Blockchain Papers

Suchi Dubey, Ganesan Subramanian, Vinod Kumar Shukla, Ashish Dwivedi · 6 authors

No abstract is available for this record.

Pronaya Bhattacharya, Ashwin Verma, Mohammad S. Obaidat, Sudeep Tanwar · 5 authors

In modern smart communities,decentralized ridesharing (RS) via cab aggregator (CA) services allow users to share trips at reduced expenses, and also help in mitigating congestion. The cab user (CU), and cab driver (CD) share sensitive information (credentials, account linkages, and location information) via open channels over CAs distributed server. During trips, in some cases, CDs do not follow an optimal path from source to destination, which leads to increased payments. Thus, inconsistencies occur due to a lack of transparency between CU, CDs, and CAs. Motivated from the same, we propose a scheme, SaFaR, that integrates consortium Solana blockchain (SBC) to assure transparency and transactional scalability between entities. CU and CD information is maintained in offline interplanetary file systems (IPFS) ledgers during the registration process, and the meta-information is stored in SBC. An optimal dynamic route algorithm is proposed based on retrospective priority queue in Dijkstra algorithm (RPQDA) is proposed on GPS-trace points obtained from path setup, that is modelled as a graph. The optimal route is stored on IPFS, so route alterations are not possible. Simulation analysis results have shown that an improvement of 99% storage cost is obtained due to IPFS, and an average improvement of 14.89% is obtained in travelling cost over dynamic and static-route setups.

Xavier Marjou, Tangui Le Gléau, Vincent Messié, Benoît Radier · 6 authors

Reducing energy consumption is crucial not only to reduce OPEX but also to reduce the human debt to our planet. Over the past few years, most service providers (SPs) have actively tackled this issue, particularly targeting periods of low activity. Indeed, having fewer customers during these periods allows SPs to downsize or shut down part of their infrastructure. But this is not always optimal. Despite multiple energy-efficient optimizations, a mobile national operator (MNO) still need to maintain significant radio access network (RAN) infrastructure active at night. Could MNOs do better by cooperating with each other in such a way that an MNO can redirect its subscribers to a partner MNO, thus allowing its entire infrastructure to be temporarily deactivated while switching roles with the partner during a subsequent drop in activity period? To answer this question, we investigated a novel collaborative framework based on multi-agent reinforcement learning (MARL) allowing for negotiations between SPs as well as trustful reports from a distributed ledger technology (DLT) to evaluate the amount of energy saved. We leveraged it to experiment three different sets of rules (free, recommended, or imposed) regulating the negotiation between multiple SPs (3, 4, 8, or 10). Based on the observation of four cooperation metrics (efficiency, safety, incentive-compatibility, and fairness), the simulations showed that the imposed set of rules proved to be the best mode.

Hüseyin Can Aksoy

The syndicated loan market has a centralised nature dominated by intermediaries. Such a structure not only requires manual labour and back-office workloads, but it is also prone to human error and fraud. Distributed ledger technology (DLT) and smart contracts are promising tools to overcome the factors which adversely affect the efficiency of the current and classical business model in the primary and secondary market of syndicated loans. DLT eliminates the need for intermediaries; provides transparency, accuracy, and authenticity; lowers transaction costs; makes it easier to comply with Know Your Customer obligations; and provides efficiency in the secondary market for syndicated loans. However, existing legal rules and institutions fail to create a predictable and legally safe environment for the spread of DLT in the syndicated loans market. Therefore, proper regulation is required for the widespread use of DLT technology in the syndicated loan market.

Vineetha KR, K Mano

Abstract: Blockchain technology has the ability to lower transaction costs, build distributed trust, and empower decentralised platforms, providing a foundation for new decentralised business models. Blockchain technology enables the growth of decentralised financial services in the financial industry, which are more decentralised, inventive, compatible, borderless, and transparent. Decentralized financial services, driven by blockchain technology, have the potential to expand financial inclusion, allow open access, stimulate permissionless innovation, and open new doors for entrepreneurs and innovators. In this paper, we examine the advantages of decentralised finance, as well as existing business models, obstacles, and limitations. Decentralized finance, as a new area of financial technology, has the potential to transform current finance and provide a new landscape for entrepreneurship and creativity, exhibiting the benefits and drawbacks of decentralised business models

Ali Vatankhah Barenji, Benoît Montreuil

The digitalization and adoption of advanced technologies in supply chain and logistics not only change the business model but also transfer logistics infrastructure to a service-oriented architecture and introduce new avenues concerning supply chain 4.0 (SC4.0). Sharing logistic assets between various businesses leads to improving logistics work, enhancing work productivity, and reducing logistics expenses and environmental impact. However, due to the lack of a secure, trustworthy, and open sharing platform, the companies are not willing to rely on sharing economics. Aiming to improve trust-ability, openness, and interoperability in the SC4.0, this paper presents a blockchain-enabled hyperconnected logistics platform. Firstly, the Open Logistic platform (OL) is proposed, and the key characteristics of this platform are explained. Secondly, the concept of proof of delivery (PoD) based on smart contracts is defined and developed to explore its rule-based management and control among the dynamic assets sharing. Thirdly, the Blockchain asset sharing service is designed and discussed in the context of asset sharing. Fourthly to evaluate the feasibility of the proposed platform, a simulation environment is developed, and OL is implemented based on the case study.

Shuhao Zheng, Junliang Luo, Erqun Dong, Can Chen · 5 authors

The blockchain technology empowers secure, trustless, and privacy-preserving trading with cryptocurrencies. However, existing blockchain-based trading platforms only support trading cryptocurrencies with digital assets (e.g., NFTs). Although several payment service providers have started to accept cryptocurrency as a payment method for tangible goods (e.g., Visa, PayPal), customers still need to trust and hand over their private information to centralized E-commerce platforms (e.g., Amazon, eBay). To enable trustless and privacy-preserving trading between cryptocurrencies and real goods, we propose SPENDER, a smart-contract-based platform for Secure and Privacy-PresErviNg Decentralized P2P E-commeRce. The design of our platform enables various advantageous features and brings unlimited future potential. Moreover, our platform provides a complete paradigm for designing real-world Web3 infrastructures on the blockchain, which broadens the application scope and exploits the intrinsic values of cryptocurrencies. The platform has been built and tested on the Terra ecosystem, and we plan to open-source the code later.

Tushar S Menon, Aviral Srivastava, x Aditya, K R Radhika

Ridesharing is an effective method to resolve traffic congestion and also reduce pollution due to excess vehicles on-road. However, the centralized nature of the current ridesharing systems is not ideal for the user. The lack of transparency in the system as well as risk of data security is a big demerit for such a system. To keep the third-party involvement minimal, a trustless, decentralized peer-to-peer ridesharing DApp is being proposed using a private Ethereum blockchain. Credibility of ride sharing systems can be improved by implementing blockchain technology. Blockchains are decentralized databases where every single piece of information is stored on systems everywhere which can be retrieved and traced freely by anyone on the network. The system will no longer be trust-based but simply based on concrete proof that exists which is built into the ledger. In a blockchain-based system, a rider will anonymously post a ride request. A driver can accept the request and provide their id details and quote. The rider can choose if the transaction is fair and accept the quote and begin his ride. Various other concepts such as time-locked deposit and proof-of-elapsed distance have been introduced to ensure further security for driver and rider. The primary goal of such a system is to develop a reliable and transparent ride sharing system where users do not have to worry about their privacy.

Amaury Trujillo

The introduction of novel technology has oftentimes changed the concept of ownership. Non-fungible tokens are a recent example, as they allow a decentralized way to generate and verify proof of ownership via distributed ledger technology. Despite crucial uncertainties, these tokens have generated great enthusiasm for the future of digital property and its surrounding economy. In this regard, I think there is an untapped opportunity in applying a hypertext approach to augment such highly structured ownership-based associations. To this end, in this work I propose hyperownership, based on the premises that property is the law of lists and ledgers, and that hypertext is an apt method to inquiry such a ledger system. In spite of the significant risks and challenges to realize such a vision, I believe that it has great potential to transform the way with which we interact with digital property.

Derya Üçoğlu

In recent years, the blockchain emerged as a trending technology, and the innovations introduced by blockchain technology have influenced financial services as well as other sectors. The banks are currently using several blockchain applications, but they are not mature and still not widely adopted. Despite the numerous benefits, blockchain has many challenges to be solved, such as lack of regulation and governance; energy and other costs of development and implementation; interoperability, technical, security, and privacy problems; and user-related challenges. Therefore, this chapter aims to overview blockchain technology and discuss the opportunities and challenges for the future banking sector concerning the extant literature.

Ritvik Gupta, Mayank Yadav, Usha Dhankar

Crowdfunding has emerged as a popular method for raising capital in various domains, providing a platform for entrepreneurs and innovators to access funds from a broad audience. This paper explores the application of Ethereum blockchain technology to enhance crowdfunding processes, emphasizing decentralization, transparency, and security. Ethereum's smart contract capabilities enable the creation of decentralized crowdfunding platforms, offering a trustless environment where contributors and project creators interact directly without relying on intermediaries. The use of Ethereum's native cryptocurrency, Ether(ETH), facilitates seamless, borderless transactions, eliminating the need for traditional banking systems and reducing transaction costs. Decentralized crowdfunding on the Ethereum blockchain enhances transparency through the immutability of transactions recorded on the blockchain. Contributors can verify the allocation offunds, ensuring that they are used as intended by the project creators.

Soufiane El Moudaa, Youssef Ibrahim, Maha Kadadha, Rabeb Mizouni · 6 authors

In this paper, a blockchain-based management platform, PackChain, for last-mile delivery is proposed. The growing popularity of online shopping has put immense pressure on the supply-chain industry, especially on last-mile delivery. The available solutions suffer from high cost, and lack of transparency. Therefore, assuring traceability of users' actions has become a critical requirement to establish trust between parties. The proposed PackChain framework uses the Ethereum blockchain to offer a crowdsourcing platform for last-mile delivery with autonomous and transparent processes. PackChain provides all the core functions needed for the delivery framework to operate through smart contracts such as managing user information, accepting offers, verifying transactions, and handling payments. In addition, the framework relies on proofs of delivery as an arbitration mechanism between users to release or hold funds. The proposed framework is implemented using Solidity and Web3.js to interact between clients and carriers. The emulation results demonstrate the feasibility and cost-efficiency of the proposed solution11The full code of the smart contract and the related logic is also made publicly available on Github..

Ethem Ilbiz, Christian Kaunert

This article examines the compatibility of the Global Conference on Criminal Finances and Cryptocurrencies with a sharing economy model. The analysis is based on the claims presented in Europol documents and public statements of Europol executives that this initiative serves as a platform for knowledge exchange and building professional networks between public and private actors to tackle crypto-laundering. The article investigates the validity of these statements with the most prominent sharing economy concepts: low barrier accessibility, transaction cost and trust-building. The article employs each sharing economy concept on two beneficiaries of the platform—law enforcement agencies (LEAs) and non-governmental organizations—while scaling the platform’s sharing economy level. Based on Europol documents, an expert interview and participant observation of the 5th Global Cryptocurrency Conference, the article’s core argument is that these cryptocurrency conferences can be categorized as a ‘partial’ sharing economy platform. They reduce the transaction cost for public and private actors to share knowledge about the latest trends and threats about crypto-laundering and reduce transaction costs for networking. However, co-founders should consider integrating robust trust-building mechanisms that allow low barrier entry to the conference, which will facilitate more inclusive and optimized public–private partnerships (P3).

Tushar Gupta, Harshit Dhyani, Piyush Kumar, Vishesh Gupta · 5 authors

Abstract: Blockchain Technology becoming popular with time giving rise to Web 3.0 and this technology will change the way we see the Internet. Blockchain is a decentralized, digitally dis- tributed immutable ledger that allows real-time communication to happen securely; this is the reason we need blockchain in a social networking websites as these websites keep the data on centralized servers that can be risky as the data can easily be stolen and can easily be distributed with third parties without the need of users consent. But with the help of Blockchain and DApps, we can create a reliable and efficient way to share messages and media on secured networks without any third party interference. In this paper, we are going to discuss how we make use of smart contracts and peer-to-peer networks like Ethereum to create such applications and allow users to share their messages and other forms of information without any fear of data getting lost or being shared without user consent, we also going to discuss how this method is different from the current method which social networking websites use to secure users data, and how Web 3.0 is going to be different from current Web 2.0 in terms of a social network. Index Terms: decentralization, blockchain, Apps(Decentralized applications), Ethereum

Qamar Zaman, Muhammad Idrees, Athar Ashraf, Ashfaq Ahmad

Management of land records includes actions such as registration and transfer of property ownership. For many nations, land ownership and management are important sources of income. Corrupted spans from small-scale payments to large-scale cause an abuse for government. In the literature, a number of concerns have been raised about Land Record Management. There are several problems with Land Record Management in developing nations, such as tampering with land records and no methods of retrieving a full property ownership record, operating multiple linked Land Record Management Systems independently, etc. Traditional land record management solutions do not solve these challenges. We propose a Blockchain-based Land Record Management system for Pakistan to solve these concerns. It has been decided to use the suggested system, and the specifics of its implementation are described in this thesis.

José Atiles

This article develops a sociolegal analysis of the legislation and tax policies implemented by the US and Puerto Rico (PR) governments to incentivize venture capitalists and cryptocurrency investors to relocate to PR. Specifically, the article looks at the role that Act 60 of 2019 played in attracting blockchain proponents and cryptocurrency investors to PR. By analyzing this tax policy and the governmental official discourses, this article demonstrates that the blockchain and cryptocurrency sectors have contributed to the transformation of PR into an offshore financial center or tax haven. Furthermore, the article shows how grassroot movements, among them Abolish Act 60, have organized against this transformation. Thus, the article demonstrates how the slogan “The Paradise Performs” is largely embedded in legal practices, tax evasion, and fraud.

Somay Chopra, Balaji Palanisamy, Shamik Sural

Existing ride sharing services are monetary-based and are managed by centralized service providers. In this paper, we propose a decentralized non-monetary ride-sharing platform in which users interact directly with each other. Fairness is ensured through the use of credits so that a user not only enjoys rides but also offers to drive from time to time. The application is developed on the Ethereum blockchain and is designed to provide transparency and verifiability in its operations.

Hale Özgit, Ahmet Adalıer

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the presence and use of Blockchain technologies (BCTs) in the North Cyprus hotel and tourism sectors by eliciting stakeholder perspectives on BCT's role in sustainable tourism development and the current state of its application in North Cyprus. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative methodology was used and primary data gathered via telephone interviews with sixteen managers of casino hotels. The researchers also used an observation technique for data collection in order to better analyse the existing case situation. Findings Although the findings show similarities in the stakeholders' awareness of cryptocurrencies, they lack overall knowledge of BCTs. The responses of participants indicate a lack of knowledge regarding the use of BCTs, particularly the areas in which they can be used. North Cyprus' tourism and hotel sectors are significantly behind the curve in terms of adopting innovative technologies, due to traditional operational concerns and to the limited scope of policy development. Research limitations/implications Policymakers should consider the practical implications for both the sector's and the country's resources in order to maximize environmental and financial gains. Practical implications The promotion of sustainable tourism can be facilitated by the wider adoption of BCTs as it could enable operators to manage their network relationships and business operations in a more socially and environmentally responsible manner. Originality/value No prior studies were found that evaluate the presence of BCTs in support of tourism development in North Cyprus. This study will assist practitioners in comprehending the practical implications and will enable policymakers to develop sector-specific policies.

Ella Pysarieva, D.L. Drach

The article is devoted to investigation of perspectives of implementation of the smart vehicle rental agreement. On the basis of current civil legislation the vehicle rental agreement is defined as an agreement under which a lessor transfers or undertakes to transfer to a lessee an air, sea, river vessel, ground self-propelled vehicle etc. in using for a fee for a certain period. A general legal characteristics of this agreement includes its reality or consensus, payment, timeliness and bilaterality. The list of features of the subject of the studied contract, which includes the inexhaustibility of types of vehicles, its technical features, the presence of signs of a source of increased danger, the existence of special legislation governing its use, and supplemented them by taking into account the volume and type of engine. Requirements to the form of the vehicle rental agreement, which generally is written, and if one of the parties is an individual, it is subject to notarization, are considered, and a possibility of its negotiation and further execution as a smart agreement is analyzed. The positions of scientists on the essence and main features of a smart contract which consist in its specifics regarding the form of negotiation and way of execution due to automation. The characteristics and problems of execution of the vehicle rental agreement which connected with activity of a lessee of a vehicle, bearing of expenses, insurance and causing a damage for a subject of the agreement and other person with using of a vehicle are followed. It is remarked the features of renting a vehicle with the crew which serves it. On the basis of the conducted investigation perspectives of implementation of the smart vehicle rental agreement are formulated, and they are seen in increasing the level of legality of the negotiated agreement, obtaining access to all necessary for parties information and electronic documents, automatic and timely payment of a rent, timely fulfillment of execution of a commitment and improvement of control over the subject of a rent.

Ian Merrell

Rural areas are steadily being marginalised in a global economy where ‘core/periphery’ models of development are dominant. To overcome this, rural areas have experimented with decentralised governance. However, this process is fraught with political, fiscal, and institutional difficulties. These often revolve around transparency and accountability issues and low participation rates. Blockchain technology could act as a social innovation to overcome issues in decentralised governance, and rural areas could even prove to be a fertile environment for future innovation. In this conceptual paper, the potential of blockchain technology is theoretically positioned in regional development discourses. After exploring how blockchain could be applied to rural governance and the barriers it needs to overcome to reach mass adoption, a new distributed model of governance is suggested.

V. S. Anoop, Justin Goldston

No abstract is available for this record.

Shu-Hsiang Chen, Aaron Tham

This research note explores the under-investigated assumption that cryptocurrencies are a panacea to stimulate regional tourism demand. Through the application of Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation Theory, a case study was designed to examine the cryptocurrency effect on two adjacent towns of Agnes Water and 17 70 in Central Queensland, Australia. The findings revealed three major factors that led to merchant receptivity for adopting cryptocurrencies - First, a novelty effect perceived as a good strategy to induce consumer spend. Second, the low entry barriers for merchants adopting cryptocurrencies to conduct transactions. Third, cryptocurrencies incurred zero overhead costs. Nevertheless, the favorable attitudes of these merchants towards cryptocurrencies require a demand-side intention to use such tools during tourist visits to these regional destinations. Other regional tourism destinations will need to consider other ways of integrating such digital innovations to their landscapes.

Vincent Ooi, Kian Peng Soh, Jerrold Soh

No abstract is available for this record.

Xiaotong Sun, Charalampos Stasinakis, Georgios Sermpinis

Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO) is very popular in Decentralized Finance (DeFi) applications as it provides a decentralized governance solution through blockchain. We analyze the governance characteristics in the Maker protocol, its stablecoin DAI and governance token Maker (MKR). To achieve that, we establish several measurements of centralized governance. Our empirical analysis investigates the effect of centralized governance over a series of factors related to MKR and DAI, such as financial, transaction, network and twitter sentiment indicators. Our results show that governance centralization influences both the Maker protocol, and the distribution of voting power matters. The main implication of this study is that centralized governance in MakerDAO very much exists, while DeFi investors face a trade-off between decentralization and performance of a DeFi protocol. This further contributes to the contemporary debate on whether DeFi can be truly decentralized. centralized governance in MakerDAO very much exists, while DeFi investors face a trade-off between efficiency and decentralization. This further contributes to the contemporary debate on whether DeFi can be truly decentralized.