Defining and Delimitating Distributed Ledger Technology: Results of a Structured Literature Analysis

Abstract

There are currently different views in the scientific community on how the distributed ledger technology (DLT) relates to the blockchain technology. Some view them as synonyms, whereas others view DLT as the umbrella term for all blockchain related technologies. This paper approaches this topic by deriving definitions and core characteristics of DLT and blockchain technology. By using these definitions and an additional market research, a categorization for DLT and blockchain can be created. This categorization will operate as an additional component for IT-architects to decide on appropriate DLT solutions for their specific distributed ledger use cases.