IPnest: A Permissioned Blockchain Framework for Secure and Transparent Intellectual Property Management Using Hyperledger Fabric, NFTs, and IPFS

Abstract

Managing intellectual property (IP) in the digital age presents significant challenges, including unauthorized duplication, unclear ownership, and insufficient verification mechanisms. This paper proposes a blockchain-based framework that integrates Hyperledger Fabric, Interplanetary File System (IPFS), and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) to ensure secure, transparent, and tamper-proof IP management. Hyperledger Fabric serves as the permissioned blockchain platform, using the RAFT (Replicated And Fault-Tolerant) consensus protocol to achieve fast, fault-tolerant agreement with low latency and moderate resource consumption. IP assets are stored off-chain using IPFS, with their metadata encapsulated in NFTs for unique identification, traceability, and automated licensing via smart contracts. The system enables decentralized IP registration, verification, and transfer while preserving content integrity. Performance analysis shows that RAFT consistently outperforms PoW, PoS, and Clique in throughput, latency, and CPU usage, making it well-suited for high-performance enterprise applications. A cost breakdown also confirms the system's affordability and scalability. Finally, command-line validation demonstrates correct ledger operations and smart contract functionality. The proposed solution offers a practical and efficient alternative to traditional IP systems, with future improvements targeting enhanced access control and support for large-scale IP ecosystems.