Registers of beneficial owners based on blockchain technology: Implications for the accounting profession
研究了区块链技术如何解决受益所有人中央登记的法律漏洞、信任和隐私问题，提升会计行业的反洗钱合规效率，并提出一个基于区块链的登记模型。
Central registers of beneficial owners are fraught with legal loopholes, and trust, privacy, and verification issues that devalue accountants' anti-money laundering compliance efforts. Yet, central registers have become important policy tools for governments in enhancing corporate transparency. We propose a blockchain-based solution that provides a more open, verifiable, and secure framework for registering beneficial ownership information, while ensuring greater transparency and trust. This paper examines the role of blockchain technology within registers of beneficial owners and highlights important implications for the accounting sector. We offer a fresh perspective into how blockchain technology supports company disclosure and contribute new insights into research on ‘digital trust’. This paper bridges the gap between the conceptual and real-world implementation of registers of beneficial owners and promotes a more nuanced understanding on how new digital infrastructures impact accountants' compliance responsibilities. • A beneficial owner is a person who own or controls assets or company interests. • Beneficial ownership transparency is crucial for uncovering corrupt wealth. • Central registers of beneficial owners pose legal, privacy and verification issues. • Blockchain offers an open, verifiable and secure way to register beneficial owners. • We propose a new theoretical model using blockchain for company registers.