Bergen County, New Jersey, is stepping boldly into the future of real estate management by partnering with blockchain startup Balcony to digitize and secure nearly $240 billion worth of property deeds. This groundbreaking initiative, announced on May 28, marks what Balcony describes as the largest blockchain-based property deed tokenization effort ever undertaken in the United States.
Under a newly signed five-year agreement, Balcony will work with the Bergen County Clerk’s Office to convert 370,000 property deeds into blockchain tokens using Avalanche’s cutting-edge blockchain platform. This transition will provide Bergen County — New Jersey’s most populous county, home to close to one million residents — with a transparent, tamper-resistant ledger spanning all 70 municipalities within its jurisdiction.
Bergen County holds a critical position geographically and economically, situated just across the Hudson River from Manhattan, New York City. The county generates roughly $500 million annually in property tax revenue, underscoring the significance of efficient and trustworthy property record management. Given the sheer volume and value of properties involved, the move to blockchain represents a revolutionary leap from the traditional paper-heavy, often cumbersome systems.
The project is supported financially by Blizzard, a venture capital fund specializing in Avalanche-based innovations. Balcony’s CEO, Dan Silverman, emphasized the transformative nature of the initiative: “This project is a turning point in how government records are managed. By leveraging secure, distributed blockchain technology, we are poised to replace outdated infrastructures and deliver real, measurable benefits to public agencies and the communities they serve.”
One of the key advantages of this blockchain integration is the dramatic reduction in deed processing times. Balcony estimates that tokenizing these deeds will accelerate processing by over 90%, drastically cutting down the bureaucracy involved. Moreover, the system promises enhanced security features, reducing the risks of title fraud, administrative mistakes, and disputes that have historically plagued land registries.
This effort is just the beginning for Balcony, which is actively working with other New Jersey counties such as Camden, Orange, and Cliffside Park to bring similar real estate record modernization to those regions. The need for these upgrades is highlighted by Orange County’s recent loss of nearly $1 million in municipal revenue due to incomplete or outdated property records — a clear example of the financial and administrative toll taken by legacy systems.
With Bergen County’s 370,000 deeds tokenized, New Jersey will have approximately 460,000 property deeds recorded on blockchain, making it a national leader in digitized land registry efforts. Balcony’s ambitions extend beyond the Garden State; the company is already eyeing expansion into other states and regions interested in bringing their real estate records into the 21st century with blockchain’s transparent and immutable ledger technology.
This project sets a precedent for how governments can harness blockchain to improve public service delivery, ensuring that millions of property owners benefit from faster transactions, stronger protection against fraud, and more reliable land ownership documentation.
As municipalities across the United States and beyond face growing demands for digital transformation, Bergen County’s initiative could serve as a roadmap, proving that blockchain isn’t just a tool for cryptocurrencies — it’s a powerful solution for long-standing administrative challenges in public governance.
