Blockchain-enabled Autonomous Supply Chain Management: A Multi-agent Reinforcement Learning Approach with Dynamic Smart Contract Optimization

Abstract

Global supply chains today operate in an environment marked by unprecedented complexity, interdependence, and susceptibility to both market and operational disruptions.Traditional supply chain management systems, which rely heavily on centralized coordination and rigid contractual structures, often fall short in providing the transparency, adaptability, and resilience demanded by modern logistics ecosystems.This paper introduces a novel, decentralized framework that synergistically combines blockchain technology, multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL), and dynamic smart contract optimization to achieve autonomous and adaptive supply chain operations.In the proposed architecture, each stakeholder in the supply chain-ranging from raw material suppliers to end retailers-is modeled as an intelligent agent capable of perceiving its environment, learning from historical outcomes, and making optimized decisions in real time.The agents interact and transact over a permissioned blockchain network, ensuring transparency, data immutability, and trustless collaboration.Smart contracts govern the terms of these interactions and are designed to be dynamically adaptable, adjusting key contractual parameters such as pricing, delivery schedules, and penalties based on real-time environmental inputs and the evolving strategies of agents.By integrating MARL into the decision-making loop, the system continuously improves coordination and performance across the supply chain.Simulation results across a multi-tier supply network demonstrate that this framework significantly outperforms traditional models, achieving:  Up to 34% improvement in cost efficiency,  47% reduction in contract breaches, and  Faster convergence of agent policies leading to more robust and scalable autonomous operations.The results underscore the potential of blockchain-enabled autonomous systems in redefining supply chain resilience, agility, and operational intelligence.