Corporate Governance and Blockchains

Review of Finance, Forthcoming

47 Pages Posted: 8 Dec 2015 Last revised: 3 Dec 2016

See all articles by David Yermack

David Yermack

New York University (NYU) - Stern School of Business; European Corporate Governance Institute (ECGI)

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: November 28, 2016

Abstract

Blockchains represent a novel application of cryptography and information technology to age-old problems of financial record-keeping, and they may lead to far-reaching changes in corporate governance. During 2015 many major players in the financial industry began to invest in this new technology, and stock exchanges have proposed using blockchains as a new method for trading corporate equities and tracking their ownership. This essay evaluates the potential implications of these changes for managers, institutional investors, small shareholders, auditors, and other parties involved in corporate governance. The lower cost, greater liquidity, more accurate record-keeping, and transparency of ownership offered by blockchains may significantly upend the balance of power among these cohorts.

Keywords: Blockchains, corporate governance

Suggested Citation

Yermack, David, Corporate Governance and Blockchains (November 28, 2016). Review of Finance, Forthcoming, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2700475 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2700475

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