This article summarizes the current status of the legal challenges facing the blockchain technology in Germany. Similar to the world wide web, blockchain represents a kind of basic technology on which new platforms and business models can be created. However, the question arises whether the German legal system is fundamentally capable of meeting the challenges posed by such decentralized technology. In particular concerning criminal offences or the new basic data protection regulation. It is questionable how the current negative headlines (e.g., silk road) will affect cryptocurrencies in the long term and, as a result, possibly also blockchain technology, not only concerning illegal content such as child pornography.

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W. Wellbrock, C. Hein, C. Hein, and D. Ludin, “Hype or horror – Potentials and hurdles of blockchain technology based on legal framework conditions in Germany,” International Journal of Applied and Physical Sciences, vol. 7, pp. 1-9. 2021. Doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.20469/ijaps.7.50001