The application of blockchain technology in data trading: a systematic review

In the era of exponential data growth, the imperative to establish secure and efficient data trading mechanisms has become paramount. While traditional centralized architectures present critical limitations in security and operational efficiency, the emergence of blockchain technology offers transformative potential for decentralized solutions. This study conducts a systematic literature review to critically examine blockchain's evolving role in data trading ecosystems. Adhering to the PRISMA 2020 framework, we analyzed 18 rigorously selected studies from an initial pool of 164 Web of Science publications identified through "data trading" and "blockchain" keyword searches. Our analysis reveals three principal findings: first, current blockchain implementations predominantly cluster within computer science applications, indicating disciplinary concentration. Second, technical development emphasizes solution-oriented systems over theoretical model construction, suggesting an application-prioritized research paradigm. Third, we identify persistent challenges across three critical dimensions: (i) security-efficiency paradox in decentralized architectures, (ii) transparency-privacy equilibrium maintenance, and (iii) scalability constraints under high-concurrency scenarios. This study aims to offer in-depth insights into blockchain's potential applications in data trading and future research directions.