Blockchain frontiers in Statistics

Abstract Opportunities for statisticians in the age of blockchains are now beginning to unfold, with researchers pursuing bold solutions to heretofore unsolved problems with this technology. While the notion of an ‘immutable record’ is not novel, given the advent of modern computing, new methods to transact and maintain robust system of records arise out of blockchains. Analytical challenges from blockchain ecosystems can substantially benefit from statistical methodologies. Inferential methods can be deployed to gain insights about aberrations in blockchains, thus making this technology more resilient to fraud or other criminal interference. This special issue of Statistics in Society underscores the critical need for statistical expertise in blockchains, particularly as it concerns how our global society embraces this new and accessible method of enabling transactions. Many ‘use cases’ for blockchains involve cryptocurrencies, but other applications also employ blockchain technologies. The nature of real estate transactions, the maintenance of health records, or even the manner in which works of art change hands could all leverage efficiencies afforded by blockchains. The hope of this special issue is to encourage more statisticians to get involved in tackling important problems in blockchain data analysis to advance how society can benefit from this technology.