Making care spending transparent
Sector: Quaternary sector · Industry: Care and social services · Organisation: ABC Research, OeNPAY, WU Wien und TwoNext · Maturity level: Concept
The Social Coin research project explored how third-party purchases in home-based long-term care could be documented securely, transparently and with data minimisation. A blockchain prototype connected care recipients, relatives and professional services through a shared accounting trail.
Documentation status
- Project status: Unknown (as of 30 September 2025) — According to WU Vienna, the research project ran from 1 July 2022 to 30 September 2025. A subsequent productive rollout is not documented in the evaluated primary source.
- Evidence: Evidence medium
- Editorial review: SapientBlock Redaktion, 17 September 2026
Description
In home long-term care, relatives, neighbourhood helpers or professional services often shop on behalf of a care recipient. Cash, individual receipts and different billing channels complicate oversight. Social Coin examined a shared digital documentation that makes expenses and authorisations traceable.
Social Coin was a research project on digitalisation and long-term care. The focus was on how purchases made by third parties can be billed securely and transparently when older or care-dependent people receive support in daily life. ABC Research led the project together with OeNPAY, WU Vienna and TwoNext. A blockchain-based prototype was examined that documents authorisations, expenses and proofs among multiple parties. Such an architecture can be useful when no single organisation should have full control over all data and processes. The public project page confirms research and prototype status as well as the duration until September 2025 but does not mention a rollout into regular operation or quantified impacts. The case is therefore classified as a concept or research prototype.
Benefits
General
- Transparent expenses
- Clear authorisations
B2B — organisations
- Unified billing trail
- Fewer receipt breaks
B2C — consumers
- Overview for care recipients and relatives
- Support for financial self-determination
Employees
- Structured documentation
Technology foundation
Authorised blockchain for role-based, traceable expenditure and receipt documentation in the care environment.
Implementation examples
Social Coin Konsortium
Documentation of delegated purchases in home care
Not published in the research project
Cash, distributed receipts and unclear responsibilities