Dec 23, 2025·Proceedings of the ... Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences/Proceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences
Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) integrate blockchain-based automation with novel forms of collective governance, yet research on them remains fragmented across technical and organizational silos, hindering a comprehensive understanding of DAOs as socio-technical systems. To bridge these gaps, we first conduct a systematic umbrella review of 12 prior surveys to map research themes and persistent gaps. Based on this analysis, we propose a novel, three-layer framework that explicitly links (i) technical artefacts (the infrastructure, e.g., tokens, smart contracts), (ii) governance logics (the rules, e.g., incentives, consensus mechanisms), and (iii) organizational manifestations (the outcomes, e.g., proposals, votes). By making cross-layer dependencies explicit, the framework enables more holistic theorizing, supports comparative empirical work, and provides a diagnostic tool for practitioners dealing with design trade-offs between decentralization, efficiency, and participation.
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) enables financial services to operate without centralized intermediaries, using smart contracts and blockchain consensus to ensure transparency and trust minimization. While DeFi protocols like Aave and MakerDAO use overcollateralization to mitigate credit risk, this approach creates capital inefficiencies and limits access to borrowers lacking on-chain assets. This paper introduces Inverum, a novel DeFi lending protocol designed to support undercollateralized loans for Web3 businesses and Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs). Inverum integrates on-chain credit scoring via soulbound tokens, decentralized liquidity pools, and governance-driven incentives to enable trustless, reputation-based lending. The protocol offers a fully composable framework for exploring undercollateralized lending without relying on traditional identity or off-chain reputation systems, contributing a research-ready model for future experimentation and protocol design.
This study examines the intersection of cryptocurrency, terrorism financing, and sustainable economic practice, highlighting impacts on financial accountability and global security.While cryptocurrencies offer financial inclusion and innovation, their pseudonymous and decentralized nature also facilitates illicit activities like terrorism financing.Using Financial Liberalization and Illicit Financial Flows theories, the research employs qualitative thematic analysis with 12 experts from regulatory, technical, law enforcement, and academic backgrounds.Findings reveal cryptocurrencies' dual potential for abuse and benefits such as low transaction fees.The study calls for effective global regulatory frameworks, enhanced public-private collaboration, and advanced tools like AI and blockchain analysis to manage risks.It advocates a balanced regulatory approach that promotes transparency and harnesses cryptocurrencies' benefits while ensuring security, recommending harmonized regulations, cooperative task forces, regulatory sandboxes, and mandatory compliance audits.
This study examines the influence of social media influencers (SMIs), fear of missing out (FOMO), and financial literacy on cryptocurrency investment decisions among Generation Z in Indonesia. A quantitative approach was employed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Data were collected through an online questionnaire distributed to Gen Z respondents, using purposive sampling and yielded 366 valid responses. The findings show that SMI primarily shape early interest by disseminating information, while FOMO dominates Gen Z’s investment behavior, driving impulsive decisions. As a moderator, FOMO negatively affects investment decisions, with fear outweighing influencer recommendations. Financial literacy emerges as the strongest predictor, fostering rational evaluation and reducing reliance on external cues. However, it does not strengthen SMI’s effect, underscoring the interplay of emotional, social, and cognitive factors in Gen Z’s cryptocurrency investments. This study provides new insights by jointly examining SMI, FOMO, and financial literacy on cryptocurrency investment decisions among Gen Z in Indonesia, an underexplored contextual and interactional perspective.
The application of blockchain-based smart contracts within Islamic finance presents both opportunities and significant governance challenges. While these technologies promise enhanced efficiency, automation, and immutability, their integration into Shariah-compliant financial instruments, such as Murabaha, Ijarah, and Sukuk, raises critical concerns regarding auditability, interpretive flexibility, and adherence to foundational Islamic legal and ethical principles. This study examines the tensions between automation and religious oversight by investigating how smart contracts intersect with Shariah governance and IT audit frameworks in Islamic financial institutions.Utilizing a qualitative multiple-case study approach, the research draws on semi-structured interviews with Shariah scholars, auditors, compliance officers, and blockchain developers across Islamic fintech ecosystems in Malaysia, Bahrain, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Thematic analysis, supported by document review, reveals systemic challenges in embedding ethical discretion and human oversight into immutable contractual code. Analytical framing is guided by established IT assurance frameworks (e.g., COBIT, ISO 27001) and Shariah governance standards issued by AAOIFI and IFSB.Findings highlight the emergence of "risk zones" where algorithmic rigidity, audit traceability limitations, and ethical ambiguity converge, potentially undermining religious compliance. In response, the study proposes a conceptual governance model that integrates technological assurance mechanisms with structured Shariah supervisory engagement. The findings contribute to the discourse on responsible FinTech governance in Islamic finance and offer practical implications for policymakers, auditors, and technology developers navigating the intersection of blockchain innovation and faith-based financial regulation.
Luca Pennella, Pietro Saggese, Fabio Pinelli, Letterio Galletta
Decentralized Finance (DeFi) applications introduce novel financial instruments replicating and extending traditional ones through blockchain-based smart contracts. Among these applications, DeFi derivatives protocols enable the creation and trading of decentralized derivative instruments whose value depends on underlying cryptoassets, indices, or other reference variables. Despite their growing significance, however, they remain relatively understudied compared to other DeFi protocols, such as lending protocols and decentralized exchanges. This paper systematically analyzes DeFi derivatives protocols, categorized into perpetuals, options, and synthetics, with the aim of comparing their instrument structures, protocol mechanisms, operational dynamics, and economic agents. We provide a formal characterization of the main classes of decentralized derivative instruments and develop a protocol-agnostic framework that connects instrument-level specifications, market-state variables, and protocol-level mechanisms. We complement the analytical framework with numerical simulations that evaluate how derivative positions evolve under varying economic conditions, including changes in underlying asset prices, volatility, protocol-specific fees, and leverage. Overall, this study provides a structured analytical framework for understanding and comparing the design and functioning of decentralized finance derivatives protocols.
Abstract The rise of Decentralized Finance (DeFi) has introduced new fundraising mechanisms for startups. This study examines the interplay between Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) and traditional entrepreneurial finance investors. Our findings document that while ICO funding amounts do not predict future funding success, prior business angel investment significantly increases the likelihood of securing follow-on funding. Co-investment by crypto funds during the ICO enhances follow-on funding opportunities, particularly for firms backed by hedge-style crypto investors. This research contributes to the entrepreneurial finance literature by examining how blockchain-based financing mechanisms integrate into the broader venture funding ecosystem.
This study examines the implementation of blockchain-based smart contracts in Islamic finance, focusing on the opportunities and challenges arising from their integration into contemporary financial systems. The scope of the research includes the technological characteristics of smart contracts, their compatibility with Sharia principles, and their potential applications across Islamic financial products such as sukuk, mudarabah, and murabahah. The main objective of this study is to analyze how smart contracts can enhance transparency, trust, and efficiency while identifying the legal, technical, and regulatory barriers that may hinder their adoption. Using a qualitative descriptive method supported by literature analysis from recent academic studies, regulatory reports, and case examples, this research evaluates both the transformative potential and practical constraints of blockchain technology in Islamic finance. The findings reveal that smart contracts offer significant benefits such as reduced transaction costs, improved compliance monitoring, and enhanced security. However, issues related to Sharia oversight, technological readiness, and regulatory frameworks remain substantial challenges. The study concludes that while blockchain-based smart contracts align with several objectives of Sharia, particularly transparency and justice, their widespread implementation requires collaborative efforts between technologists, Sharia scholars, and regulators to ensure both technological reliability and Sharia compliance.
Almost everyone has come across the concept of crypto-assets, or other synonyms for this phenomenon. It can be said that they have already become an integral part of everyday life in an era that is often referred to as the industrial (digital) revolution 4.0. A relatively long period has passed since the first crypto-assets were issued, and they are increasingly becoming more accessible to the general public, who do not even need to have investment experience to buy or sell them. This is also due to many other technological innovations, which are used in the competitive struggle for clients and make it possible to buy crypto-assets practically anywhere.
Nyoman Sri Subawa, Caren Angellina Mimaki, I Made Oka Mahendra, Made Srinitha Millinia Utami
Bitcoin halving is a quadrennial event that halves mining rewards and is believed to influence cryptocurrency prices and cryptocurrency market dynamics. This study examines the effect of Bitcoin halving on Cryptocurrency Prices, with Government Regulations, Market Sentiment, and Cryptocurrency Performance as mediating variables. A quantitative research approach was employed, gathering original data via survey instruments from 294 participants within the cryptocurrency community in Bali, which were analyzed using PLS-SEM. The findings indicate that Bitcoin halving exerts a favorable and statistically meaningful influence on Government Regulations, Market Sentiment, Cryptocurrency Performance, and Cryptocurrency Prices. Market Sentiment fully mediates the influence of Government Regulations and Cryptocurrency Performance on Cryptocurrency Prices, while Government Regulations and Cryptocurrency Performance partially mediate the effect of Bitcoin halving. These findings highlight that Cryptocurrency Prices are shaped by the interplay of technical, policy, and psychological factors, with strategic implications for investors, regulators, and developers.
This paper examines how the adoption of Bitcoin has affected financial inclusion, banking access, and economic activity in El Salvador, with a particular focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in underbanked regions. After El Salvador became the first country to recognize Bitcoin as legal tender in 2021, it created a unique opportunity to study how cryptocurrency functions outside of theory and within a real national economy. Using a mixed-methods approach, this research combines a review of academic literature, policy analysis, and media reporting with quantitative analysis of cryptocurrency market data and financial infrastructure indicators. The quantitative component includes correlation, regression, and predictive analysis of cryptocurrency price and transaction volume data, as well as an examination of Bitcoin ATM availability relative to population across major cities. These results are supported by qualitative findings that explore public adoption, SME experiences, and broader economic concerns such as volatility, infrastructure limitations, and financial stability. The findings suggest that while Bitcoin has expanded access to digital financial tools and introduced potential efficiencies in transactions, its impact on financial inclusion has been uneven, particularly in rural and underbanked areas. For SMEs, Bitcoin presents both opportunities and challenges, offering faster payments while also creating risks related to volatility, technical barriers, and implementation costs. Overall, this study highlights the mixed outcomes of cryptocurrency adoption in El Salvador and contributes to ongoing discussions about whether digital currencies can meaningfully support financial inclusion and economic development in developing economies.
In an age where the lines between finance and technology blur into an opus of digital evolution, The VDA & Crypto Convergence: Charting the Operational Pulse of the Global Crypto Exchange Ecosystem in 2025 dissects the metamorphosis of Virtual Digital Assets (VDAs) and crypto exchanges from experimental ventures to regulated pillars of modern finance. The study unveils 2025 as a watershed year- a "regulated renaissance"- where legislation such as the U.S. GENIUS Act, EU's MiCA, and Hong Kong's Stablecoin Ordinance transformed ambiguity into architecture. It examines how hybrid exchanges-the ingenious offspring of centralized speed and decentralized autonomy- symbolize the era?s financial duality, while AI-driven intelligence and tokenization redefine market participation and asset fluidity. Through the interplay of law, technology, and trust, this paper illuminates a future where the crypto economy ceases to be an outlier and becomes the central nervous system of global finance, balancing regulation and innovation like twin sails steering the same vessel through uncharted digital waters.
In decentralized finance (DeFi), designing fixed-income lending automated market makers (AMMs) is extremely challenging due to time-related complexities. Moreover, existing protocols only support single-maturity lending. Building upon the BondMM protocol, this paper argues that its mathematical invariants are sufficiently elegant to be generalized to arbitrary maturities. This paper thus propose an improved design, BondMM-A, which supports lending activities of any maturity. By integrating fixed-income instruments of varying maturities into a single smart contract, BondMM-A offers users and liquidity providers (LPs) greater operational freedom and capital efficiency. Experimental results show that BondMM-A performs excellently in terms of interest rate stability and financial robustness.
The digital transformation of finance and accounting is accelerating with AI, blockchain, and automation, reshaping financial operations, auditing, and compliance. This study conducts a thematic analysis of academic literature (2018–2025) and industry reports from PwC, Deloitte, EY, HSBC, and central banks to examine key trends. Six themes emerged: automation and efficiency, security and fraud prevention, decentralization, financial inclusion, regulatory challenges, and adoption barriers. Findings show that AI and RPA enhance financial reporting and fraud detection, while blockchain improves transparency and security but poses scalability and regulatory challenges. Decentralized finance (DeFi) and digital currencies like JPM Coin and the Digital Yuan are transforming transactions but raise concerns over compliance and illicit activity risks. Mobile banking and blockchain-based solutions improve financial inclusion, yet digital literacy and security risks remain barriers. Using NVivo-based thematic analysis, the study identifies key trends shaping the future of financial digitalization. While AI and blockchain drive efficiency, regulatory complexities and adoption barriers must be addressed for sustainable transformation. Future research should explore scalability, AI-enhanced compliance, and blockchain’s role in financial security.
Saiful Ruchiyat Cosahan, Ahmad Yunani, Asrid Juniar, Muzdalifah Muzdalifah
This Systematic Literature Review (SLR) analyzes 38 empirical studies published between 2015 and 2025 (sourced from Scopus and Sci-ScienceDirect) to map blockchain-based funding mechanisms in the context of venture capital (VC) and entrepreneurial finance. The review addresses four research questions concerning the evolution of these mechanisms, their impact on startup performance, and associated risks and regulatory challenges. The findings establish a robust taxonomy of mechanisms, including Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs), Security Token Offerings (STOs), and Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs), each presenting unique features and regulatory profiles. Crucially, the review highlights significant gaps in long-term performance data, revealing challenges related to investor protection, fraud risk, and regulatory uncertainty. By integrating Signaling Theory and Governance Theory, the study discusses how tokenomics and team credibility function as signals instead of traditional VC due diligence, presenting a critical comparison between token-based funding and traditional-al venture capital financing. This paper offers valuable insights for academics, policymakers, and industry practitioners by providing a com-comprehensive map of the field, suggesting avenues for future empirical research, and offering focused policy implications regarding regulation and investor safety in emerging markets.
This study investigates the long-run relationship between the net assets of Bitcoin spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and Bitcoin’s price. Using daily data from 11 January 2024 to 16 May 2025, we employ cointegration techniques—Fully Modified OLS, Dynamic OLS, and Canonical Cointegrating Regression—to test for a stable equilibrium linking these series. The empirical results indicate a strong positive association in the long run: periods of expanding Bitcoin ETF assets correspond to higher Bitcoin price levels. Cointegration is confirmed at the 10% significance level, suggesting that the ETF assets under management and the Bitcoin market price move together in a persistent equilibrium. These findings support the hypothesis that ETF-driven demand exerts a lasting influence on Bitcoin’s valuation. By highlighting a structural connection between regulated Bitcoin investment vehicles and the underlying cryptocurrency, the study provides timely evidence of how financial innovation can shape asset pricing in the digital asset market.
Rosario Violeta Grijalva Salazar, Jose Antonio Caicedo-Mendoza, Arturo Jaime Zuñiga Castillo, Erikson Olivas-Valencia · 5 authors
Taxation on cryptocurrency is becoming critical in global fiscal governance as digital assets adapt to the modern reality of existing outside of traditional regulatory constructs. Theoretical and practical understanding of cryptocurrency taxation is quite new, and so a systematic review was designed to present the most recent empirical research evidence on the legal, fiscal and behavioral aspects of cryptocurrency taxation from across the globe. Using the PRISMA-2020 guidelines, a structured search was applied to the Scopus database on 21 May 2025, with the search terms “crypto-currency”, “cryptoasset” and “taxation.” The inclusion criteria consisted of original research articles published between the years of 2020 and 2025 in English or Spanish, that could be accessed via institutional library support, and that were related to taxation, legal regulation and/or compliance. Out of the original identified 224 records, 36 met the eligibility criteria after screening and verification through seven different stages of review. Socially, five themes were produced by the findings: legal ambiguity surrounding fiscal treatment, limited tax literacy and compliance issues, macroeconomic and monetary issues, application of digital technologies for fiscal tracking, and environmental repercussions from crypto mining. Many countries do not have any coherent tax frameworks to govern the risk that emerges from cryptocurrency taxation, creating uncertainty for both regulators and investors. The findings outlined in this systematic review point to the urgent need for creating a coherent approach to cryptocurrency taxation based on definitions, digital approaches to traceability, and tax literacy compliance strategies. In order to create effective cryptocurrency taxation, there must be a base balance between ensuring innovation, fiscal responsibility, transparency, equity and sustainability in the developing digital economy.
Dan Alexandru Mitrea, Constantin Viorel Marian, Rareş Alexandru Manolescu
In many jurisdictions, property registration and transfers remain constrained by inefficient, paper-based processes that depend on multiple intermediaries and bureaucratic approvals. This paper proposes a decentralized, blockchain-based property platform designed to streamline these processes using Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) and artificial intelligence (AI) agents to modernize public-sector asset management. The work addresses the persistent inefficiencies of paper-based property registration and ownership transfer by embedding legal and administrative logic within smart contracts and automating compliance through an intelligent conversational interface. The system was implemented using Ethereum-based ERC-721 standards, React for the user interface, and Langfuse-powered AI integration for guided user interaction. The pilot implementation presents secure, transparent, and auditable property-transfer transactions executed entirely on-chain, while hybrid IPFS-based storage and decentralized identifiers preserve privacy and legal validity. Comparative analysis against existing national initiatives indicates that the proposed architecture delivers decentralization, citizen control, and interoperability without compromising regulatory requirements. The system reduces bureaucratic overhead, simplifies transaction workflows, and lowers user error risk, thereby strengthening accountability and public trust. Overall, the paper outlines a viable foundation for legally aligned, AI-assisted digital property registries and offers a policy-oriented roadmap for integrating blockchain-enabled systems into public-sector governance infrastructures.
The user-ownership model of Web3 commerce is widely viewed as a potential paradigm shift for the digital economy, yet its macroeconomic implications remain under-quantified within a unified, dynamic, and parameterized framework. This paper develops a tractable dynamic macroeconomic model of a “wealth flywheel” featuring two feedback channels. The income loop operates through profit-backed user rebates that raise income-equivalent purchasing capacity and stimulate consumption. The asset loop operates through consumption-driven profit and valuation growth, which expands household wealth under user ownership and feeds back into consumption via wealth effects. In a static setting, the paper derives a closed-form consumption multiplier and a corresponding stability condition. Aggregate consumption responds proportionally to an exogenous income impulse, and the system is stable if the combined strength of rebate-induced consumption feedback and wealth-effect amplification remains below unity. The static mechanism is then embedded into a global multi-period simulation framework with time-varying Web3 penetration, finite-horizon household deposit reallocation into consumption, and endogenous valuation paths. Using illustrative parameterizations, the paper simulates trajectories for global real GDP, equity market capitalization, household wealth, and inflation under neutral and aggressive adoption scenarios. The analysis further examines distributional implications when capitalization gains are directed toward user cohorts with higher marginal propensities to consume. The framework provides a parsimonious diagnostic for stability in mechanism design and contributes to macro-prudential discussions of self-reinforcing growth dynamics. Importantly, the analysis abstracts from collateralized borrowing, leverage, rehypothecation, and other financial intermediation channels. All amplification effects in the model arise from ownership structure and wealth effects rather than from credit-driven financial accelerators.
This study examines the growth trends of cryptocurrencies and their associated taxation policies, focusing on the unique technological advancements and regulatory frameworks shaping the market. Utilizing a systematic literature review methodology, this study synthesizes findings from academic and institutional sources to explore cryptocurrency growth and global taxation policies, the research investigates the adoption metrics of major cryptocurrencies and the comparative taxation policies across various jurisdictions. Findings reveal a substantial increase in cryptocurrency adoption driven by institutional investments and technological innovations. However, taxation policies vary widely, impacting investor behavior and market dynamics. This research contributes to understanding the interplay between cryptocurrency growth and taxation, providing insights for investors and policymakers.
Fintech plays an instrumental role in advancing global ESG objectives, leveraging a more inclusive, transparent, and accountable financial system. Our paper explores the occurrence of dynamic linkages between Fintech and ESG across various dimensions, examining how the strength of their interconnectedness drives the energy transition towards clean technology. Using daily data from 31st May 2018 to 1st August 2024, we apply a time-varying parameter robust Granger causality method coupled with quantile technique to provide the first attempt in the literature on the dynamic causal patterns between the strength of Fintech-ESG connection and Cleantech energy transition risk (CETR). We find asymmetry in the connectedness across different quantiles, with Fintech sectors acting primarily as shock transmitters, while most ESG indexes are receivers. The 2022 Russia-Ukraine conflict reduces the connectedness between Fintech and ESG, with minimal effects on spillover direction. Our results show a heterogeneous response to shocks in developed markets, while developing ones tend to react more homogeneously. Additionally, we find strong evidence of a time-varying causal relationship between Fintech-ESG connectedness and CETR, with the conflict exacerbating asymmetry, especially at the lower quantile. Recent trends suggest a modest resurgence in this connection, signalling a re-emergence of the Fintech-ESG connection influence on CETR. The impact of extreme events tends to taper-off over time, suggesting that the prolonged conflict-driven market environment may have stabilized sufficiently to restore Fintech's role in promoting ESG initiatives, thereby supporting the ongoing transition to clean technology. • Fintech sectors except Distributed Ledger transmit shocks, while most ESG stocks are receivers. • Developed ESG markets heterogeneously respond to shocks, unlike developing ones. • The 2022 Russia-Ukraine military conflict reduces connectedness between Fintech and ESG. • Strength of Fintech-ESG connection impacts CETR heterogeneously across the distribution. • Time-varying causality between Fintech-ESG connectedness and CETR under different market conditions.
This study examines the relationship between market efficiency and digital financial innovation in the context of global financial transformation over the past decade, when fintech, cryptocurrency, and Decentralized Finance (DeFi) have significantly altered price formation and information dissemination mechanisms. The main issue raised is whether the Efficient Market Hypothesis (EMH) theory remains relevant in the face of digital market dynamics characterized by high volatility, speculative behavior, and regulatory uncertainty. The objective of this study is to assess the impact of digital innovation on information efficiency, price transparency, and the stability of modern financial markets. The study used the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method, examining 15 scientific articles published between 2015 and 2025 from various academic databases. The findings indicate that digital technology increases access and speed of information distribution, but does not always result in consistently efficient markets. Crypto and DeFi markets have been shown to exhibit fluctuating efficiency due to price anomalies, information asymmetry, and weak regulation. Overall, the literature synthesis confirms that market efficiency in the digital era is dynamic and influenced by the interaction between technology, investor behavior, and governance quality. This study concludes that the EMH remains relevant as a basic framework, but needs reinterpretation to suit the complex and rapidly changing characteristics of digital markets.
This article analyzes the prospects and limitations of implementing blockchain technologies in the insurance industry, with a particular focus on the Russian market. The relevance of the study is driven by the sector's conservatism, rising fraud, pressure from digitalization, and demand for transparency. Despite blockchain's potential, its widespread adoption faces barriers: regulatory uncertainty, high costs, and mistrust among market participants. Therefore, the authors identify and categorize the technological, regulatory, and organizational limitations to the large-scale use of distributed ledgers in insurance. Particular attention is paid to assessing the prospects for adapting blockchain technologies to the Russian insurance market, taking into account its specific characteristics.
Ankenbrand, Thomas, Bieri, Denis, Ferrazzini, Stefano, Hoehener, Johannes
Tokenised money encompasses a broad range of digital monetary instruments issued on distributed ledger technology, including Central Bank Digital Currencys (CBDCs), deposit tokens, stablecoins, and decentralised protocol-based designs. Despite their shared monetary function, these instruments differ markedly in issuer structure, collateralisation, stability mechanisms, governance, and technological embedding, creating conceptual ambiguity. This paper proposes a concise taxonomy spanning twelve key design dimensions, offering a systematic framework for comparing heterogeneous forms of tokenised money. The taxonomy clarifies how different design choices shape monetary properties, risks, and policy implications, supporting clearer analysis and dialogue across academia, industry, and regulation.