In the field of Blockchain Technology applications and research, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have gained significant attention in recent years. Whilst current research is focused on NFT use cases or the purchase of NFTs from an investor’s perspective, the NFT launch (i.e. primary market) from a creator’s perspective remains uncovered. However, the launch strategy is considered to be an important factor for the success of a product. Therefore, our research paper aims to explore launch strategies of NFTs. Thereby, we discuss the marketing mix instruments price (i.e. pricing strategy), place (i.e. mint mechanism), and promotion. Through an empirical approach of conducting eight expert interviews, we examine parameters that are used to define an NFT launch strategy and assess their preference of different stakeholders.
A Systematic Literature Review on Blockchain Oracles: State of Research, Challenges, and Trends
(2023)
To enable data exchange between the Blockchain protocol (on-chain) and the real world (off-chain), e.g., non-Blockchain-based applications and systems, a software called Oracle is used [3]. Blockchain oracle is an important component in the use of off-chain data for on-chain smart contracts. However, there is limited scientific literature available on this important blockchain topic. Therefore, in this paper, a novel systematic literature review based on intelligent methods, e.g., information linking, topic clustering and focus identification through frequency calculations, is proposed. Thus, the current state of scientific research interest, content and challenges, and future research directions for blockchain oracles are identified. This paper shows that there is little unbiased literature that does not call oracles a problem. From the results of this new literature review framework, relevant areas of data handling and verification with blockchain oracles are identified for future research.
Safety, quality, and sustainability concerns have arisen from global supply chains. Stakeholders incur risk regarding these factors, given their significance and complexity. Thus, each business's supply chain risk management must prioritize product characteristics. Accordingly, an effective traceability solution that can monitor and regulate product and supply chain aspects is crucial, especially in a given scenario. This re-search paper elucidates the potential of smart contracts in blockchain to enhancing the efficacy of business transactions and ensuring comprehensive traceability within the supply chain of paper-based coffee cups The improved levels of transaction transparency and security in traditional supply chains have been achieved through the digitization of supply chain ecosystem interactions and transactions. This approach makes verifying sources, manufacturing procedures, and quality standards easier in complex supply chains. Accordingly, the integration helps stakeholders monitor and track the whole ecosystem, promoting transparency, predictability, and dependability.
This desk research will initiate an exploration of present and potential blockchain applications in the higher education sector of Europe. The aim of this research is to create a theoretical base for a further postgraduate research and analysis, so to create an effective model/framework to augment the integration of blockchain technology into existing organizational processes, initially in higher educational institutions, but which may be adaptable and generalizable to other specific uses. Due to the novelty of the topic, academic resources related to the research area are limited. Most studies seem to focus on blockchain-based applications in industries such as finance, healthcare, and supply chain management, and there is little evidence of the impact of blockchain technology on education. This paper discusses present and suggests some potential blockchain-based applications in education in Europe and beyond. This research provides a groundwork for education and academia stakeholders, policymakers and researchers to exploit the potential of blockchain in different functions of an education system.
Currently, the Internet of Things (IoT) is connected to the virtual world through the Web of Things (WoT), allowing efficient utilization of real-world objects with Internet technologies. The WoT facilitates abstract interaction between applications and connected IoT devices, allowing owners to switch between devices while using multiple ones. To achieve this, virtual assets in WoT devices can be tokenized through smart contracts and transferred using hashed proof as transactions within blockchain networks that support virtual currencies. The goal of Web of Things is to establish connectivity, interoperability, and integration among IoT devices using web standards and protocols, reducing reliance on device manufacturers. This enables easy integration of Web 3.0 cryptocurrency for device management. This study proposes a solution for WoT applications involving different cryptocurrency definitions. Finally, simulation results are presented to demonstrate the tokenization-based ownership transfer in the Web of Things.
Die Kontrolle von Zutrittsberechtigungen für Labore, Gebäude oder Standorte ist für viele Firmen und Einrichtungen von essenzieller Bedeutung, mit zunehmender Größe aber auch mit erheblichem Aufwand und größeren Kosten verbunden. Die Überprüfung und Aktualisierung der Berechtigungen erfordert außerdem eine umfangreiche Logistik und Vertrauen in die korrekte Arbeitsweise der zentralen Verwaltungseinrichtungen.
Durch die hier vorgestellte Kombination von elektronischem Schließsystem mit dezentraler Blockchaintechnologie ist sowohl eine Vereinfachung und Dezentralisierung der Berechtigungsverwaltung als auch die Vermeidung singuläre Fehlerstellen möglich. Gleichzeitig kann ohne größere Aufwende auch eine Offlinefähigkeit der Schlösser realisiert werden.
The cryptocurrency ecosystem has seen significant growth with Ethereum and Bitcoin as foundational pillars. Ethereum introduced smart contracts revolutionizing decentralized applications (dApps) across various domains. Scalability challenges led to alternative ecosystems like Binance Smart Chain and Polygon, maintaining compatibility through the Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM). Bitcoin also faces scalability issues, leading to the Lightning Network's development—an off-chain solution with payment channels for scalable instant transactions. Interoperability is increasingly crucial as the cryptocurrency ecosystem continues to grow, enabling seamless interactions between assets and data across multiple blockchain platforms. EVM-compatible blockchains and the Lightning Network offer unique advantages in their respective use cases. This paper utilizes atomic swaps to create a secure, fast, and user-friendly trustless bridge between the Lightning Network and EVM-compatible blockchains, fostering the growth of both ecosystems and unlocking novel opportunities.
Reputation is indispensable for online business since it supports customers in their buying decisions and allows sellers to justify premium prices. While IS research has investigated reputation systems mainly as review systems on online platforms for business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions, no proper solutions have been developed for business-to-business (B2B) transactions yet. We use blockchain technology to propose a new class of reputation systems that apply ratings as voluntary bonus payments: Before a transaction is performed, customers commit to pay a bonus that is granted if a service provider has performed a service properly. As opposed to rival reputation systems that build on cumulated ratings or reviews, our system enables monetized reputation mechanisms that are inextricably linked with online transactions. We expect this system class to provide more trustworthy ratings, which might reduce agency costs and serve quality providers to establish a reputation towards new customers.
Das Ziel des vorliegenden Papers ist die Darstellung eines Konzepts zur Lösung des Oracle Problems im Kontext der Wasserstoffproduktion mit erneuerbaren Energieproduktionsformen. Der vorgeschlagene Ansatz setzt auf die Authentifizierung des Stroms, der für die Produktion des Wasserstoffs verwendet wird, durch eine Vielzahl an umliegenden Akteuren mit gleichen Stromgewinnungsanlagen, welche die Authentizität der Stromproduktion bezeugen. Das Konzept setzt auf einen Authenticity-Score, welchen jedes Zertifikat erhält, sowie einen Trust-Score, der jedem Zeugen zugeschrieben wird. Jedes Zertifikat muss von verschiedenen Akteuren mit ausreichenden Trust-Score bezeugt werden, um einen Authenticity-Score zu erhalten, der über einer festgelegten Schwelle liegt und somit nachweist, dass der produzierte Wasserstoff tatsächlich „grün“ ist.
As economies are getting more and more interconnected, the importance of the global logistics sector grew accordingly. However, both structural challenges and current events lead to recent supply chain disruptions, exposing the vulnerabilities of the sector. Simultaneously, blockchain has emerged as a key innovative technology with use cases going far beyond the exchange of virtual currencies. This paper aims to analyze how the technology is transforming global logistics and its challenges. Therefore, six use cases, are presented to give an overview of the technological possibilities of blockchain and smart contracts. The analysis combines theoretical approaches from scientific journals and combines them with findings from real-world implementations. The paper finds that the technology can change supply chain design fundamentally, with processes and decisions being automated and power within supply chain structures changing. However, implementations also face technological, environmental, and organizational challenges that need to be solved for wide-spread adoption.
Bisher gibt es keine einwandfreie manipulationssichere Nachweisführung für klimafreundlichen „grünen“ Wasserstoff und der damit möglichen Nachverfolgung der Herkunft vom Erzeuger erneuerbarer Energien bis zum Endverbraucher, sodass die gesamte Supply Chain des „grünen“ Wasserstoffs nicht im Sinne einer ökonomischen, ökologischen und sozialen Nachhaltigkeit dargestellt und in einem sicheren und transparenten Markt abgebildet werden kann. Mit einer geeigneten Blockchain kann dieses Problem gelöst werden, die darüber hinaus weitere noch nie dagewesene Mehrwerte für die Supply Chain des „grünen“ Wasserstoffmarktes und für den nachhaltigen Strukturwandel insgesamt bietet und deren Entwicklung demnächst im Rahmen des Förderaufrufs „Technologieoffensive Wasserstoff“ innerhalb der Forschungsförderung des Bundesministeriums für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz im 7. Energieforschungsprogramm der Bundesregierung startet.
Diese Studie analysiert die Verwendung von Narrativen in drei Blockchain-Projekten im Hinblick auf institutionellen Wandel. Es wird aufgezeigt, wie Blockchain-Projekte Cyberpunk-Narrative nutzen, um einen institutionellen Wandel herbeizuführen. Ein kontrastierender Fall ohne Cyberpunk-Narrative verdeutlicht die interpretative Offenheit der institutionellen Eigenschaften von Blockchain-Technologien im Wettbewerb um Deutungshoheit. Die Untersuchung vertieft das Verständnis der Rolle fiktionaler Erzählungen für das Framing von Innovationen im Kontext institutionellen Wandels und zeigt, dass Greimas' Aktantenmodell für die Frame-Analyse geeignet ist.
Digital Power of Attorney catalyzed by Software Requirements for Blockchain-based Applications
(2022)
Blockchain Technology (BT) with so-called web3 is at an inflection point between new sub-theme hypes and world-wide industrialization over last three years thanks to large companies like MicroStrategy [1], Facebook [2] and several Venture-Capital formations [3] who are already fighting over market share and community growth. Our work represents insights from Literature-based Software Requirement (SR) elicitation for a specific Blockchain-based Application, which is creation, managing and control of digital Power of Attorney (POA). The context of POA is not only a financial driven use-case it is by far a heavy weight universal legal transaction. We use a morphological box and reduced PRIMS-P to synthesis a generic specification for further Blockchain-based Application development. Formulated SRs in POA context are reflected on our core actors which are Grantor and authorized, trusted, external Entities. Proposed characteristics for relationship and effects are visualized in a reference model originally used in digital platform ecosystems [4]. This design and modelling approach facilitated closing discussion of BT and its future eCommerce perspective.
In dieser Forschungsarbeit wird ein Überblick darüber gegeben, wie Grafikdaten eines NFT auf der Blockchain gespeichert werden können. Es werden verschiedene Ansätze untersucht und vorhandene Projekte analysiert. Dabei werden vor allem die Aspekte Sicherheit, Ressourcen und Anwendbarkeit betrachtet. Mithilfe einer Testumgebung werden die recherchierte Ansätze vergleichbar, wobei sich in der Arbeit auf skalierbare Vektorgrafiken (SVG) konzentriert wird. Letztendlich zeigt sich, dass es für simple SVG sinnvoll ist, ihren Code als String oder auch in Base64 codiert im NFT selbst abzulegen. Für komplexere Grafiken wird ein Ansatz mit einem Smart Contract empfohlen, um die Kosten pro NFT zu reduzieren. Die Vorgehensweise, die Grafikdaten durch eine Funktion wiederherzustellen, eignet sich außerdem auch für Ansätze, die nicht auf Vektor Grafiken bauen. Es zeigt sich, dass durch einen gewissen Mehraufwand durchaus NFT und Grafikdaten auf der Blockchain abgelegt werden können und kein Risiko durch die Trennung zwischen On- und Off-Chain eingegangen werden muss.
Humans started using the principles of insurance thousands of years ago when they lived in tribes in smaller villages. If one of the tribe members were injured, the others would take care of him and his family. The basic principle of insurance is several people covering each other against a particular risk. Today, most people in regions like Europe have access to insurance, while many people worldwide still have no access at all. The cost and accessibility may be improved with a blockchain-based parametric approach. The insurance process in a parametric approach is exclusively based on data, and decisions are made objectively. Blockchain is a necessary and integral part of the approach to create transparency and connect the customer’s and investor’s risk capital. The paper offers an overview of the opportunities and challenges of blockchain-based parametric insurance, a catalog of criteria for such insurance, a description of all components and their interaction for implementation on Ethereum, and a reference implementation of a train delay insurance in Germany.
The topic of soulbound, non-transferable tokens is getting lots of interest within the blockchain space lately as decentralized societies become more tangible with Web3 social media applications and DAOs. In this article, I want to outline how such tokens function, their problems for adoption and standardization, and how they differ from verifiable credentials in the SSI field. As such soulbound assets will likely rely on extended recovery and asset management schemes to become viable identities that safely gain reputation and trust, features like social recovery and contract-based accounting are incorporated. By combining those new technologies and the theoretical crypto-native identity construct, the paper will give an impression of the future user-centric data economy.
Blockchain-Governance wird immer wieder mit der Führung von Unternehmen oder von Nationalstaaten verglichen, obwohl diese sich oft eher als Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) definieren. In diesem Beitrag werden rechtliche Konzepte, die den Rahmen für die Entscheidungsfindung in Unternehmen und Staaten bilden, sowie die Grundlagen einer DAO mit der Governance von Polkadot verglichen. Im Ergebnis weist der Staat aufgrund der starken Prägung durch die physische Sphäre und der Selektion seiner Bürger die größten Unterschiede zur Polkadot-Governance auf. Von den Unternehmen ist die Genossenschaft in ihrem Ziel der Förderung der Mitglieder und Verwaltung gemeinsamer Infrastruktur, die sich jeweils auch in den Rechten der Mitglieder und der Besetzung der Organe niederschlägt, am nächsten. Die höchste Übereinstimmung hat die Polkadot-Governance jedoch mit der DAO, insofern als sie über die Zeit immer stärker den Gedanken der dezentralen und autonomen Entscheidungsfindung umsetzt.
As part of the research project Trusted Blockchains for the Open, Smart Energy Grid of the Future (tbiEnergy), one of the objectives is to investigate how a holistic blockchain approach for the realization of a local energy market could be accomplished and how corresponding hardware security mechanisms can be integrated. This paper provides an overview of the implemented prototype and describes the system and its processes.
Over the last two decades, the rapid advances in digitization methods put us on the fourth industrial era’s cusp. It is an era of connectivity and interactivity between various industrial processes that need a new, trusted environment to exchange and share information and data without relying on third parties. Blockchain technologies can provide such a trusted environment. This paper focuses on utilizing the blockchain with its characteristics to build machine-to-machine (M2M) communication and digital twin solutions. We propose a conceptual design for a system that uses smart contracts to construct digital twins for machines and products and executes manufacturing processes inside the blockchain. Our solution also employs the decentralized identifiers standard (DIDs) to provide self-sovereign digital identities for machines and products. To validate the approach and demonstrate its applicability, the paper presents an actual implementation of the proposed design to a simulated case study done with the help of Fischertechnik factory model.
Abstract: Blockchain Technology has become an innovative, mature tool for digital transformation, disrupting more and more application areas in their business processes, values, or even economic models. This paper leverages more than 30 academic publications on prototypes and their Blockchain-based use cases to transact certificates in the context of public education. The conceptual design and guiding ideas are reflected in the practical application development for the Federal Ministry of Education and Research ECHT! project within the showcase region WIR! in Mittweida and are used for the research design. During this approach we applied agile methods and the current certificate process to propose a comprehensive disclosure of a new software prototype including a three-layered architecture with multi-stakeholder components. The artefact instantiation contributes to the practical knowledge base within Information System Research and specifically in digital certificate processes starting from creation, searching, and proofing up to revoking by consideration of an existing IT landscape as well as organizational hierarchy.
With the advancement in cryptography and emerging internet technology, electronic voting is gaining popularity since it ensures ballot secrecy, voter security, and integrity. Many commercial startups and e-Voting systems have been proposed, but due to lack of trust, privacy, transparency, and hacking issues, many solutions have been suspended. Blockchain, along with cryptographic primitives, has emerged as a promising solution due to its transparent, immutable, and decentralized nature. In this paper, we summarized the properties that existing solutions should satisfy and explained some cryptographic primitives like ZKP, Ring signatures along with their security limitations. We gave a comprehensive review of some blockchain-based e-Voting systems and discussed their strengths and weaknesses based on the given properties with table of comparison.
While blockchain technology is still in an early stage of its development, it is already of surging economic importance.
In the literature, blockchain is referred to as either being a disruptive, institutional, foundational, or general purpose technology. There is still no consensus about the economic theory that should apply for analyzing its economic effects. This article draws on use cases from the coffee supply chain to explore, which theories could potentially apply to an emerging blockchain economy.
Dezentrale Kreditplattformen ermöglichen Nutzern die Aufnahme sowie die Bereitstellung von Liquidität in Form von Krypto-Token gegen Verzinsung. Dieser Teil des dynamisch wachsenden Bereichs dezentraler Anwendungen erweist sich zwar als sehr innovativ, birgt jedoch auch Risiken. Dazu zählen insbesondere Kreditrisiken, Liquiditätsrisiken, Marktrisiken und operationelle Risiken. Um diesen Risiken entgegenzuwirken existieren vereinzelt Absicherungsmechanismen. Diese Mechanismen haben durchaus Potenzial die genannten Risiken zu verringern, wenngleich dadurch keine vollumfängliche Risikobewältigung erfolgen kann. Somit verbleiben immer Restrisiken, die letztlich vor allem von den Nutzern zu tragen sind.
The wind energy sector is undergoing digitalization processes that span multi-tier supply chains of turbine components and wind farm maintenance, amongst others. In an industrial use case that includes Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, Vestas and APQP4Wind, the processes of producing, fastening, and servicing bolts in turbines are mapped to a digital model. The model follows the lifetime of turbine bolts from the manufacturing phase, to fastening in turbines and maintenance, until their replacement and recycling. The development of the digital model is iteratively addressed in a design science research approach, as the authors actively contribute to the project. Distributed ledgers (DLs) support the notary documentation of the bolts and turbines, from their registration phase to the assembly-, technical service verification- and recycling phases. The immutable and decentralized nature of DLs secures the data against tampering and prevents any changes taken unilaterally by engaging the service stakeholders and component providers in a blockchain consortium.
Global challenges like climate change, food security, and infectious diseases such as the COVID-19 pandemic are nearly impossible to tackle when established experts and upstart innovators work in silos. If research organizations, governments, universities, NGOs, and the private sector could collaborate on these challenges more easily, lasting solutions would certainly come more quickly. Aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, SAIRA connects key players in different arenas: scientists and engineers at research and technology organizations (RTOs) looking to collaborate on sustainable development projects, companies seeking R&D support to tackle their most challenging problems, and startups with innovative ideas and a desire to scale. The platform is a blockchain-secured open innovation platform, anchored on Max Plank Digital Library's blockchain network bloxberg, that assures the authenticity and integrity of all user-generated content and collaboration processes.
Mapping identities, digital assets, and people’s profiles on the internet is getting much traction in the blockchain cosmos lately. The new technology is currently forming architectures that will further pave new ways to reach fundamental mechanisms to interact in a decentralized, user-centered manner. These schemes are often declared as the next generation of the web. Within the article will be shown, how the internet has evolved in managing identities, what problems arose, and how new data architectures help build applications on top of privacy rights. Both technological and ethical perspectives are viewed to answer which guidelines should be considered to fulfill the upcoming branch of decentralized services and what we can learn from historical schemes regarding their privacy, accounting, and user data.
Rollen und Aufgaben Interdisziplinärer Projektteams zur Blockchain-Integration im Unternehmensumfeld
(2021)
Bei der Einführung von Blockchain-Lösungen im Unternehmensumfeld sind zahlreiche Unternehmensfunktionen und Mitarbeiter unterschiedlicher Disziplinen involviert, deren Zusammenarbeit zum einen notwendig sind, zum anderen jedoch auch zahlreiche Herausforderungen hervorrufen. Relevante Rollen und Disziplinen werden in diesem Paper identifiziert und beschrieben, um Handlungsempfehlungen für die interdisziplinäre Zusammenarbeit und somit zur erfolgreichen Integration von Blockchain-Lösungen in Unternehmen und insbesondere unternehmensübergreifenden Geschäftsbeziehungen zu entwickeln. Auf Basis existierender Blockchain-Projekte werden die Rollen „Management und Finanzen“, „Supply Chain Management“ und „IT und IT-Sicherheit“ fokussiert und entlang eines Vorgehensmodells zur Integration mit konkreten Rollenbeschreibungen und Aufgaben beschrieben.
Blockchain and other distributed ledger technologies are evolving into enabling infrastructures for innovative ICT-solutions. Numerous features, such as decentralization, programmability, and immutability of data, have led to a multitude of use cases that range from cryptocurrencies, tracking and tracing to automated business protocols or decentralized autonomous systems. For organizations that seek blockchain adoption, the overwhelming spectrum of potential application areas requires guidance reducing complexity and support the development of blockchain-based concepts. This paper introduces a classification approach to provide design and implementation guidance that goes beyond current textbook classifications. As an outcome, a typology for management and business architects is developed, before the paper concludes with an instantiation of existing use cases and a discussion of their classes.
Mit diesem Beitrag wollen wir Ihnen einen Einblick zum gezielten Einsatz der Blockchain-Technologie für Mobilitätsanwendungen geben.
Im Fokus steht dabei die Entwicklung der digitalen Identität für verschiedene Mobilitätsträger. Dabei werden heutige und zukünftige Anforderungen aufgezeigt und aktuelle Entwicklungen betrachtet. Mit der dezentralen Blockchain-Technologie soll beispielsweise ein Fahrzeug in der Lage sein, seine digitale Identität selbst zu verwalten, ohne von einem zentralen Identitätsdienstleister abhängig zu sein. Am Beispiel einer dezentralen Plattform für Sharing Mobility im ländlichen Raum wird die Bedeutung digitaler Identitäten für Mobilitätsträger erforscht und ein Ausblick auf zukünftig in der Geschäftswelt autonom handelnde Fahrzeuge gegeben. Es wird praxisnah gezeigt, wie die Blockchain-Technologie helfen kann, die Anforderungen an eine digitale Identität für Mobilitätsträger zu erfüllen und wie diese in einem nachhaltigen Geschäftsmodell Anwendung finden kann
The set of transactions that occurs on the public ledger of an Ethereum network in a specific time frame can be represented as a directed graph, with vertices representing addresses and an edge indicating the interaction between two addresses.
While there exists preliminary research on analyzing an Ethereum network by the means of graph analysis, most existing work is focused on either the public Ethereum Mainnet or on analyzing the different semantic transaction layers using
static graph analysis in order to carve out the different network properties (such as interconnectivity, degrees of centrality, etc.) needed to characterize a blockchain network. By analyzing the consortium-run bloxberg Proof-of-Authority (PoA) Ethereum network, we show that we can identify suspicious and potentially malicious behaviour of network participants by employing statistical graph analysis. We thereby show that it is possible to identify the potentially malicious
exploitation of an unmetered and weakly secured blockchain network resource. In addition, we show that Temporal Network Analysis is a promising technique to identify the occurrence of anomalies in a PoA Ethereum network.
Mehr als 50 Milliarden physische Objekte sollen bis 2020 mit dem Internet verbunden sein. Diese reichen von kleinen und rechenarmen RFID-Systemen bis zu komplexen Geräten wie Smartphones, intelligenten Geräten und Fahrzeugen.
Für dieses Internet of Things (IoT) bedarf es eines Systemvertrauens, da die Nutzung intelligenter Dienste über das Internet ohne menschliches Eingreifen geschieht. Heute vorhandene zentrale Vertrauensinstanzen für IoT verlieren aufgrund von Hacker- und Cyberangriffen ihr Vertrauen. Mit der Blockchain existiert eine Vertrauensarchitektur, die es dem Menschen erlaubt, einem System und seinen Komponenten, und nicht einer zentralen Instanz zu vertrauen. Kann die Symbiose von Blockchain und IoT Vertrauen generieren? Dieser Artikel präsentiert eine systematische Literaturübersicht zum Konzept Vertrauen im Kontext der Blockchain-Technologie für das IoT und deren Geschäftsmodelle.
Das Ziel dieses Beitrags ist die Darstellung der aktuellen Entwicklungen im Zusammenspiel von Blockchain und IoT, um diese als Blaupause für die Schaffung von Vertrauen in weiteren Anwendungsfeldern nutzen zu können.
After creating a new blockchain transaction, the next step usually is to make miners aware of it by having it propagated through the blockchain’s peer-to-peer network. We study an unintended alternative to peer-to-peer propagation: Exclusive mining. Exclusive mining is a type of collusion between a transaction initiator and a single miner (or mining pool). The initiator sends transactions through a private channel directly to the miner instead of propagating them through the peerto-peer network. Other blockchain users only become aware of these transactions once they have been included in a block by the miner. We identify three possible motivations for engaging in exclusive mining: (i) reducing transaction cost volatility (“confirmation as a service”), (ii) hiding unconfirmed transactions from the network to prevent frontrunning and (iii) camouflaging wealth transfers as transaction costs to evade taxes or launder money. We further outline why exclusive mining is difficult to prevent and introduce metrics which can be used to identify mining pools engaging in exclusive mining activity.
In der Anfangszeit der Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT) waren die hauptsächlichen Betrachtungswinkel die der Disruption des Bank- und Finanzwesens.
Mit dem Aufkommen des Systems Ethereum im Jahr 2015, hat die Auseinandersetzung mit der Anwendung von Blockchain in weiteren Branchen, an Bedeutung gewonnen. Eine davon ist die Logistik und das Supply Chain Management (SCM). Gerade in Deutschland spielt der Logistiksektor eine große Rolle, nach der Beschäftigtenzahl ist er die drittgrößte Branche und erzielt einen Umsatz von rund 258 Milliarden Euro. Im Beitrag werden konkrete Anwendungsfelder identifiziert und gezeigt welche potentiellen Vorteile sich dort, durch den Einsatz von DLT, erzielen lassen. Ein Schwerpunkt liegt dabei auf der Einschätzung der Technologie hinsichtlich ihrer Sicherheitseigenschaften.
Im Beitrag wird den Fragen nachgegangen, ob Datensicherheit mithilfe von DLT verbessert werden kann und auf welchem Wege.
With the increasing usage of blockchain technology, legal challenges such as GDPR compliance arise. Especially the right of erasure is considered challenging as blockchains are tamperproof by design. Several approaches investigated
possibilities to weaken the tamperproof aspect of blockchains in favor of GDPR compliance. This paper presents several approaches, then focuses on chameleon hash functions by evaluating the possibility to use these specific functions in a private blockchain. The goal of the built system is to take a step towards the digitization of the bill of lading used in international trade. This paper describes the developed software as well as the core considerations around the system such as network design or block structure.
Dieses Paper ist eine überarbeitete Kurzfassung der Bachelorarbeit, welche 2019 von der Autorin unter dem gleichen Titel geschrieben wurde. Sie setzt sich mit der Herausforderung, kleine Zahlungen effizient mithilfe der Blockchain umzusetzen, auseinander. Ziel ist dabei, verschiedene Ansätze vorzustellen und ihr Potenzial zu prüfen. Prinzipiell hat der Einsatz von Micropayment-Schemas das Ziel, (häufige) Zahlungen von Kleinbeträgen in der Abwicklung möglichst effizient zu gestalten. Das Ungleichgewicht, dass die Kosten einer Zahlung den zu zahlenden Betrag übersteigen, gilt es insbesondere auf der Blockchain zu vermeiden. In diesem Paper werden verschiedene Ansätze für Micropayments vorgestellt und nach verschiedenen Punkten untersucht werden. Dabei wird unter anderem Wert auf die Kostenminimierung, Sicherheit und dezentrale Umsetzbarkeit gelegt. Aber auch die Anwendbarkeit und Ressourcenanforderung der verschiedenen Schemata sollen in dieser Arbeit betrachtet werden.
This paper looks at current projects in the field of Blockchain in education, their specific areas of application, possible advantages and weaknesses. Three examples developed by the team of authors are introduced in detail. First: Gallery-Defender a Serious Game, which was adapted to serve as a demonstrator in a stand-alone version to show the possibility to carry out exams directly from within the game and store the grades and meta-data on Blockchain. Second: Art-Quiz, an e-learning tool, which can be integrated into existing LMS systems and map exam results and further data using Blockchain technologies. Both were developed following an iterative design process. And third: The results of a focus group, which simulated the assignment of grades after an oral online exam. The three examples presented here are based on the Blockchain system Ardor/Childchain Ignis, but each demonstrator has a different set of features and approaches.
In addition, the integration of various Blockchain solutions was conceptually designed to make a Multi-Chain model possible.
This paper analyses the status quo of large-scale decision making combined with the possibility of blockchain as an underlying decentralized architecture to govern common pool resources in a collective manner and evaluates them according to their requirements and features (technical and non-technical). Due to an increasing trend in the distribution of knowledge and an increasing amount of information, the combination of these decentralized technologies and approaches, can not only be beneficial for consortial governance using blockchain but can also help communities to govern common goods and resources. Blockchain and its trust-enhancing properties can potenitally be a catalysator for more collaborative behavior among participants and may lead to new insights about collective action and CPRs.
Mathematics behind the Zcash
(2020)
Among all the new developed cryptocurrencies, Zcash comes out to be the strongest cryptocurrency providing both transparency and anonymity to the transactions and its users by deploying the strong mathematics of zk-SNARKs. We discussed the zero knowledge proofs as a building block for providing the functionality to zk-SNARKs. It offers schnorr protocol which is further used in Zcash transactions where the validation of sent transaction is proved by cryptographic proof. Further, we deploy zk-SNARKs following common reference string that allows sender to prove that she knows a secret such that the proof is succinct, can be verified and does not leak the secret. Non-malleability, small proofs and effective verification make zk-SNARKs a classic tool in Zcash. We deal with NP problems therefore we have considered the elliptic curve cryptography to provide the security. Lastly, we explain Zcash transaction, the corresponding transaction completely hides the sender, receiver and amount of transaction using zero knowledge proof.
To enable smart devices of the internet of things to be connected to a blockchain, a blockchain client needs to run on this hardware. With the Trustless Incentivized Remote Node Network, in short Incubed, it will be possible to establish a decentralized and secure network of remote nodes, which enables trustworthy and fast access to a blockchain for a large number of low-performance IoT devices. Currently, Incubed supports the verification of Ethereum data. To serve a wider audience and more applications this paper proposes the verification of Bitcoin data as well, which can be achieved due to the modularity of Incubed. This paper describes the proof data that is necessary for a client to prove the correctness of a node’s response and the process to verify the response by using this proof data as well. A proof-object which contains the proof data will be part of every response in addition to the actual result. We design, implement and evaluate Bitcoin verification for Incubed. Creation of the proof data for supported methods (on the server-side) and the verification process using this proof data (on the client-side) has been demonstrated. This enables the verification of Bitcoin in Incubed.
The financial world of blockchains is mostly covered by Bitcoin, taking up about 210 billion dollars in market cap. Despite the huge security and independence which the technology offers to the users, it's not quite easy to adapt with upcoming applications due to the regulated infrastructure behind. For small-scale transactions, everyday use applications or the access to a variety of crypto technologies and projects, Bitcoin is relatively limited in future development. The compatibility for most of those applications is covering currencies from more development-driven blockchains like Ethereum. Those want to reach out for the user base that's already in hold of Bitcoins and offer them a seamless transition to new applications without the risk of losing their funds. Within the article, atomic swaps and tokenization are covered up and current approaches compared. Both mechanisms are used to fulfill this symbiosis between Bitcoin and Ethereum.
To get a more practical view, an example on how to implement such a tokenization within an app is shown. This will give deeper insights and offers inspiration for digital identity-based app development.
Procurement processes are deemed to lack supporting digital technologies that raise efficiency and automation.
Blockchain solutions are piloted in procurement in order to offer a decentralized IT infrastructure covering these needs. This paper aims at identifying current blockchain approaches in the field of procurement and presenting affected business processes. In order to get an overview of the current state of the art, a systematic literature mapping is conducted.
Moreover, the out-comes are gathered and categorized in a classification scheme. Based on the analysis, systematic maps are presented to showcase relevant findings. Within the findings, several blockchain use cases in the field of procurement are identified and information about addressed challenges, utilized blockchain frameworks and affected business processes are extracted.
Decentralizing Smart Energy Markets - tamper-proof-documentation of flexibility market processes
(2020)
The evolving granularity and structural decentralization of the energy system leads to a need for new tools for the efficient operation of electricity grids. Local Flexibility Markets (or "Smart Markets") provide platform concepts for market based congestion management. In this context there is a distinct need for a secure, reliable and tamper-resistant market design which requires transparent and independent monitoring of platform operation. Within the following paper different concepts for blockchain-based documentation of relevant processes on the proposed market platform are described. On this basis potential technical realizations are discussed. Finally, the implementation of one setup using Merkle tree operations is presented by using open source libraries.
Diese Arbeit befasst sich mit dem Prozess des Minings von Bitcoin. Dabei soll erklärt werden, wie elektrische Energie genutzt wird, um neue Blöcke zur Blockchain hinzuzufügen und welche Renditen dabei zu erwarten sind. Gleichzeitig soll geklärt werden, ob das Mining von Bitcoin ein Geschäftsmodell ist, mit welchem Anlagen zur Erzeugung erneuerbarer Energie auch ohne Förderung durch das Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz (EEG) wirtschaftlich betrieben werden können.
Es wird beschrieben, wie sich diverse Einflussgrößen auf die Wirtschaftlichkeit des Minings auswirken. Eine Auswahl an Mining-Hardware wird hinsichtlich ihrer zu erwartenden Erträge geprüft. Außerdem werden die Risiken dieses Geschäftsmodells näher betrachtet.