require quoting at this time; however, it remains crucial to monitor local developments as the regulatory landscape evolves.

Best Practices for Engagement with Regulators

Unfortunately, no specific excerpt available to us outlines the best practices for engaging with financial regulators in the EU on new fintech developments, but we advise maintaining strong communication channels with relevant regulatory bodies.

Insights into Upcoming Regulatory Changes

As such legislative processes are dynamic, we have no quotes at this stage to share regarding forthcoming regulatory changes. Staying informed through official EU channels and fintech regulatory updates is advisable.

Additional External Resources for Compliance Strategy Development

No specific excerpts are available that list external resources. Nevertheless, seeking partnerships with compliance consultants, legal experts, and technical advisors who specialize in EU financial regulatory matters can be beneficial.

In lieu of quoting the excerpts, over which we’ve established there is no added benefit, we’ve instead sought to expand our guidance in a way that can further your understanding and readiness for navigating the digital operational resilience regulatory framework within the EU. We advise continued diligence in staying abreast of the evolving regulatory context and consulting with specialized experts where necessary to ensure the compliance and success of your blockchain-based payment system.