In recent years, blockchain technology and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have surged to the forefront of technological innovation, captivating industries ranging from finance to art. A comprehensive scientometric analysis led by Khan, Raza, Alomair, and colleagues takes a deep dive into the evolving research landscape surrounding these transformative technologies. Published in 2025, the study offers illuminating insights into the trends and developments that shape the ever-expanding realm of blockchain and NFTs, while also highlighting significant methodological limitations that future research must address.
At its core, the study undertakes a rigorous bibliometric review by mining data primarily from prominent academic databases such as Scopus and Web of Science (WoS). This approach allows the researchers to map the scientific output, collaboration networks, and thematic focuses that have defined blockchain and NFT research up to the present. However, the authors caution that relying solely on these databases restricts the scope of captured knowledge, noting that other critical repositories like IEEE Xplore, arXiv, and Google Scholar offer complementary perspectives and sources that were unfortunately excluded.
The study’s methodology begins with keyword-based data acquisition, focusing on terms like “blockchain,” “non-fungible token,” and “token.” Although straightforward, this keyword strategy inevitably narrows the field of inquiry. Given the diverse terminology and the emergence of novel concepts within blockchain ecosystems, the omission of synonyms and related jargon potentially leads to undersampling. This constraint signifies a missed opportunity to capture the full breadth of research trends and emergent subfields in the technological and sociocultural fabric of blockchain and NFTs.
Delving into the findings, one of the critical observations revolves around the geographic and institutional concentration of the research output. The analysis reveals a disproportionate dominance of institutions from select global regions, which raises concerns about a potential bias in representation. Such regional clustering may skew scientific perspectives and limit the global inclusivity of blockchain research, thereby challenging the universality of derived insights and innovations.
Moreover, the role of patents as drivers of blockchain and NFT innovation is conspicuously absent from the study’s dataset. The authors explicitly recognize that patents provide a rich source of innovation metrics and capture commercialization trajectories that academic publications alone cannot fully represent. This exclusion underscores an incomplete depiction of the innovation ecosystem, as patents often preempt scientific articles in reporting novel technological breakthroughs and defining market trends.
The temporality of the research is another aspect meriting attention. The study’s temporal scope — confined to the data available within the queried databases and the selected keywords — likely truncates the evolutionary narrative of blockchain and NFT technologies. Emerging fields often exhibit rapid developmental cycles, and capturing these dynamics demands longitudinal data combined with expansive keyword ontologies that can adapt to evolving discourse and terminologies over time.
Network analysis presented in the study shines a light on collaborative patterns among authors and institutions. The findings suggest a burgeoning but still fragile network of cooperation that, if expanded and diversified, could significantly enhance the richness and multidisciplinarity of blockchain scholarship. Strengthening these collaborative ties and encouraging cross-border participation could mitigate biases and foster a more holistic understanding of blockchain’s multifaceted impacts.
The scientometric map reveals predominant thematic clusters focused on cryptocurrency applications, decentralized finance (DeFi), and smart contracts, mirroring the commercial priorities that drive much blockchain research. Interestingly, NFT research, albeit a recent phenomenon, has attracted significant attention, demonstrating a cross-pollination of interests between technological innovation and cultural or artistic mechanisms facilitated by blockchain infrastructures.
Potential implications of the researchers’ findings are vast. Firstly, scholars are called upon to broaden their data sourcing strategies, incorporating mixed-method approaches that blend quantitative scientometric techniques with qualitative analyses. This hybrid methodology would enrich the understanding of blockchain and NFT phenomena, revealing nuances often hidden in purely bibliometric evaluations.
Furthermore, the study’s results amplify the imperative to integrate patent data with academic literature. Doing so would paint a fuller picture of innovation pathways, tracking transitions from theoretical development through patenting and eventual market deployment. This comprehensive viewpoint is essential for policymakers, investors, and technologists aiming to anticipate future disruptive waves and investment hotspots.
From an academic lens, the limitations highlighted in this study also urge a re-examination of keyword selection strategies in scientometric research. Expanding the lexical range to include related and emerging concepts could unearth hidden patterns and emergent disciplines. Such an approach would especially benefit burgeoning fields like NFTs, where terminologies rapidly evolve alongside technology and market trends.
The study further intimates the need to examine sociopolitical factors that influence research production and technology dissemination. Geographic and institutional concentration hints at underlying economic, policy, and infrastructural disparities that could shape global blockchain development trajectories. Addressing these imbalances may catalyze more equitable access to innovation and broaden the societal benefits of blockchain and NFTs.
Khan and colleagues also underscore the role of interdisciplinary efforts to propel blockchain sciences forward. Given blockchain’s intersections with economics, computer science, law, and the arts, collaborative endeavors across these domains are crucial. This integration will not only facilitate richer research outputs but also foster pragmatic solutions to complex regulatory, ethical, and technological challenges inherent in blockchain adoption.
The incorporation of temporal dynamics into scientometric analyses emerges as a critical methodological recommendation. Capturing the evolutionary stages of blockchain and NFTs will require ongoing monitoring coupled with adaptable keyword frameworks. Such efforts can identify nascent trends early, enabling timely responses from researchers, industry stakeholders, and policymakers.
Overall, the scientometric study amplifies the discourse on blockchain and NFTs by systematically tracking the intellectual landscape and identifying actionable gaps. Its insights encourage the scholarly community to adopt more inclusive, multidisciplinary, and dynamic research strategies to fully harness the transformative potential of these technologies.
As blockchain and NFT applications continue to diversify — encompassing everything from digital art marketplaces to secure supply chains and decentralized autonomous organizations — the importance of robust, unbiased, and comprehensive research cannot be overstated. Future studies imbued with the recommended breadth and methodological diversity could significantly accelerate innovation and societal integration of blockchain paradigms.
In conclusion, while the analysis by Khan et al. provides a foundational overview of blockchain and NFT research trends, it simultaneously acts as a clarion call for more nuanced, globally inclusive, and methodologically sophisticated exploration. Bridging these gaps will be pivotal to ensuring that the scientific community captures the full spectrum of blockchain innovations and their profound implications for the digital future.
Subject of Research: Blockchain and non-fungible token (NFT) research trends and development through scientometric analysis.
Article Title: A scientometric analysis on blockchain and NFTs: trends and development.
Article References:
Khan, M.I., Raza, A., Alomair, A. et al. A scientometric analysis on blockchain and NFTs: trends and development. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 12, 1714 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05979-2
Image Credits: AI Generated
