Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences - iisbf@gelisim.edu.tr

Economics And Finance








 Dark Side of Blockchain Technology




By providing a distributed and transparent ledger system, blockchain technology offers
numerous benefits in terms of security and reliability. However, there are several dangers and
challenges associated with blockchain technology.
Here are some common risks of blockchain:
Security Risks: Blockchain technology relies on a cryptographically secured structure to
prevent data alteration or tampering attempts. However, specific blockchain networks may be
vulnerable to mining attacks, 51% attacks, malicious software usage, or exploitation of weak
points. Such attacks can jeopardize the integrity of the blockchain when there are security
vulnerabilities.
Scalability Issues: As the popularity of blockchain increases, the ability to handle large
transaction volumes becomes challenging. Existing blockchains may need help with the high
transaction speeds specific applications require. The Bitcoin blockchain can only process a
few transactions per second. Therefore, scalability issues can limit the adoption of blockchain
technology.
Data Privacy: Blockchain technology facilitates transparent data sharing. This can raise
privacy concerns, especially when sensitive information such as transaction details and
account balances is open. In some cases, complete anonymity of data on the blockchain can
also pose problems.
Legal and Regulatory Challenges: Blockchain technology must comply with existing legal
and regulatory frameworks. Certain applications that do not align with current financial and
legal regulations can give rise to legal and regulatory issues. This can also act as a limiting
factor for the widespread adoption of blockchain technology.
Data Storage and Backup: Blockchain technology requires significant data storage capacity
due to the continuous growth of blocks. This can lead to challenges in data storage and
backup. Safely storing and maintaining all blockchain data can be costly.
These risks are important factors to consider in developing and adopting blockchain
technology. Therefore, paying particular attention to security, scalability, data privacy,
regulatory compliance, and data storage is crucial when utilizing blockchain technology.