Year | 2015 |
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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.