Abstract:
Current software licensing models exhibit shortcomings
in transparency, security, and adaptability. Addressing these
challenges, this study presents a novel blockchain-based licensing
system using the Ethereum platform. By employing smart contracts
and the ERC721 and ERC20 token standards, the system
ensures automated, transparent, and secure license agreement
enforcement and facilitates license token operations. Influenced
by the rise of subscription licenses and the implications of the
UsedSoft court decision, the research designs a blockchain-driven
subscription license model, analyses the UsedSoft case’s impact
on license transfers, and formulates specialized smart contracts
for varied licensing models. The approach signifies a marked
advancement in contemporary software licensing practices.
