Credit Guarantee Schemes (CGSs) are crucial in mitigating SMEs' financial constraints. However, they are renownedly affected by critical shortcomings, such as a lack of financial sustainability and operational efficiency. Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLTs) have shown significant revolutionary influence in several sectors, including finance and banking, thanks to the full operational traceability they bring alongside verifiable computation. Nevertheless, the potential synergy between DLTs and CGSs has not been thoroughly investigated yet. This paper proposes a comprehensive framework to utilise DLTs, particularly blockchain technologies, in CGS processes to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness. To this end, we compare key architectural characteristics considering access level, governance structure, and consensus method, to examine their fit with CGS processes. We believe this study can guide policymakers and stakeholders, thereby stimulating further innovation in this promising field.

翻译：信用担保方案在缓解中小企业融资约束方面至关重要，然而其普遍存在财务可持续性不足与运营效率低下等关键缺陷。分布式账本技术凭借其带来的全流程运营可追溯性与可验证计算能力，已在金融与银行业等多个领域展现出重大革命性影响。尽管如此，分布式账本技术与信用担保方案之间的潜在协同效应尚未得到深入探究。本文提出一个综合性框架，旨在利用分布式账本技术（尤其是区块链技术）优化信用担保流程，提升运营效率与效能。为此，我们比较了访问权限、治理结构及共识机制等核心架构特征，以检验其与信用担保流程的适配性。本研究有望为政策制定者及利益相关者提供指导，从而推动这一前景广阔的领域的进一步创新。