The Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) and major telecoms firm Swisscom have developed an integrated, certified e-signature to legally authenticate blockchain-powered smart contracts. The news was reported by Swiss financial news outlet Cash today, Jan. 29.

According to the report, a prototype for an Ethereum (ETH)-based smart contract was created by an interdisciplinary team of lawyers and engineers from ZHAW, together with Swisscom. The prototype was then designed to include an interface with a Swisscom-developed e-signature service, which can be used to replace the handwritten signatures that are required from all contractual parties under Swiss law.

Once verified, the e-signature triggers the secure and automated fulfillment of the conditions of the smart contract — whether the transfer of assets or rights, various specified terms or the contract’s conclusion.

The solution is reportedly interoperable with multiple existing blockchain networks, including Ethereum, Hyperledger and R3’s Corda.

Credit: Cointelegraph