Bank Pekao Embraces Blockchain to Safeguard Polish Art and Culture

The second-biggest bank in Poland, Bank Pekao, is utilizing blockchain technology to safeguard the cultural legacy of the country. The bank has started an ambitious project called Archiv3, which aims to tokenize famous Polish artworks and guarantee their preservation for future generations, in collaboration with Aleph Zero.

Tokenizing Artworks for Future Preservation

The Archiv3 project focuses on digitizing valuable Polish artworks, including masterpieces by Jan Matejko and Stanisław Wyspiański. Tokenization, the process of converting physical assets into digital tokens on a blockchain, plays a key role. By turning these pieces into non-fungible tokens (NFTs), Bank Pekao makes it easier to track, store, and safeguard the country’s artistic treasures.

Using advanced 3D scanning technology, the bank creates detailed digital versions of the artworks. These NFTs are stored on Aleph Zero’s eco-friendly blockchain, which offers a secure and energy-efficient solution to ensure long-term preservation.

The digital artwork will be kept in the Arctic World Archive (AWA) in Svalbard, Norway, in addition to the blockchain. The AWA is renowned for protecting important scientific and cultural data from international organizations like the Vatican and UNESCO. According to Archiv3, this remote facility is designed to preserve data from hackers and natural calamities, thus strengthening the protection of Poland’s history.

Bank Pekao’s dedication to guaranteeing that these priceless pieces of art stay safe and accessible even in the case of major world tragedies is demonstrated by its use of blockchain technology and the Arctic World Archive. The bank thinks it can protect Poland’s cultural legacy for next generations by utilizing decentralized ledger technology.