Title: Global research trends on blockchain technology in finance: past, present and future

Authors: Rachana Jaiswal; Shashank Gupta

Addresses: Department of Business Management, HNB Garhwal (A Central) University, Srinagar, Uttarakhand, India ' Department of Non-Financial Risk Technology, Morgan Stanley Advantage Services India Private Limited, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Abstract: The intense interest that blockchain technology has ignited among academia and corporate leaders has spurred keen scrutiny of the finance industry's current knowledge. Nevertheless, the lack of a comprehensive evaluation of blockchain research in finance creates a void in the scholarly literature. This study utilises bibliometric analysis using VOSviewer, RStudio bibliometrix, and CiteSpace to scrutinise a sample of 1,065 Scopus-indexed publications meticulously. This study uncovers central themes and trends in blockchain research by identifying highly productive authors, influential nations, and impactful publications and utilising sophisticated techniques like burst detection and keyword-based cluster analysis. It underscores the immense potential of blockchain technology to revolutionise the financial industry and advance sustainable development goals. However, blockchain technology's complex policy and societal implications require collaboration among diverse stakeholders to ensure its benefits to society. Therefore, future research must prioritise exploring blockchain's potential to promote financial inclusion, innovation, transparency, accountability, and sustainable development.

Keywords: blockchain technology; finance; sustainable development goals; SDGs; financial inclusion; bibliometric analysis.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEF.2025.149158

International Journal of Electronic Finance, 2025 Vol.14 No.4, pp.454 - 484

Received: 10 Oct 2022
Accepted: 05 Jun 2023
Published online: 16 Oct 2025 *

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