Blockchains: a Systematic Multivocal Literature Review

Abstract

Blockchain technology has gained tremendous popularity both in practice and academia. The goal of this article is to develop a coherent overview of the state of the art in blockchain technology, using a systematic(i.e.,protocol-based, replicable), multivocal (i.e., featuring both white and grey literature alike) literature review, to (1) define blockchain technology (2) elaborate on its architecture options and (3) trade-offs, as well as understanding (4) the current applications and challenges, as evident from the state of the art. We derive a systematic definition of blockchain technology, based on a formal concept analysis. Further on, we flesh out an overview of blockchain technology elaborated by means of Grounded-Theory.