Resumo

Blockchain technology, albeit not widely embraced (Mosteanu and Faccia, 2020), exhibits benefits across multiple areas, including achieving a more sustainable world (Parmentola et al., 2022). Acknowledging that sustainability will be pivotal in corporate value creation and banking roles are set to transform to engender development and social impact, digital finance is highlighted as a conduit for sustainable development through optimising and modernising low socio-environmental impact production structures, aligning with the concept of Sustainable Finance.

This study seeks to answer the following query: How does the literature on cryptocurrencies and blockchain address Sustainable Finance and the SDGs related to the social and economic dimension of the 2030 Agenda? The research aims to discern how the literature on cryptocurrencies and blockchain addresses Sustainable Finance, focusing on the SDGs related to the social and economic dimension of the 2030 Agenda.

Parmentola et al. (2022) commenced an exhaustive review investigating the relationship between blockchain adoption and the natural environment, given governments recognise blockchain's potential to positively affect SDGs. Whilst studies addressing blockchain concepts increase, the technology's real exploration remains in early stages. Application studies are sparse, and Farnoush et al. (2022) argue that the technology's potential remains unclear, creating a gap between promised and actual business value by blockchain.

The blockchain theme exists in the thematic areas: Business and Economy, Computer Science and Engineering. High-quality journals predominantly publish the studies, with prominent research from China. Blockchain technology can contribute to financial inclusion and affect the lives of millions without access to traditional banking services (SDGs 1, 8 and 10). The articles align most with SDGs 9 and 17. Co-occurrence keyword analysis identified the main topics addressed in the studies: blockchain technology, technology, Bitcoin, management, internet, challenges, and system.

The literature on cryptocurrencies and Sustainable Finance is nascent, yet growing. There is convergence between cryptocurrencies and SDGs, especially concerning financial inclusion, economic stability, innovation, and infrastructure. Cryptocurrencies can contribute to democratising access to financial services and to the balance in resource distribution, acting as a catalyst for sustainable development. Limitations of cryptocurrencies in the Sustainable Finance context include price volatility, deregulation, environmental concerns, and security and privacy-associated risks.

Farnoush, A., Gupta, A., Dolarsara, H. A., Paradice, D., & Rao, S. (2022). Going beyond intent to adopt Blockchain: an analytics approach to understand board member and financial health characteristics. Mosteanu, N. R., & Faccia, A. (2020). Digital Systems and New Challenges of Financial Management – FinTech, XBRL, Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies. Parmentola, A., Petrillo, A., Tutore, I., & De Felice, F. (2022). Is blockchain able to enhance environmental sustainability? A systematic review and research agenda from the perspective of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).