System and method for organizing operation of a client-directed distributed network and a node and a client in a client-directed distributed network

A method for operating a node on a distributed network, the node executed on a computing device, the method comprising:

• receiving a state transition request associated with a client on the distributed network;
• evaluating the validity of the request received from the client;
• where the request is valid, changing a state associated with the client to a pre-commitment state, and communicating a signed acknowledgement that the request has been validated to the client;
• receiving, from the client, collated acknowledgements from at least a predetermined number of nodes;
• and
• advancing the state associated with the client from the pre-commitment state to a next state.

A method for operating a client on a distributed network, the client executed on a computing device, the method comprising:

• where the client desires to transition a state associated with the client, communicating a request for state transition to nodes on the distributed network;
• received a signed acknowledgement that the state transition request has been validated from a plurality of the nodes;
• where signed acknowledgments have been received from at least a predetermined number of nodes, collating the signed acknowledgments received from the plurality of nodes;
• and
• communicating the collated acknowledgements to the nodes to advance the state associated with the client to a next state.