Jauhar Abbas, Syed Shameel Ahmed Quadri, Adeel Ansari, Seema Ansari
This study examined the impact of blockchain integration on supply chain finance (SCF) performance, transparency, and trust. With traditional SCF systems facing challenges such as delayed payments, information asymmetry, and transaction inefficiencies, blockchain technology offers decentralized, immutable, and real-time data sharing capabilities to enhance financial operations. A quantitative cross-sectional research design was employed, and data were collected from 312 professionals working in manufacturing, retail, and logistics sectors. Descriptive analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM) were applied to assess relationships among blockchain adoption, SCF performance, transparency, and trust. Results indicated that blockchain adoption significantly improved SCF performance (mean = 4.08), transaction verification speed (mean = 4.02), and cost efficiency (mean = 3.95). Transparency increased as stakeholders accessed real-time and verifiable financial data (mean = 4.05), while trust among supply chain partners was strengthened (mean = 4.04) due to the system’s immutable and auditable records. These findings demonstrated that blockchain acts as a strategic enabler for enhancing operational efficiency, information sharing, and stakeholder confidence in SCF operations. The study contributes to theory and practice by providing empirical evidence of blockchain’s role in fostering performance and relational benefits in supply chains. Recommendations include strategic blockchain implementation, employee training, governance alignment, and continuous monitoring of performance metrics. Future research could explore cross-border adoption, integration with emerging technologies, and long-term impacts across different industries.
The global logistics sector is confronted with crucial data reliability challenges wherein traditional centralized systems have a 15-20% manual error rate and are highly susceptible to counterfeiting. In this regard, the current research proposes Sentinel, a decentralized supply chain tracking framework utilizing the Polygon Proof-of-Stake blockchain coupled with smart contracts in Solidity for granting immutability to data governance. It follows a hybrid architecture wherein on-chain cryptographic verification is coupled with MongoDB for high-speed off-chain data retrieval. Extensive performance testing was performed on a simulated supply chain network with 10,000 transaction cycles of creation, transfer, and delivery. It shows that Sentinel has been able to achieve 100% in data integrity, thus rejecting all 500 unauthorized ledger modifications attempted during security stress testing. In terms of efficiency, the proposed framework minimized data retrieval latency to less than 180 ms, which was an improvement of 92% compared to traditional decentralized architectures. Additionally, it minimized the transaction cost to roughly ₹0.45/unit, thus offering a cost reduction of about 99.9% compared to traditional Ethereum Layer-1 implementations.
Abstract The rapid evolution of computer technology is changing digital ecosystems, business processes, governmental operations, and how humans use computers to perform tasks. This paper is a comprehensive analysis of modern computer technology trends, including advancements in artificial intelligence; cloud computing; edge computing; the internet of things (IoT); 5G networks; blockchain; cybersecurity; quantum computing; emerging technologies such as immersive technologies and robots; big data; and sustainable computing. In this extensive review of how these advances work together to drive digital transformation, this paper synthesizes current research from academic literature with real-world applications of computer technologies from industry. The paper includes discussions regarding the emergence of generative AI and multimodal ML methods, explainable AI, and intelligent automation as new methods to generate better decision-making results and innovations within the business sector. It includes descriptions of multi-cloud/hybrid architectures, serverless computing, edge AI, and fog computing as ways to achieve low-latency scalable infrastructure; and ultimately describes use cases for using IoT with AI-enabled analytic platforms for smart cities; IIoT; and real-time data ecosystems. Cybersecurity subjects discussed in this paper include innovations such as Zero Trust Architecture, AI-based threat detection, and quantum-resistant cryptography. Emerging technology paradigms like blockchain-powered decentralized apps (DApps), Web3 environments, quantum algorithms, AR/VR/MR technologies, and smart robots are examined for potential to change organisations and challenges encountered during their adoption. 'Green computing' strategies are discussed in terms of developing low carbon power systems, creating carbon aware IT systems, and developing sustainable IT practices that reduce environmental impact. This study also explores advances in the fields of human computer interaction, accessibility technology, and ethical governance frameworks, with a focus on society's responsibility to develop inclusive and responsible technological products. The research has revealed multiple challenges that prevent sustainable technology development from progressing, including: scalability; interoperability; regulatory compliance; security threats; digital equity; and adapting to the workforce's new skill sets caused by this shift to sustainable technology. Therefore, developing sustainable technology will require multi-disciplinary co-operation; ethical guidance/path; strategic governance; and continuous innovation in technology development. By combining a technical assessment of IT technology along with a social perspective; an umbrella of knowledge will form to forecast how IT technologies will advance during the period referred to as the era of Intelligent Connected Systems.
Bayan Arab, Maizaitulaidawati Md Husin, Suzilawati Kamarudin
HRMARS - Blockchain is a promising, unique technology that enables decentralized, secure, and tamper-proof transactions. Blockchain technology is rapidly growing and being applied across various fields. Supply chain finance is an emerging financing model that optimizes financial flows between enterprises, as banks connect upstream and downstream entities. Traditional supply chain finance faces numerous challenges, such as double financing fraud and information asymmetry. Blockchain technology enhances the performance of conventional supply chain finance by improving the transparency and security of all financial transactions, thus elevating the quality of supply chain information. This improvement can lead to better overall supply chain performance and sustainability. Scholars have not thoroughly investigated the unique role of Blockchain technology in sustainable supply chain finance practices. This paper examines the effect of Blockchain-based supply chain finance systems on sustainable supply chain performance. The conceptual framework was developed based on the Resource-Based View theory (RBV) to underpin the role of Blockchain technology application in the supply chain finance to improve the supply chain performance. In addition, this paper investigates how Blockchain technology's trust and security features can enhance traditional supply chain finance practices, address challenges, and improve capital flow, ultimately contributing positively to overall supply chain performance. Finally, it emphasizes that the area of research on blockchain-based supply chain finance has potential for exploration.
The rapid growth of digital technologies has encouraged organizations to adopt management systems that prioritize transparency, security, and efficiency. Blockchain has emerged as a transformative innovation capable of reshaping conventional management processes through its decentralized and tamper-resistant architecture. This study analyzes the implementation of blockchain in enhancing transparency and security within management systems. A literature review approach was used to examine recent scholarly publications related to blockchain applications across various organizational settings. The findings indicate that blockchain significantly improves data integrity, prevents fraud, and strengthens accountability through distributed ledgers, cryptographic mechanisms, and smart contracts. However, challenges such as scalability limitations, infrastructure readiness, regulatory uncertainties, and limited technical literacy remain major obstacles. This study concludes that blockchain presents substantial benefits, but its effective implementation requires a comprehensive and strategic approach to ensure organizational readiness and long-term sustainability.
It is an exploration of a decentralized social media platform, which uses blockchain and Web3 technologies to scale up privacy, security, and trust within users. The architecture uses Next.js as the front-end, solido as the smart contracts, IPFS as a distributed storage, and Web3.js to connect with the blockchain. It introduces canonical social-networking features, including user registration, content upload, like, comment and share. Notably, it keeps ownership of data to users, unlike the traditional centralized social-media platforms. The irreversibility of blockchain together with encryption makes sure that the content cannot be altered and the information about users is not at risk of unauthorized access. The system eliminates the possibility of exploiting the central level of control and increases the level of transparency. The performance appraisals indicate that the suggested platform provides better privacy, higher data security, and user agency than the mainstream networks. However, the issues of scalability and mass user adoption are still present, and the research should be further developed. This paper highlights how blockchain will reinvent social media, creating a just, transparent, and user-centric digital economy. Altogether, the study advances the discussion on decentralized social networks and demonstrates that blockchain can improve the level of trust and data protection in the process of online communication.
Dr Mamata Jagannathji Rathi, Miss. Sanika Yogiraj Parankar
This research investigates the role of supply chain automation through the integration of Blockchain technology, Smart Contracts, and the Internet of Things (IoT). The study explores how decentralized ledgers can automate critical workflows, including instant payment release, real-time inventory reconciliation, and automated compliance auditing. By utilizing IoT sensors to feed environmental data into a blockchain-backed system, companies can trigger automated responses that reduce human error and operational overhead. The findings indicate that this transition accelerates "speed-to-market" and fosters a self-correcting, autonomous ecosystem capable of responding to disruptions in real-time. While the research acknowledges significant implementation barriers—such as high initial capital expenditure, cybersecurity risks, and the "SME gap"—it concludes that the evolution toward an automated, transparent, and green supply chain is essential for resilience. Ultimately, the paper argues that automation should not be viewed as a replacement for human labor, but as a tool to liberate workers for high-level system orchestration. This study provides a strategic roadmap for organizations navigating the shift from Industry 4.0 to a human-centric, sustainable Industry 6.0 framework
Abdullah Ayub Khan, Abdullah M. Baqasah, Majed Alsafyani, Hamed Alsufyani · 6 authors
The revolution in Blockchain Distributed Ledger Technology (BDLT) is changing conventional structures and creating previously unattainable opportunities across a variety of industrial fields. This study explores new developments, opportunities, and trends while tackling important issues that highlight the revolutionary potential of BDLT. For secure, automated, and dependable ecosystem management, it focuses on innovations like Denaturalized Finance (Defi), chaincode, and BDLT interface with the Internet of Things (IoT). The investigation of hybrid blockchain models, which combine the benefits of private and public blockchains, is a novel component of this research. It provides a customized strategy to guarantee improved scalability, privacy, and performance. Conversely, this study highlighted the critical function of Hyperledger, a modular framework that makes enterprise-level blockchain solutions possible. Thus, Ethereum is a flexible platform with strong chaincode capabilities that facilitate the creation of Distributed Applications (DApps). Such opportunities for advancements are evaluated closely in order to demonstrate how they contribute to practical uses and innovations unique to a given sector. To improve worldwide acceptance, the paper also presents Systematic Literature Review (SLR) in order to demonstrate the existing innovative frameworks, especially Hyperledger Technology (HT) for resolving constraints such as consensus protocols for energy efficiency and adaptive regulatory models. For technological experts, industrial developers, and third-party policymakers seeking to harness BDLT's disruptive capabilities while navigating its complexity, this paper offers new viewpoints and practical insights to help close the gap between theoretical innovation and real-world applications.
The rapid growth of blockchain technologies has enabled decentralized applications based on smart contracts and distributed consensus. However, the increasing number of attacks exploiting protocol logic and network dynamics highlights the limitations of traditional, static security mechanisms. This study proposes an adaptive cognitive security model based on a Q-learning agent to enhance the protection of blockchain protocols. The agent is designed to analyze transaction behavior, assess risk levels, and dynamically select appropriate countermeasures. The proposed approach is evaluated through a dual experimental framework combining large-scale simulation using SimPy and execution on a private blockchain environment implemented with Ganache. Experimental results show a detection rate of approximately 70%, no observed false positives, a response time close to one second, and a very low operational gas cost. These results demonstrate that reinforcement learning can effectively improve the adaptability and responsiveness of blockchain security mechanisms while preserving network performance and economic viability. The study confirms the potential of cognitive and adaptive approaches for building more resilient and autonomous blockchain security systems.
Araz Zirar, Abdul Jabbar, Hannan Amoozad Mahdiraji
Smart contracts (SCs), appended to a blockchain, protect digital environments and their resources, processes, and structures, reducing mismatches between legal and actual rights and ownership. They enhance digital resilience by improving transparency, traceability, and trust in digital transactions. Utilising SCs requires businesses to adapt their models, revenue streams, and customer relationships. For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), SCs present challenges, requiring proactive decision-making for their effective utilisation and the trade-offs involved. By employing the integrated multi-layer ISM-MICMAC-SWARA framework (Interpretive Structural Modelling, Cross-Impact Matrix Multiplication Applied to Classification, and Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis), we explain the complex interrelationships among the challenges and propose mitigating risk management strategies. We identify technical limitations and human errors as key drivers, confidentiality and manipulation as linkage challenges, and fraud and hacking as dependence challenges. These findings highlight the interconnected nature of the challenges and their impact on SMEs, and we emphasise the need for targeted resilience strategies. Our research highlights the global dimension of SC adoption. When deploying SCs, SMEs must navigate international regulations, cross-border transactions, and cultural diversity. This global perspective informs smart contracts’ strategic, business, and organisational aspects. Our findings offer insights for academics, industry leaders, managers, and policymakers seeking to understand the potential and risks of adopting SCs in SMEs.
The rapid advancement of the Internet of Things (IoT) has led to the creation of large-scale interconnected networks of smart devices capable of autonomously collecting, processing, and exchanging data in real time across diverse application domains. While this development offers significant benefits, it also introduces critical challenges related to data security, privacy protection, interoperability, and the increasingly complex governance of distributed IoT systems. Traditional centralized governance approaches often fail to address these issues effectively due to single points of failure, limited transparency, and insufficient trust mechanisms. The integration of blockchain technology into IoT ecosystems provides a promising alternative by leveraging decentralized architecture, immutable ledgers, transparency, and tamper-resistant features that enhance accountability and trust. This study aims to identify and design an appropriate governance model for blockchain-integrated IoT systems that balances security, operational efficiency, and decentralization. The research adopts a conceptual and qualitative approach through a systematic literature analysis and the synthesis of existing governance, blockchain, and IoT frameworks to develop a structured governance model. The proposed framework defines institutional roles, policy structures, decision-making processes, and control mechanisms among participating entities. The results demonstrate that a blockchain-based governance model enhances system security, operational efficiency, and inter-organizational trust by reducing reliance on centralized authorities and improving data integrity. In addition, the use of smart contracts enables automated policy enforcement, transparent coordination, and sustainable system operations, supporting scalable and resilient governance for future blockchain IoT ecosystems.
This study systematically examines the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in addressing the persistent challenges of blockchain technology across protocols, smart contracts, and distributed ledger management. Although blockchain offers decentralization, immutability, and transparency, its broader adoption remains constrained by scalability limitations, security vulnerabilities, inefficient consensus mechanisms, and the complexity of contract design and auditing. The findings of this review demonstrate that AI provides promising solutions to these barriers. Reinforcement learning (RL) applied to Proof-of-Stake reduced consensus latency by 30-50%, while NLP-based smart contracts lowered vulnerabilities by up to 40%, though both approaches introduced new concerns related to energy overheads and auditability. In addition, intelligent algorithms enhance ledger efficiency and data analytics, supporting more scalable and secure transaction processing. Drawing on 28 peer-reviewed studies published between 2018 and 2024, and guided by the PRISMA 2020 framework, this paper synthesizes state-of-the-art research, maps sector-specific applications in finance, healthcare, and supply chain management, and highlights unresolved gaps in ethics, reproducibility, and regulatory compliance. Notably, only 12% of the reviewed studies validated their approaches on live networks underscoring the gap between simulation-driven research and real-world deployment. The discussion culminates in the AI–Blockchain Interaction Model (AIBIM), a conceptual framework that systematizes synergies across consensus, contract, and application layers. By integrating empirical insights with critical evaluation, this work emphasizes the interdisciplinary nature of AI–blockchain research and provides actionable directions for advancing decentralized, scalable, and ethically aligned systems. This synthesis provides actionable insights for developers, regulators, and researchers in deploying AI-blockchain systems across finance, healthcare, and supply chains.
Sabam Parjuangan, Suhardi -, I Gusti Bagus Baskara Nugraha
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) require secure, efficient, and low-cost digital transaction systems. However, many blockchain-based platforms are designed for large-scale applications and impose significant computational overhead, making them unsuitable for resource-constrained SMEs. This study proposes a lightweight smart contract blockchain platform tailored for SME-scale service environments. The system implements a modular smart contract architecture integrated with a lightweight blockchain and automates key transactional processes, including balance top-ups, service ordering, order confirmation, and payment execution, while ensuring data integrity through a simplified Proof-of-Work mechanism. System performance is evaluated using a Design of Experiment (DOE) framework with a full factorial design and analyzed through Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The results show that execution time remains below 5 seconds under workloads of up to 20 concurrent transactions, with CPU utilization below 55%. ANOVA results indicate that transaction concurrency and smart contract complexity significantly affect performance, while block size has a limited impact. Security evaluation confirms resistance to unauthorized access, double-spending, and reentrancy attacks.
Svetlana Marković, Radovan Vladisavljević, Marko Marković
Smart contracts are one of the most prevalent and important blockchain-based technologies in the field of financial security, as the automatic execution of predefined rules provides additional efficiency, lowers costs and minimizes the involvement of intermediaries. This research will examine the use of smart contracts for process automation, risk reduction and organizational restructuring in the financial sector. In particular, the interaction between centralized and decentralized financial systems, the technology behind the implementation of blockchain and security issues associated with the use of smart contracts will be considered. At the same time, escrows will be presented as an example of the practical use of smart contracts for financial operations. The results of this analysis will show that smart contracts can be used as a means to increase the reliability of financial operations; however, their widespread use depends on proper regulation, security assessment and integration with the existing financial infrastructure.
Blockchain technology, in simple words, is an innovative force that democratizes the methodologies of financial transactions by creating safe, traceable, and unalterable digital data. This research investigates how blockchain increases financial transparency in banking, government, and supply chain management for different sectors. It identifies block chain’s core features: decentralized ledgers, real-time auditing, and transparent data sharing, in total reducing information asymmetry and thus fraud, increasing public trust. This study will focus on the role of block chain in financial reporting, as immutable transaction records ensure audit-free error-free error checks and compliance with regulatory standards. The primary use cases for this are anticorruption government procurement systems, banking networks improving fraud detection, and supply chain platforms ensuring product traceability. Smart contracts integrated into financial processes help reduce intermediaries and promote accountability. The paper concludes with an overview of emerging trends in zero-knowledge proofs, decentralized finance, and blockchain-based governance systems that may transform the standards of transparency. Some policy recommendations for leaders are investment in blockchain research, the development of regulatory frameworks, and fostering cross-industry collaboration. Blockchain technology is expected to redefine financial transparency through accountability, fraud reduction, and increased public trust in digital economies.
d IoT security perspective. It makes use of three essential Blockchain features— transparency, immutability, and decentralization— to build environment that are reliable and impenetrable. This application is realized through the utilization of features such as AI-driven fraud detection, Blockchain security, data privacy, the reliability of Smart Contracts, transaction speed, and system scalability. The result is, Blockchain-IoT Security Perspective, the first rank is System Scalability, the lowest rank is AI-based Fraud Detection, Blockchain Security is the fourth rank, Data Privacy is the fifth rank, Smart Contract Reliability is the third rank, and Transaction Speed is the first rank.
Abstract Originally designed to support cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, blockchain technology has evolved into a powerful tool with applications far beyond digital currency. This paper explores how blockchain is transforming software development by enabling decentralized, secure, and transparent systems. Key areas of focus include digital identity verification, smart contract automation, supply chain tracking, decentralized data storage, and secure e-governance solutions such as digital voting. The study outlines fundamental blockchain components—such as distributed ledgers, consensus mechanisms, and tokenization—and explains how they contribute to building tamper-resistant applications. It also examines blockchain’s role in powering Web3 technologies, decentralized finance (DeFi), and cross-chain interoperability. Through real-world case studies in healthcare, logistics, and digital governance, the paper highlights the tangible benefits of blockchain-based solutions while acknowledging current limitations like scalability, energy use, and regulatory issues. The analysis offers a forward-looking perspective on how software developers and organizations can harness blockchain to create resilient, next-generation applications.
Blockchain technology has emerged as a revolutionary tool for securing online transactions by providing a decentralized, transparent, and immutable ledger for digital records. This technology operates on the principles of cryptography and consensus mechanisms, making it resistant to tampering and fraud. As online transactions have become an essential part of modern economies, ensuring the security and integrity of these transactions has become a critical challenge. Blockchain addresses these concerns by enabling peer-to-peer transactions without the need for intermediaries, thereby reducing the risk of fraud, data breaches, and financial theft. The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of blockchain technology in enhancing the security of online transactions, focusing on its implementation in various industries such as finance, healthcare, and e-commerce. This paper will analyze the fundamental features of blockchain, including its decentralized nature, transparency, and the cryptographic techniques used to ensure data integrity. Additionally, it will examine the challenges associated with the widespread adoption of blockchain, including scalability issues, regulatory concerns, and technological barriers. The paper also discusses the future potential of blockchain technology, particularly in relation to its integration with emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things. By reviewing current trends, case studies, and research findings, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of blockchain technology’s impact on securing online transactions and its potential to revolutionize digital economies.
Ameeta Jaiswal‐Dale, Romain M. Lorentz, Ernest L. Owens, Bhuvanesh Singh
This study presents a practical framework for implementing blockchain technology, specifically smart contracts, to optimise operations and enhance financial performance in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) sector. It identifies best practices for operational efficiency and outlines the structural flow and challenges of implementing smart contracts in a small-scale CPG company. While blockchain is often associated with cryptocurrency, its value lies in enhancing core business processes such as vendor selection, procurement and legal compliance monitoring. The framework integrates blockchain-enabled smart contracts with project management lifecycle updates to streamline operations, enhance cash flow and reduce the Cost of Goods Sold (COGS). It highlights how procurement processes, legal requirements and vendor management can be streamlined through smart contracts, providing transparency, reducing delays and ensuring regulatory compliance. Blockchain is a decentralised database, and its applications span procurement, production processes and inventory management. However, leveraging blockchain effectively requires smart contracts. Integrating these contracts with project management tools ensures efficient operations and measurable financial metrics. This interdisciplinary approach combines technology, business law and project management to deliver actionable insights. The study highlights how modest operational efficiencies can drive profitability in low-margin industries, such as CPG, and establishes a foundation for future implementation studies across other sectors.
An independent, trusted third party or governing body is no longer necessary to conduct secure financial transactions because of blockchain technology. The topic of smart contracts and their ability to facilitate additional computational progress has risen to the forefront of academic and industry conversations in response to the dizzying rate of growth in blockchain technology. The scholarly work takes into account the material that has been assessed by experts and aims to explain the fundamental idea and provide a comprehensive computational analysis of relevant literature. Such an approach contributes to the advancement of decentralized applications (dApps) by providing technical insights into their development frameworks. The initial section presents a brief overview of smart contracts, including their conceptual foundations, system architecture, and application domains. Furthermore, in a detailed review of existing platforms for developing smart contracts, it was found by comparison that the Tron and CoreDAO blockchains offer the most computationally efficient platforms to enhance the quality-of-services (QoS) in decentralized environments. These low-cost transaction models support the creation of resource-efficient smart contracts. In addition, this study includes a simulation work that considers the blockchain transactions as a dataset to train an artificial intelligence model that would support the computational prediction of the success and failure of the transactions. Received: 25 July 2025 | Revised: 23 October 2025 | Accepted: 5 December 2025 Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study. Author Contribution Statement Alock Gupta: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software, Validation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Project administration. Kamlesh Lakhwani: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Investigation, Resources, Writing – review & editing, Supervision.