Research

Beyond Bitcoin: Issues in Regulating Blockchain Transactions

Year 2015
Author Trevor I. Kiviat
Publisher Duke Law Journal
Link View Research Paper
Categories

Bitcoin / Blockchain / Cryptocurrencies / Regulation

The buzz surrounding Bitcoin has reached a fever pitch. Yet in academic legal discussions, disproportionate emphasis is placed on bitcoins (that is, virtual currency), and little mention is made of blockchain technology—the true innovation behind the Bitcoin protocol. Simply, blockchain technology solves an elusive networking problem by enabling “trustless” transactions: value exchanges over computer networks that can be verified, monitored, and enforced without central institutions (for example, banks). This has broad implications for how we transact over electronic networks.