The legality of blockchain registration can vary depending on the jurisdiction. In some places, blockchain records are starting to be recognized as legal evidence, although this area is evolving. However, there is a growing trend toward recognizing blockchain as a valid tool for verifying ownership and authenticity of works.

Different countries and regions are exploring or developing legal frameworks that recognize blockchain’s ability to verify ownership and authenticity. The European Commission has acknowledged the importance of legal certainty and strongly supports the existence of EU-wide norms for blockchain to avoid legal and regulatory fragmentation.

Moreover, courts, legislators, and Intellectual Property (IP) organizations worldwide have been tasked with adapting existing legal frameworks to new forms of distribution and exploitation of intangible assets to ensure their effective protection.

Consequently, the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has adopted new technologies like blockchain to enhance its work and the services it offers to users. Currently, at least ten European IP offices have adopted blockchain registration, making it one of the leading public sector IP systems based on blockchain.

While large-scale legal applications may pose various obstacles (such as issues related to applicable legislation and competent jurisdiction, data security, and privacy), in the context of IP-intensive industries, blockchain, and related technologies for creating distributed records offer clear possibilities for IP protection and registration, as well as a means of evidence, both at the registration phase and in courts.

Possible applications include:

- Proof of authorship and origin authentication;

- Registration and management of rights;

- Control and tracking of rights distribution;

- Proof of effective use or first commercial use;

- Electronic management of rights;

- Establishment and enforcement of IP agreements, licenses or exclusive distribution networks through smart contracts;

- Real-time payment transmission to IP rights holders, among others.

Registering your work on ArtSigna can be a useful first step in establishing proof of authorship and creation date. However, it is essential to complement this registration with the work's inscription at the corresponding Copyright Office and to partner with Collective Management Organizations (CMOs).

By having a clear and verifiable record of ownership of a work, artists can have more control over how their work is monetized. This could include direct sales, licenses, or even the creation of smart contracts to manage rights and income automatically. However, it is important to understand that ArtSigna does not collect royalties.

Although ArtSigna is designed on the Bitcoin blockchain and Bitcoin was not initially designed to execute smart contracts in the way Ethereum does, solutions like RSK (Rootstock) allow the execution of smart contracts on the Bitcoin blockchain. RSK is a Bitcoin sidechain that introduces a smart contract execution model similar to Ethereum's. Other solutions like Simplicity, RGB, and Omni Layer also allow the creation and execution of smart contracts on the Bitcoin blockchain.

Part of our challenge as a platform is to integrate this technology into Collective Management Organizations. Currently, we are in dialogue with these entities for implementation. We recognize that this process can take time and is part of a paradigm shift towards a more efficient and transparent music industry. We firmly believe that integrating ArtSigna with Collective Management Organizations will offer significant benefits in both copyright protection and the management and distribution of income generated by works.

ArtSigna, by using the Bitcoin blockchain, provides a robust and decentralized platform for the registration and traceability of musical works. This technology facilitates the creation of immutable unique identifiers for each work, which can serve as a reliable reference for Collective Management Organizations.

The decentralized and secure nature of the Bitcoin blockchain provides a verifiable and transparent source of information that can be invaluable for Collective Management Organizations. Additionally, ArtSigna could explore strategic partnerships with these organizations to enable a smoother data flow and technological integration that benefits both parties. The possibility of automating processes through smart contracts can also simplify rights management and reduce associated time and costs.

Moreover, ArtSigna could collaborate in developing specific hardware and software to facilitate the identification and management of works. For example, developing AI-based systems that can interact with both ArtSigna's platform and the Collective Management Organizations' systems will enable more efficient and accurate rights verification and management. AI can be used to analyze and compare registered musical works, facilitating the identification of potential rights infringements and aiding in dispute resolution. Additionally, creating interfaces or APIs that allow effective communication between ArtSigna and Collective Management Organizations could simplify processes and reduce management times, allowing for a faster and more effective response to the needs of music creators and market demands.