Blockchain Technology in Malaysian Context: Bibliometric Analysis and Systematic Review

Abstract

Blockchain technology has attracted widespread attention due to its compelling features, such as decentralization, transparency, and smart contracts, which can address significant issues in various industries in developing countries such as Malaysia. However, although several studies have arisen from diverse academic backgrounds addressing blockchain in Malaysia, no studies provide a comprehensive review and classification of the research in this field. The main goal of this research is to conduct a bibliometric analysis and systematic review of all blockchain papers published in Malaysia to understand the evolution of knowledge and present state and identify prospective future research fields. Web of Science and Scopus databases searched for existing literature on blockchain in Malaysia, and 76 papers were reviewed and categorized based on study purpose/focus, domain/sectors, the methodology employed, theories applied, and level of analysis. The findings show that blockchain is under-explored in Malaysia, and most current studies focus on Blockchain adoption in specific industries such as finance and supply chain management. However, in other areas, such as healthcare and education, Blockchain conceptual progress is still in its infancy. These findings are being utilized to suggest future research paths in this discipline, such as the need for methodological improvements and a theoretical basis to study blockchain in different sectors.