Is Law the Solution? Examining Legislative Impact on Smart Contract Adoption

Description

In this interdisciplinary research, Sarka explored how smart contract legislation in U.S. states affects users' willingness to adopt the technology. By combining doctrinal legal analysis with an empirical survey based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), the findings revealed some striking insights!

While smart contracts promise transparency, efficiency and disintermediation, the study shows that legal recognition alone may not be enough to drive their widespread adoption. Instead, how legislation is designed plays a key role in shaping user trust and engagement with new technologies.

This is exactly why the work of Futurist Law Lab matters. We strive to engage (young) people at the intersection of law and technology and empower them to take part in shaping forward-thinking, informed regulation.

The thesis also challenges the outdated regulation vs. innovation narrative. We believe that good regulation, grounded in technical understanding, empirical backing and openness to innovation, is not a threat, but a driver of progress. And that is the kind of regulation we should strive for in Europe and beyond.

A great thank you goes to the thesis supervisor Karolina Hwija for her ongoing support, helpful advice and kind words during the thesis process.