i have the template provided and you will have to use the term project presentation to complete it.
Secure-Trade
CIS-5730 – Blockchain Applications
TERM PROJECT PRESENTATION
The money is stored in a digital wallet in the blockchain until two parties pass release or refund (Safe, 2026).
The same agreement promotes quick transactions, dispute resolution, and security against irresponsible players.
What is
Secure-Trade is a full-stack decentralized app that is based on a 2-of-3 multi-signature smart contract instead of the traditional escrow.
It aims at luxury resale and real estate closing high-value gap trust.
Secure-Trade
The project has proven to have secure payment logic, audit trails and is decentralized on the user interface. Target: less fraud, less fees and less time in closing.
The luxury resale market faces significant challenges that complicate the buying and selling process. One major issue is the prevalence of counterfeit items, which can deceive consumers and undermine the credibility of reputable sellers. Additionally, many products lack clear histories, making it difficult for buyers to verify the authenticity and condition of items before purchasing. This uncertainty is compounded by the high costs associated with third-party authentication services, which can deter potential buyers and sellers from engaging in transactions. As a result, the market must navigate these complexities to build trust and ensure a smoother exchange between parties.
The Problem
Real estate closings are often affected by wire fraud, identity spoofing, and manual escrow processes, which can delay settlement.
Both markets depend on intermediaries that can be deceived, delayed, or bribed, forcing buyers to trust off-chain assurances.
The latest statistics indicate that the world trades in counterfeit and pirated products worth hundreds of billions of dollars annually, particularly in the U.S.
Internet crime losses have reached unprecedented levels. Secure-Trade helps to bridge this mutual trust gap. Verifiable shared control is enhanced through multi-signature approval (OECD, 2025).
Products Platforms Languages
The smart contract code is developed in Solidity (0.8.x) and runs on the Ethereum Virtual Machine using the Sepolia test network.
MetaMask offers wallet functionality and transaction signing, while Infura supplies remote node access through the JSON-RPC protocol for blockchain communication.
In development, we use tools that allow for quick compilation and debugging. We rely on Remix, an easy-to-use web IDE, for building and testing smart contracts. We also use Hardhat to automate testing and deployment. This approach speeds up our development process and helps us quickly fix problems.
The development workflow utilizes Remix for quick compilation and debugging, and Hardhat for comprehensive testing. Projects are initially prototyped at no cost using Replit, and then deployed to the decentralized IPFS network through services like Fleek or 4EVERLAND. For interacting with the live blockchain, MetaMask is used as the wallet for signing transactions, while Infura offers the necessary remote node access through the JSON-RPC protocol.
How Secure-Trade Works
Secure-Trade operates under a clearly defined escrow process designed to ensure a smooth and secure transaction between buyers and sellers.
The seller starts by providing a detailed list of the asset, including its price and an IPFS content identifier that links to evidence files like a title packet or authenticity certificate.
Once the asset details are submitted, the buyer deposits the funds, which are locked in escrow as the buyer opens the escrow account.
Approval is needed from the buyer, seller, and arbiter. If any two parties approve the transaction, the contract automatically releases the funds to the seller. If both the buyer and arbiter reject the transaction, the contract returns the buyer’s funds promptly.
Every step in this process generates tracking events, ensuring transparency and accountability, as outlined in IPFS guidelines. This approach fosters trust and efficiency in the trading process.
There are three user roles that remain consistent across industries.
& Roles
Users
The arbiter examines IPFS documents and signs in agreement or disapproval, settling disputes without ever holding money directly (Kaggle, n.d)
The third key is the Arbiter: an authenticator of luxury, or title attorney or agent of real estate.
The Seller is a reseller or a property owner who makes delivery or paperwork prior to payment.
The Buyer is a high-end collector or a residential buyer that chooses something or real estate and escrows the funds.
Dataset
Secure-Trade is a simulator that utilizes two datasets to replicate real transactions. For real estate, we use a Kaggle property transactions dataset, which provides realistic property identifiers, locations, and purchase prices to complete the listings. The luxury data includes details such as brand, serial number, photos, and certificate records.
To handle large files, we use off-chain storage via IPFS (InterPlanetary File System), while the contract only retains a hash or CID (Content Identifier) of these files. This design is cost-effective, ensures that no personal data is stored on-chain, and can be easily repeated for demonstrations in class or online for grading purposes (Kaggle, n.d.).
Strategy
Hands-on Lab & Design
Task 3
Task 4
Write an escrow listing in this task; one chooses an asset in the dataset and stores its IPFS CID.
Perform the multi-signature flow: deposit, gather approvals and release or refund, and verify the results on Etherscan in live demo (Hardhat, n.d).
The hands-on lab is structured with four repeatable tasks for students.
Task 2
Create an initialization of the three roles through linking the accounts of the MetaMask buyer, seller, and arbiter.
Task 1
Implement SecureTrade.sol to Sepolia with Hardhat and note the contract address.
Demo A: Real Estate Flow
A demonstration of real estate involves a single record of a property, specifically an Arizona listing priced at 0.10 test Ether.
To start, open the DApp and select the role of Buyer. Choose the property ID and click on “Deposit” to lock in the funds.
Next, switch to the role of Arbiter. Open the IPFS title packet linked to this transaction and sign off on the approval to proceed on-chain.
Finally, release the funds to either the Seller or the Buyer to secure the second approval, then click on “Release.”
For transparency, you can view the Etherscan balances, the escrow state, and the transaction hash. Optionally, you may display a refund as well (Etherscan, 2023).
Demo B: Luxury Resale Flow
The luxury demo uses a digital item record that includes the brand, serial number, photos, and an authenticity certificate (CID). Buyers can connect their account and submit a deposit to activate the escrow process.
The arbiter (authenticator) then reviews the IPFS-stored certificate and images to verify the item. The arbiter can approve genuine items or reject those suspected to be counterfeit (Aura Blockchain Consortium, n.d.).
A second signature from either the buyer or seller is required to authorize a release of funds or a refund. The system is linked to provenance tracking and ownership transfer, as used in Aura Blockchain Consortium projects, with all related events displayed in the blockchain explorer.
Conclusion & Roadmap
Secure-Trade demonstrates a portable escrow protocol for high-value assets, leveraging on-chain approvals and off-chain evidence integrity.
During evaluation, performance will be measured by time to settlement, number of required signatures, and the success rate of refund versus payout processes.
To strengthen the production system, role verification, enhanced dispute-handling states, and comprehensive reentrancy and access-control testing will be implemented (IPFS, n.d.).
Additionally, Chainlink oracles* may be integrated to automate external validations—such as price feeds and registry signals—reducing reliance on human arbiters.
Smart contracts can be reviewed on Etherscan to promote transparency and trust at scale.
*Chainlink oracles are services that connect blockchain smart contracts to real-world data and external systems.
References
Aura Blockchain Consortium. (n.d.). Aura Blockchain Consortium: blockchain for luxury goods. Retrieved February 4, 2026.
Etherscan. (2023). Viewing transactions on Etherscan. Retrieved February 4, 2026.
Hardhat. (n.d.). Deploying to a live network (Sepolia). Retrieved February 4, 2026.
IPFS. (n.d.). Content Identifiers (CIDs) – Content addressing. Retrieved from:
Kaggle. (n.d.). Real Estate Property Transactions Dataset [Data set]. Retrieved February 4, 2026.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2025). Global trade in fake goods reached USD 467 billion, posing risks to consumer safety and compromising intellectual property.
Safe. (2026). Safe Docs. Retrieved from:
Solidity. (n.d.). Solidity documentation. Retrieved February 4, 2026.
Thank You
For Your Attention
