Blockchain assisted asset pedigree trackback

The application describes a method of generating a trace history or chain of custody document for an asset such as a pharmaceutical product. A request for the trace history of an asset is received from an originating participant via an intermediate participant in the custody chain. This request includes an identifier of the requestor, an identifier of the asset, an identifier of a parent transaction associated with another participant in the chain of custody, and a hash of these three pieces of data. The request is assigned an identifier and verified by interrogating a blockchain block corresponding to the requestor's identity with the hash. If the verification fails, the originating participant receives a rejection message. If the verification succeeds, a trace history document is generated. The trace history document includes the identifier of the asset, an identifier of the intermediate participant, and a disposition including an identifier of the next participant in the chain. The originating participant receives the generated trace history document and a hash of the generated document is stored on the blockchain in connection with the assigned request identifier.