Blockchain tokens and the potential democratization of entrepreneurship and innovation

Yan Chen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

319 Scopus citations

Abstract

Over the past few years, Bitcoin has emerged as the first decentralized, global currency. The rise of Bitcoin has brought attention not only to digital currencies but also to the underlying technology empowering digital currencies: blockchain technology. A blockchain is a distributed ledger that records and secures transactions in a peer-to-peer network. Besides empowering digital currencies, blockchain technology has given innovators the capability of creating digital tokens to represent scarce assets, potentially reshaping the landscape of entrepreneurship and innovation. Blockchain tokens may democratize (1) entrepreneurship by giving entrepreneurs new ways to raise funds and engage stakeholders, and (2) innovation by giving innovators a new way to develop, deploy, and diffuse decentralized applications. Blockchain technology and tokens have sparked a new wave of innovation, which may start to revolutionize entrepreneurship and innovation.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)567-575
Number of pages9
JournalBusiness Horizons
Volume61
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jul 2018

Keywords

  • Blockchain token
  • Crowdfunding
  • Initial coin offering
  • Open innovation
  • Token sale

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