Research Network Mapping
Mapping the structure of blockchain and Web3 research through co-authorship analysis, keyword networks, and institutional collaboration patterns.
Abstract
This study maps the structure of blockchain and Web3 research by analyzing 1,000 highly-cited papers sourced from the OpenAlex academic database (2015–2025). We construct three complementary networks — co-authorship (3,810 authors, 18,554 collaboration links), keyword co-occurrence (219 terms, 491 co-occurrence links), and institutional collaboration (1,449 institutions, 7,478 inter-institutional links) — and apply label propagation community detection to identify research clusters. Our analysis reveals 556 distinct author communities spanning IoT security, sustainable supply chains, smart contracts, 6G communications, healthcare data privacy, and more. The resulting mapping highlights collaboration patterns, thematic convergence across disciplines, and opportunities for cross-community knowledge transfer within the Web3 ecosystem.
1,000
Papers Analyzed
3,862
Unique Authors
556
Author Communities
1,449
Institutions
Interactive Network Graph
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Drag to pan, scroll to zoom. Switch between Co-authorship, Keywords, and Institutions tabs. Use the degree filter to show more or fewer nodes.
Findings: Author Communities
Top 25 research communities by total citation count. Communities are detected via label propagation on the co-authorship network.
#1
Satellite Communication Systems, Human–computer interaction, Network architecture
50 authors · 9 papers · 101,229 citations
Satellite Communication SystemsHuman–computer interactionNetwork architectureIoT Networks and ProtocolsMetaverseInteroperabilityBlockchainInternet of Things
Key Researchers
Zhiguo Ding3p · 5,103c
H. Vincent Poor3p · 3,687c
Xuemin Shen3p · 3,537c
Y. Jay Guo2p · 2,433c
Jun Wang2p · 2,229c
University of Manchester · Princeton University · Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications
Most Cited Papers
6G Wireless Networks: Vision, Requirements, Architecture, and Key Technologies(2019, 2,399 cit.)
Towards 6G wireless communication networks: vision, enabling technologies, and...(2020, 1,872 cit.)
6G Internet of Things: A Comprehensive Survey(2021, 1,238 cit.)
#2
Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, Modular design
23 authors · 4 papers · 88,298 citations
BlockchainCryptocurrencyModular designExtensibilityVerifiable secret sharingWorkaroundWorkflowSoftware deployment
Key Researchers
Konstantinos Christidis3p · 8,068c
Marko Vukolić3p · 4,788c
Michael Devetsikiotis1p · 4,325c
Artem Barger2p · 3,743c
Elli Androulaki2p · 3,743c
State Street (United States) · North Carolina State University · IBM Research - Zurich
Most Cited Papers
Blockchains and Smart Contracts for the Internet of Things(2016, 4,325 cit.)
Hyperledger fabric(2018, 3,237 cit.)
The Quest for Scalable Blockchain Fabric: Proof-of-Work vs. BFT Replication(2016, 1,045 cit.)
#3
Confidentiality, Swarm behaviour
100 authors · 1 papers · 79,400 citations
ConfidentialitySwarm behaviour
Key Researchers
Hartmut Schultze1p · 794c
Stefanie Warnat‐Herresthal1p · 794c
Krishnaprasad Lingadahalli Shastry1p · 794c
Sathyanarayanan Manamohan1p · 794c
Saikat Mukherjee1p · 794c
German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases · University of Bonn · Hewlett Packard Enterprise (United States)
Most Cited Papers
Swarm Learning for decentralized and confidential clinical machine learning(2021, 794 cit.)
#4
Blockchain, Internet of Things, Human–computer interaction
48 authors · 30 papers · 75,501 citations
BlockchainInternet of ThingsHuman–computer interactionEmerging technologiesAdvanced Neural Network ApplicationsMetaverseHealth careVirtual Reality Applications and Impacts
Key Researchers
Quoc‐Viet Pham8p · 5,873c
Thippa Reddy Gadekallu8p · 5,579c
Madhusanka Liyanage8p · 5,083c
Praveen Kumar Reddy Maddikunta5p · 3,946c
Dinh C. Nguyen5p · 3,095c
Vellore Institute of Technology University · Pusan National University · University of Oulu
Most Cited Papers
Industry 5.0: A survey on enabling technologies and potential applications(2021, 1,663 cit.)
6G Internet of Things: A Comprehensive Survey(2021, 1,238 cit.)
A Decentralized Privacy-Preserving Healthcare Blockchain for IoT(2019, 846 cit.)
#5
Blockchain, Scalability, Internet of Things
10 authors · 15 papers · 59,097 citations
BlockchainScalabilityInternet of ThingsConsensus algorithmCryptocurrencySmart contractSpam and Phishing DetectionReputation
Key Researchers
Zibin Zheng10p · 13,680c
Hong‐Ning Dai5p · 10,399c
Xiangping Chen4p · 10,092c
Huaimin Wang3p · 8,967c
Shaoan Xie3p · 6,946c
Sun Yat-sen University · Macau University of Science and Technology · King Saud University
Most Cited Papers
An Overview of Blockchain Technology: Architecture, Consensus, and Future Trends(2017, 4,219 cit.)
Blockchain challenges and opportunities: a survey(2018, 3,146 cit.)
Blockchain challenges and opportunities: a survey(2018, 1,602 cit.)
#6
Blockchain, Digital Marketing and Social Media, FinTech
42 authors · 9 papers · 47,417 citations
BlockchainDigital Marketing and Social MediaFinTechCrowdfundingDigital FinanceSupply chainTraceabilityDigital transformation
Key Researchers
Yogesh K. Dwivedi6p · 4,200c
Nripendra P. Rana3p · 2,408c
Laurie Hughes3p · 1,994c
Santosh K. Misra2p · 1,988c
Ramakrishnan Raman2p · 1,966c
Swansea University · University of Bedfordshire · California State University
Most Cited Papers
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on information management research and practice: T...(2020, 1,190 cit.)
Technological disruptions in services: lessons from tourism and hospitality(2019, 846 cit.)
Blockchain research, practice and policy: Applications, benefits, limitations,...(2019, 798 cit.)
#7
Scrap, Electric vehicle, Greenhouse gas
14 authors · 1 papers · 46,844 citations
ScrapElectric vehicleGreenhouse gasAutomotive engineeringWaste managementMechanical engineeringExtraction and Separation ProcessesAdvancements in Battery Materials
Key Researchers
Gavin Harper1p · 3,346c
Roberto Sommerville1p · 3,346c
Emma Kendrick1p · 3,346c
Laura L. Driscoll1p · 3,346c
Peter R. Slater1p · 3,346c
The Faraday Institution · University of Birmingham · NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre
Most Cited Papers
Recycling lithium-ion batteries from electric vehicles(2019, 3,346 cit.)
#8
Cryptocurrency, Blockchain, Smart contract
26 authors · 13 papers · 45,525 citations
CryptocurrencyBlockchainSmart contractScalabilityCryptographyDatabase transactionRevenueFinance
Key Researchers
Andrew Miller4p · 4,913c
Prateek Saxena3p · 4,696c
Elaine Shi4p · 4,162c
Ahmed E. Kosba2p · 3,304c
Ittay Eyal4p · 2,589c
Cornell University · National University of Singapore · ETH Zurich
Most Cited Papers
Making Smart Contracts Smarter(2016, 2,168 cit.)
Hawk: The Blockchain Model of Cryptography and Privacy-Preserving Smart Contra...(2016, 2,156 cit.)
A Secure Sharding Protocol For Open Blockchains(2016, 1,380 cit.)
#9
Blockchain, Software, Business process
44 authors · 10 papers · 39,431 citations
BlockchainSoftwareBusiness processWork in processBusiness Process Modeling and AnalysisFinTechCrowdfundingDigital Finance
Key Researchers
Xiwei Xu7p · 3,639c
Ingo Weber4p · 2,319c
Liming Zhu4p · 2,252c
Mark Staples3p · 1,800c
Shiping Chen3p · 1,312c
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation · Data61 · UNSW Sydney
Most Cited Papers
A Taxonomy of Blockchain-Based Systems for Architecture Design(2017, 725 cit.)
Blockchains for Business Process Management - Challenges and Opportunities(2018, 686 cit.)
Untrusted Business Process Monitoring and Execution Using Blockchain(2016, 519 cit.)
#10
Scripting language, Workflow, Raw data
15 authors · 2 papers · 37,380 citations
Scripting languageWorkflowRaw dataAdaptabilityScientific Computing and Data ManagementResearch Data Management PracticesData Quality and ManagementOpen peer review
Key Researchers
Felix Mölder2p · 2,492c
Kim Philipp Jablonski2p · 2,492c
Brice Letcher2p · 2,492c
Michael B. Hall2p · 2,492c
Christopher H. Tomkins-Tinch2p · 2,492c
University of Duisburg-Essen · SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics · ETH Zurich
Most Cited Papers
Sustainable data analysis with Snakemake(2021, 1,654 cit.)
Sustainable data analysis with Snakemake(2021, 838 cit.)
#11
Accountability, Sustainable development, Productivity
10 authors · 1 papers · 27,080 citations
AccountabilitySustainable developmentProductivityEngineering ethicsEconomic growthEnergyEnvironmentand Transportation Policies
Key Researchers
Hossein Azizpour1p · 2,708c
Ricardo Vinuesa1p · 2,708c
Iolanda Leite1p · 2,708c
Madeline Balaam1p · 2,708c
Virginia Dignum1p · 2,708c
Swedish e-Science Research Centre · KTH Royal Institute of Technology · Umeå University
Most Cited Papers
The role of artificial intelligence in achieving the Sustainable Development G...(2020, 2,708 cit.)
#12
Internet of Things, Blockchain, Black box
16 authors · 6 papers · 26,723 citations
Internet of ThingsBlockchainBlack boxPredictabilityImbalanced Data Classification TechniquesMachine Learning in HealthcareUser Authentication and Security SystemsOutbreak
Key Researchers
Vinay Chamola6p · 4,860c
Vikas Hassija3p · 3,846c
A. Mahapatra1p · 1,397c
Abhinandan Singal1p · 1,397c
Divyansh Goel1p · 1,397c
Birla Institute of Technology and Science · Pilani · Jaypee Institute of Information Technology
Most Cited Papers
Interpreting Black-Box Models: A Review on Explainable Artificial Intelligence(2023, 1,397 cit.)
A Survey on IoT Security: Application Areas, Security Threats, and Solution Ar...(2019, 1,342 cit.)
A Comprehensive Review of the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Role of IoT, Drones, A...(2020, 1,107 cit.)
#13
Visible light communication, Free-space optical communication, Network architecture
11 authors · 3 papers · 24,385 citations
Visible light communicationFree-space optical communicationNetwork architectureBeamformingOptical communicationElectronic engineeringOptical Wireless Communication TechnologiesSatellite Communication Systems
Key Researchers
Yue Xiao2p · 3,633c
Wei Jiang2p · 2,656c
Zhengquan Zhang1p · 2,399c
Zheng Ma1p · 2,399c
Ming Xiao1p · 2,399c
Southwest Jiaotong University · KTH Royal Institute of Technology · University of Manchester
Most Cited Papers
6G Wireless Networks: Vision, Requirements, Architecture, and Key Technologies(2019, 2,399 cit.)
The Road Towards 6G: A Comprehensive Survey(2021, 1,422 cit.)
Healthcare Data Gateways: Found Healthcare Intelligence on Blockchain with Nov...(2016, 1,234 cit.)
#14
Blockchain, Smart contract, Internet of Things
19 authors · 11 papers · 23,278 citations
BlockchainSmart contractInternet of ThingsTraceabilityHealth careOpen researchSupply chainEncryption
Key Researchers
Khaled Salah9p · 6,359c
Minhaj Ahmad Khan1p · 2,403c
Raja Jayaraman3p · 1,647c
Muhammad Habib ur Rehman3p · 1,635c
Nishara Nizamuddin2p · 1,633c
Khalifa University of Science and Technology · National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences · Kyung Hee University
Most Cited Papers
IoT security: Review, blockchain solutions, and open challenges(2017, 2,403 cit.)
Security and Privacy in Decentralized Energy Trading Through Multi-Signatures,...(2016, 1,278 cit.)
Blockchain for AI: Review and Open Research Challenges(2019, 961 cit.)
#15
Blockchain, Data sharing, Reinforcement learning
14 authors · 12 papers · 22,983 citations
BlockchainData sharingReinforcement learningExploitWireless networkEdge deviceElectric Vehicles and InfrastructureTransportation and Mobility Innovations
Key Researchers
Yan Zhang10p · 7,530c
Sabita Maharjan6p · 4,625c
Xiaohong Huang4p · 2,672c
Yunlong Lu3p · 2,356c
Yueyue Dai2p · 1,537c
University of Oslo · Simula Metropolitan Center for Digital Engineering · Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications
Most Cited Papers
Blockchain and Federated Learning for Privacy-Preserved Data Sharing in Indust...(2019, 1,179 cit.)
Enabling Localized Peer-to-Peer Electricity Trading Among Plug-in Hybrid Elect...(2017, 1,132 cit.)
Consortium Blockchain for Secure Energy Trading in Industrial Internet of Things(2017, 1,094 cit.)
#16
Internet of Things, Agriculture, Blockchain
17 authors · 11 papers · 21,250 citations
Internet of ThingsAgricultureBlockchainIntrusion detection systemWireless sensor networkEmerging technologiesAdvanced Authentication Protocols SecurityTestbed
Key Researchers
Mohamed Amine Ferrag8p · 3,791c
Λέανδρος Μαγλαράς6p · 2,750c
Lei Shu6p · 2,746c
Helge Janicke5p · 2,645c
Othmane Friha3p · 1,675c
University of Guelma · De Montfort University · Badji Mokhtar University
Most Cited Papers
Edge-IIoTset: A New Comprehensive Realistic Cyber Security Dataset of IoT and ...(2022, 822 cit.)
From Industry 4.0 to Agriculture 4.0: Current Status, Enabling Technologies, a...(2020, 753 cit.)
Blockchain Technologies for the Internet of Things: Research Issues and Challe...(2018, 626 cit.)
#17
Contact tracing, Digital health, Public health
17 authors · 1 papers · 20,791 citations
Contact tracingDigital healthPublic healthPreparednessPublic relationsHealth careNursingCOVID-19 Digital Contact Tracing
Key Researchers
Benjamin S. Miller1p · 1,223c
Jobie Budd1p · 1,223c
Erin Manning1p · 1,223c
Vasileios Lampos1p · 1,223c
Mengdie Zhuang1p · 1,223c
University College London · London Centre for Nanotechnology · Chatham House
Most Cited Papers
Digital technologies in the public-health response to COVID-19(2020, 1,223 cit.)
#18
Reputation, Human–computer interaction, Database transaction
11 authors · 9 papers · 20,205 citations
ReputationHuman–computer interactionDatabase transactionTransportation and Mobility InnovationsBlockchainExploitMobile deviceMobile Crowdsensing and Crowdsourcing
Key Researchers
Jiawen Kang8p · 6,126c
Rong Yu4p · 3,377c
Dongdong Ye3p · 2,059c
Xumin Huang2p · 1,911c
Shengli Xie2p · 1,684c
Guangdong University of Technology · Nanyang Technological University · University of Oslo
Most Cited Papers
Enabling Localized Peer-to-Peer Electricity Trading Among Plug-in Hybrid Elect...(2017, 1,132 cit.)
Consortium Blockchain for Secure Energy Trading in Industrial Internet of Things(2017, 1,094 cit.)
Incentive Mechanism for Reliable Federated Learning: A Joint Optimization Appr...(2019, 905 cit.)
#19
Blockchain, Health care, Single point of failure
19 authors · 14 papers · 18,720 citations
BlockchainHealth careSingle point of failureInternet of ThingsCryptographySmart contractAccess controlSmart grid
Key Researchers
Neeraj Kumar9p · 4,149c
Sudeep Tanwar7p · 3,776c
Karan Parekh2p · 1,657c
Sudhanshu Tyagi3p · 1,636c
Richard Evans1p · 932c
Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology · Nirma University · Asia University
Most Cited Papers
Blockchain-based electronic healthcare record system for healthcare 4.0 applic...(2019, 932 cit.)
A survey on privacy protection in blockchain system(2018, 788 cit.)
Blockchain for Industry 4.0: A Comprehensive Review(2020, 725 cit.)
#20
Blockchain, Encryption, Internet of Things
17 authors · 13 papers · 18,640 citations
BlockchainEncryptionInternet of ThingsSmart gridSmart contractReputationCryptographySmart city
Key Researchers
Mohsen Guizani6p · 3,968c
Liehuang Zhu7p · 2,819c
Xiaojiang Du5p · 2,629c
Meng Shen5p · 2,037c
Keke Gai3p · 1,343c
Beijing Institute of Technology · Temple University · Qatar University
Most Cited Papers
MeDShare: Trust-Less Medical Data Sharing Among Cloud Service Providers via Bl...(2017, 1,136 cit.)
A Comprehensive Review of the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Role of IoT, Drones, A...(2020, 1,107 cit.)
Reliable Federated Learning for Mobile Networks(2020, 577 cit.)
#21
Blockchain, Internet of Things, Proof-of-work system
15 authors · 16 papers · 18,539 citations
BlockchainInternet of ThingsProof-of-work systemConsensus algorithmReputationMobile deviceMobile Crowdsensing and CrowdsourcingMetaverse
Key Researchers
Dusit Niyato15p · 8,871c
Jun Zhao5p · 2,517c
Muhammad Baqer Mollah2p · 905c
Leong Hai Koh2p · 905c
Qingqing Wu2p · 783c
Nanyang Technological University · Guangdong University of Technology · Kyung Hee University
Most Cited Papers
6G Internet of Things: A Comprehensive Survey(2021, 1,238 cit.)
A Survey on Consensus Mechanisms and Mining Strategy Management in Blockchain ...(2019, 965 cit.)
Incentive Mechanism for Reliable Federated Learning: A Joint Optimization Appr...(2019, 905 cit.)
#22
Constellation, Communications satellite, Satellite
14 authors · 2 papers · 18,421 citations
ConstellationCommunications satelliteSatelliteOpen researchEarth observationAerospace engineeringSatellite Communication SystemsIoT Networks and Protocols
Key Researchers
Lei Lei2p · 2,158c
Eva Lagunas1p · 1,251c
Oltjon Kodheli1p · 1,251c
Nicola Maturo1p · 1,251c
Shree Krishna Sharma1p · 1,251c
University of Luxembourg · Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications · University of Memphis
Most Cited Papers
Satellite Communications in the New Space Era: A Survey and Future Challenges(2020, 1,251 cit.)
Blockchain-Based Decentralized Trust Management in Vehicular Networks(2018, 907 cit.)
#23
Blockchain, Smart contract, Emerging technologies
8 authors · 1 papers · 18,352 citations
BlockchainSmart contractEmerging technologiesBusiness modelDisruptive technology
Key Researchers
Merlinda Andoni1p · 2,294c
Valentin Robu1p · 2,294c
David Flynn1p · 2,294c
Simone Abram1p · 2,294c
Dale Geach1p · 2,294c
Heriot-Watt University · Durham University · Siemens (United Kingdom)
Most Cited Papers
Blockchain technology in the energy sector: A systematic review of challenges ...(2018, 2,294 cit.)
#24
Supply chain, Blockchain, Supply chain management
14 authors · 11 papers · 17,393 citations
Supply chainBlockchainSupply chain managementExtant taxonCompetitive advantageStructural equation modelingTechnology Adoption and User BehaviourQuality and Supply Management
Key Researchers
Maciel M. Queiroz7p · 4,266c
Samuel Fosso Wamba6p · 3,457c
Dmitry Ivanov3p · 2,598c
Alexandre Dolgui2p · 1,425c
Renato Telles2p · 1,184c
TBS Education · Universidade Paulista · Berlin School of Economics and Law
Most Cited Papers
Viable supply chain model: integrating agility, resilience and sustainability ...(2020, 1,173 cit.)
Blockchain adoption challenges in supply chain: An empirical investigation of ...(2018, 993 cit.)
Impacts of epidemic outbreaks on supply chains: mapping a research agenda amid...(2020, 904 cit.)
#25
Climate change, Blockchain, Environmental resource management
21 authors · 6 papers · 17,343 citations
Climate changeBlockchainEnvironmental resource managementGreenhouse gasSustainabilityEcotoxicologyEnvironmental planningEnvironmental chemistry
Key Researchers
Ahmed I. Osman3p · 2,361c
David W. Rooney3p · 2,361c
Samer Fawzy2p · 2,040c
John Doran1p · 1,369c
Lin Chen3p · 1,312c
Queen's University Belfast · Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University · University of Houston
Most Cited Papers
Strategies for mitigation of climate change: a review(2020, 1,369 cit.)
Circular economy strategies for combating climate change and other environment...(2022, 671 cit.)
Blockchain in global supply chains and cross border trade: a critical synthesi...(2019, 643 cit.)
Methodology
Data collection. Papers were sourced from OpenAlex, an open catalog of scholarly works. We queried for blockchain-related publications from 2015 onward and selected the top 1,000 by citation count to focus on high-impact work.
Network construction. Three networks were constructed: (1) a co-authorship network where two authors are linked when they co-author a paper, (2) a keyword co-occurrence network where keywords appearing together in the same paper are linked, and (3) an institutional collaboration network where two affiliations are linked when their researchers co-author.
Community detection. We applied label propagation, an iterative algorithm where each node adopts the most frequent label among its neighbors until convergence. This produces groups of densely connected authors who collaborate frequently — research communities.
Visualization. The interactive graph above uses D3.js force-directed layout. Node size reflects connection count; color indicates community membership. The degree filter adjusts the minimum number of connections required for a node to appear.