Blockchain-Based Transparency in Global Supply Chains-A Systematic Literature Review

Kenneth Baayeh, Prashanth Beleya, Diana Airawaty, Sadegh Salehi

Abstract

Global supply chains are increasingly exposed to transparency challenges, information asymmetry, and vulnerabilities to fraud and counterfeiting. Blockchain technology can play a pivotal role by providing a decentralized, tamper-resistant, and verifiable infrastructure that enhances trust and transparency across supply chain networks. This paper presents a systematic literature review (SLR) of 33 peer-reviewed articles published between 2020 and 2025, following the PRISMA guidelines, to examine how blockchain improves transparency in supply chains, identify key adoption barriers, and highlight emerging research trends and opportunities. The results indicate that blockchain enhances transparency through data immutability, smart contracts, and real-time data sharing enabled by IoT technologies. However, its adoption remains constrained by challenges related to scalability, interoperability, regulatory uncertainty, implementation costs, and organizational culture, particularly among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Emerging trends include the integration of blockchain with IoT and artificial intelligence (AI), the development of consortium and hybrid blockchain models, sustainability-oriented applications, and privacy-preserving mechanisms. Overall, the review highlights the transformative potential of blockchain to reshape secure and ethical supply chains while emphasizing the importance of industry collaboration, regulatory clarity, and organizational readiness for large-scale adoption.

 

Keywords: Blockchain; transparency; global supply chains; traceability; logistics.

 

DOI https://doi.org/10.55463/issn.1674-2974.53.2.7


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