Blockchain technology and regulatory compliance: towards a cooperative supervisory model

This Article assesses the impact that blockchain technology could have on monitoring compliance with public law regulations, in particular by rendering it more cooperative, thanks to the possibility to involve in the monitoring process various non-public actors, including specifically the regulated entities and the general public. Focusing in particular on permissioned platforms (as opposed to permissionless ones), the Article shows how blockchain technology could potentially open up new horizons for a number of currently available compliance mechanisms - whether based on more traditional direct regulatory models, on self-monitoring and auditing mechanisms or on market mechanisms - thanks to the direct involvement of regulated entities and citizens in the performance of functions that have previously fallen within the purview of public agencies.