Blockchain Research Blog
On this blog short summaries of scientific publications or research projects on the topic of blockchain are published. External authors in particular are invited to briefly present their work. The contact information of each author can be found under the respective article.
Presentation on the overlaps of blockchain technology, cryptocurrency and gambling held at the Institute for Gambling and Society of the Ruhr Universität Bochum
In the event that is held monthly and covers latest topics and research relating to gambling, our co-founder Fred Steinmetz presented on the most important overlaps of blockchain, cryptocurrency and gambling by highlighting the phenomenon of ‘decentralized gambling’.
Participation in the international conference: GAM(BL)ING: Commodification of Leisure in the Digital Era
Thanks to the HERMES research group for organizing and hosting the very insightful “Interactive Symposium 2021 on the Commodification of Gam(bl)ing” at Concordia University, Montréal. Our co-founder Ingo Fiedler led an interactive workshop on the overlaps of gambling and cryptocurrency trading.
Partnership with Popsicle Finance
The Blockchain Research Lab is pleased to announce a partnership with Popsicle Finance to start a research project in the area of Decentralized Finance (DeFi). Within the research project, the relevant DeFi ecosystem(s) will be mapped, market inefficiencies identified and possible yield optimization and hedging strategies will be analysed with the goal to make DeFi markets less risky and more efficient.
Join our team as Researcher Data Science (m/f/d)
As a Researcher Data Science (m/f/d) you are enthusiastic about science and research and are part of an interdisciplinary team. You will be responsible for developing and providing analytical data services and answering project-specific questions based on data as part of our various research projects.
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs): Possible speculative bubble with potential for sustainable innovation
A new form of digital investment has hit the mainstream. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are following in the footsteps of cryptocurrencies, fetching large sums in digital auctions and sales. NFTs are unique certificates of authenticity on blockchains, usually issued by the creators of the underlying works (or assets).
Results of a Bibliometric Analysis on Digital Identity: Significant Publications, Research Flows and Contexts
In our study, "A bibliometric review of research on digital identity", we identified research streams and emerging trends in academic research on digital identity through a bibliometric analysis of 1,395 peer-reviewed articles and their 44,412 references.
Digital Twin Technology for Smart Manufacturing and Industry 4.0: Results of a Bibliometric Analysis
Digital Twin technology comprises digital images, replicas or identities of physical systems, objects or assets that can be used, for example, for industrial health monitoring or process optimization and tracking. As part of our article published in Manufacturing Letters, we examined the intellectual discourses of academic research on the topic of digital twin.
The “Musk Effect” – How Elon Musk’s tweets affect the cryptocurrency market
Based on an analysis of Elon Musk's recent crypto-related tweets, it is identified that some of them strongly influenced the short-term returns and trading volume of Bitcoin and Dogecoin. The results illustrate the influence of influential individuals on cryptocurrency markets.
Enterprise DLT: The Leaky Trust Machine
Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) comes with the promise of creating trust by technological means. While non-DLT systems often have a central operator who enjoys complete authority and little oversight, DLT systems use mechanisms like data replication and consensus algorithms to distribute control among a group of (hopefully) independent validators.
New Report: Digital Identity and Personal Data in 2020: Citizens’ Opinions and Motives
Based on a representative online survey, this report offers insights about the motivational factors for using digital identity solutions and risk perceptions towards the sharing and provision of personal data online as well as the trust placed in companies and institutions handling personal data.
Award at the best paper competition of the Scientific Track of the Blockchain Autumn School
We are very pleased that our paper „Exclusive Mining of Blockchain Transactions“ received the best paper award (2nd place) sponsored by Volksbank Mittweida at the Scientific Track of the Blockchain Autumn School.
Member of the Federal Association for Information Technology, Telecommunications and New Media (Bitkom e.V.).
We are pleased to announce that we have recently become a member of the Federal Association for Information Technology, Telecommunications and New Media (Bitkom e.V.). For us, the membership is an important step, in order to participate actively in current topics and discussions.
New Book: Blockchain and the Digital Economy
The book is written in a non-technical and accessible way and strives to demystify the functionalities of blockchains and their potential for a range of readers in the wider social sciences. It begins by explaining the key concepts of blockchain technology and presents an overview of the involved technical and economic elements.
Choosing a Distributed Ledger Technology
To conduct any IT project, it is greatly advantageous to rely on well documented software as well as software with active developer community. The development of a blockchain system is no exception to this, as the choice of a Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) with plenty of resources is advantageous.
Seal of approval of the Stifterverband 2020 – 2021
Our research activities have been honored by the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft with the seal of approval "Innovativ durch Forschung". We would like to thank our employees for their commitment to explore the opportunities and limits of the blockchain technology and sharing their findings with society.
How do Stablecoin Issuances affect Cryptocurrency Markets?
Stablecoins are digital currencies whose value is pegged to fiat currencies like the dollar. We analyze the influence of stablecoin issuances on the returns of major cryptocurrencies and conclude that stablecoins contribute to price discovery and market efficiency of cryptocurrencies.
Blockchain for Supply Chain
The real-life complexities of a supply chain must be mapped to a technical system, its objects and its users. This entails a number of specific requirements which influence the selection of the most appropriate blockchain technology, particularly whether a public or private blockchain should be used, and the design of the blockchain system.
Investigating the Market Reaction to Large Transactions on the Bitcoin Blockchain
A specific feature of the blockchain technology and thus also of the Bitcoin network is the underlying transparency. Each network participant can observe in virtually real time how many and what kind of transactions take place in the Bitcoin...
A Week With Bitcoin: Transaction Timing and Transaction Fees
This third and last blog post takes a look at intra-week patterns of Bitcoin activity. The following chart shows transactions and fees aggregated by weekday and hour. Activity was high on workdays and on afternoons, and low on weekends and on early mornings. The same is true for transaction fees...
Libra: An assessment of the public opinion
Libra describes a project that aims to create a blockchain-based financial infrastructure surrounding its inherent asset, the digital currency Libra. The project was initially started by Facebook and is now developed by the Libra Association, a foundation dedicated to Libra’s development...
Shaping Bitcoin: Omni/Tether and Veriblock in Late 2018 and 2019
Between September 14, 2018 (the day when Veriblock was launched), and December 31, 2019, Veriblock accounted for 12.8% of all transactions published on Bitcoin and Omni/Tether accounted for 8.7%. The following chart reveals how the ups and downs...
How Do OP Return Transactions Impact Bitcoin?
Many blockchains are multipurpose platforms. Their powerful scripting capabilities enable a wide range of different applications, from decentralised insurance to breeding digital pets. Bitcoin is different. It was built to serve a single purpose: the operation of a decentralized and secure digital currency...
Key Insights of Cryptocurrency Adoption in Germany in 2019
The BRL Report “The State of Cryptocurrency Adoption: Germany Q4 2019“ provides new insights into cryptocurrencies in Germany, based on a representative online survey among more than 3,000 participants. 69% of cryptocurrency owners are male; the average owner is ten years younger, better educated, and earns €400 more per month than the average non-owner.
The Top 5 Blockchain Discourses in Business and Economics Research
Based on 9,672 citations in 467 peer-reviewed research papers, we identified the five most important discourses in business and economics research on blockchain. Here is a short description of the top five blockchain discourses in business and economics research, plus the key research papers that have shaped the first eleven years of blockchain research.
DiBiChain Project Launched
Since July 2019, the Blockchain Research Lab collaborates on a three-year research project called DiBiChain. The project is funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Its research goal is to make product life cycles more transparent and sustainable through the use of blockchain technology.
A Place Next to Satoshi: Scientific Foundations of Blockchain and Cryptocurrency in Business and Economics
The research foundations of blockchain and cryptocurrencies in business and economics are analyzed using co-citation analysis. Five strands of research are identified, reviewed and visualized, of which two are well-established and three are still emerging.
Market Reaction to Exchange Listings of Cryptocurrencies
In the research article, effects of 327 exchange listings of 180 different cryptocurrencies on 22 exchanges are examined. On the one hand, a general overview of the phenomenon is provided and on the other hand, signs of informed trading are identified.
Perceived and Actual Use of Cryptocurrencies: Germany Q1 2019
Based on a representative survey among 3,864 German adult Internet users, this report presents reliable insights on the respondents’ faith in, and the challenges associated with cryptocurrencies, as well as on their perceived vs. actual use.
Discovering market prices: Which price formation model best predicts the next trade?
For most purposes of technical analysis, the price of the last transaction is considered representative of the market price. However, on closer examination, the question arises as to why a past event should be relevant to the future, and why other, potentially more recent information should not be used to discover a future price.
The State of Cryptocurrency Adoption: Germany Q1 2019
A survey among 3,864 respondents that is representative of the adult Internet population in Germany allows deep and reliable insights into the adoption and usage of cryptocurrencies. 18% of all respondents either own or owned cryptocurrency.
Cheap Signals in Security Token Offerings (STOs)
This study provides the first overview of security tokens and the STO model for corporate financing. Our analysis investigates security tokens from the perspective of a firm looking to raise capital. The results show that cheap signals are effective, which raises concerns for investor protection.
How does a typical evening with us look like?
How does a typical evening with us look like? An insight using the example of an event at Hadley's in June 2018 by Christopher Nigischer.