Integration of Quantum Computing and Blockchain Technology: A Cryptographic Perspective

Abstract

Blockchain is a computational data structure that provides open and distributed and decentralized public ledger technology that has many promising applications. Blockchain applies block structure linked with each other to store and verify data and provides trustworthy consensus mechanism for the synchronization of changes in data which results in a tamperproof digital platform. Blockchain has many approaches for security services which includes integrity assurance, confidentiality, resource provenance and access control list. Blockchain is an emerging technology and believed to be employed in diverse interactive system of the Internet. The goal of this paper is to give a detailed overview on the blockchain technology such as its background, architecture and properties. Further, it describes the quantum-level vulnerabilities of different popular blockchains in-use and the different cryptographic concepts that are used in blockchain, and then it highlights the concept of quantum computing along with blockchain technology. In the end, it gives an insight of pre-quantum to post-quantum blockchain.