This book analyzes the fundamental issues faced when blockchain
technology is applied to real-life applications. These concerns, not
only in the realm of computer science, are caused by the nature of
technological design. Blockchain is considered the foundation of a wide
range of flexible ecosystems; its technology is an excellent mixture of
mathematics, cryptography, incentive mechanisms, economics, and
pertinent regulations. The book provides an essential understanding of
why such fundamental issues arise, by revising the underlying theories.
Blockchain theory is thus presented in an easy-to-understand, useful
manner. Also explained is the reason why blockchain is hard to adopt for
real-life problems but is valuable as a foundation for flexible
ecosystems. Included are directions for solving those problems and
finding suitable areas for blockchain applications in the future.
The authors of this work are experts from a wide range of backgrounds
such as cryptography, distributed computing, computer science, trust,
identity, regulation, and standardization. Their contributions collected
here will appeal to all who are interested in blockchain and the
elements surrounding it.