A Primer for Blockchain

46 Pages Posted: 4 Feb 2019 Last revised: 14 May 2020

See all articles by Lawrence J. Trautman

Lawrence J. Trautman

Prairie View A&M University - College of Business; Texas A&M University School of Law (By Courtesy)

Mason J. Molesky

George Washington University

Date Written: January 28, 2019

Abstract

Much has been written about the likely impact of blockchain technology. Early scholarship on this topic has focused on the legal and financial implications of virtual currencies which is based on blockchain technology. Rapid introduction and diffusion of technological changes throughout society, such as the blockchain, continue to exceed the ability of law and regulation to keep pace. Will blockchain prove as disruptive to business models and entrenched societal institutions as: electricity, radio, television, or the Internet? What beneficial aspects of the blockchain have been identified thus far and what future applications are probable? Should we expect blockchain technology to result in massive global changes? The primary goal of this article about blockchain is to present an all-encompassing basic explanation of: what it is; how it works; and why it’s important. This article contributes to the scholarly literature and our understanding by providing a cogent description of this important technology and look at potential uses.

Keywords: Bitcoin, Blockchain, Breach, Cryptocurrencies, Cryptography, Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), Corporate Governance, Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAO), Entrepreneurship, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FINCE), Initial Coin Offering (ICO), Innovation, IOTA

JEL Classification: D2, E40, E58, G, H79, K12, K24, L24, L80, M13, O, P00, Y10, Y20

Suggested Citation

Trautman, Lawrence J. and Molesky, Mason, A Primer for Blockchain (January 28, 2019). 88(2) UMKC Law Review 239 (2019), Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3324660 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3324660

Lawrence J. Trautman (Contact Author)

Prairie View A&M University - College of Business ( email )

Prairie View, TX
United States

Texas A&M University School of Law (By Courtesy) ( email )

1515 Commerce St.
Fort Worth, TX 76102
United States

Mason Molesky

George Washington University ( email )

Washington, DC 20052
United States

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