Edma Case Study
Why this case exists
We wanted to prove, with a real shipment and real money, that trade can be run on one simple rule: pay only when proof lands. The gloves program is a clean, familiar lane—containerized FMCG, predictable milestones, and clear evidence at every step—so it’s the right place to show how the rail works end-to-end.
Who’s involved
A German national retailer needed 100×40′ containers of Edma Safe Plus Nitrile gloves delivered to multiple DCs. Two of our verified manufacturers covered the order (a fractional fill), and the buyer set the payout plan up front. Total value: $6.6M CIF. The whole deal ran through EDMA’s trade rail: one request, one award, one contract, one pool of money set aside—then release on proof.
The “old way” we replaced
Traditionally this program would run on emails, PDFs, and a Letter of Credit. Cash would sit for 60–90 days, financing costs would stack on both sides, and quality disputes would surface only after boxes were already moving. Everyone carried risk; nobody had a shared timeline.
Aspect
Traditional LC
EDMA Platform
Pre-shipment Financing
$25–50k (6–10% APR)
$0 (EDSD liquidity)
LC Confirmation Fees
$33–66k (0.5-1% )
0 (no LC)
Discrepancy/Amendment Fees
$3–5k
$0
Early Network Spend Fee
N/A
Optional only if used (visible on ledger)
Total Seller Cost
$60-90k typical
Lower by design (cash on milestones; no LC friction)
LC Issuance/Handling Fees (Buyer)
$99–145k (1.5–2.2%)
$33,000 (0.5% platform fee, prepaid)
Margin Blocked (Buyer)
$1.3–3.3M (20–50%)
$0 (prefund first milestone only; top-ups by gate)
Carbon Buyer-Side Fee
N/A
$180 (2% of offsets)
Effective Total Buyer Cost
$6.750-$6.835M
$6.633M (=$6.600+$33l fee + optional $180 ESG fee)
What changed with EDMA
We turned the process into four straight steps you can read like a story:
Ask once (B1). The buyer posts a single RFQ with what they need and the evidence they will accept at each stage—Ready, Inspected, On-board & sealed, Customs cleared, DC receipt & QA. Suppliers bid with price, capacity, and a proof plan.
Award once (B2). The buyer selects one or several suppliers; EDMA builds one contract (MPA) that carries the spec and the evidence checklist word-for-word.
Fund once (B3). The buyer wires the full amount and pre-pays the fee. EDMA creates a 1:1 on-platform balance and pre-assigns exact slices to each supplier and each milestone. Funds are visible but locked; suppliers can assign “funded on proof” credits to verified carriers/inspectors inside the platform, but cannot withdraw off-platform until their schedule is complete.
Proof moves money (B4). When a milestone passes, EDMA mints an EMT and the linked slice pays the same day. If something’s off, the stage shows a plain-English reason and the money waits. No EMT, no funds.
How fees and burns were handled
Fees were paid up-front at funding (buyer could pay in EDM or USD). EDMA then posted the burns at each milestone: for every release, 50% of that stage’s fee was removed from supply on-chain and logged with a hash; the other half supported attestors, network ops, builders, and ecosystem. Caps per tranche kept fees enterprise-friendly while tying burns to real work.
Key Benefits & Insights
Seller Savings: $90–120k saved on financing and fees
Buyer Savings: $99–145k saved on fees and no blocked liquidity
Liquidity Freed: No margin block for buyers; capital is available for other uses
Carbon Market Access: Households earn $9,106 from carbon credits, enabling direct participation
Platform Revenue: $96,534 generated by EDMA (platform, cashout, carbon, and early spend fees)
Deflationary Tokenomics: 73,016 EDM tokens burned, increasing long-term value for all participants
How to read the rest of the case
The next pages walk the same order through B1 → B4, showing screens, receipts, fee caps in action, and the public burn and carbon entries. If you remember one line as you go, make it this:
Agree once. Fund once. Pay only on proof. — No EMT, no funds.
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