A Bibliometric Systematic Review of Blockchain Integration in E-commerce with Emphasis on Data Privacy and Supply Chain Transparency

Abstract

Driven by digital transformation and evolving consumer behavior, the e-commerce industry continues to grow rapidly across global markets. Blockchain, as an emerging technology, offers transformative potential for e-commerce operations due to its transparency, security, decentralization, and traceability features. These attributes enable improvements in areas such as data privacy, supply chain traceability, fraud prevention, and operational efficiency. However, the adoption and integration of blockchain in e-commerce remain in a nascent stage, with significant technological and regulatory hurdles yet to be overcome. This paper conducts a systematic review of blockchain applications in e-commerce with emphasis on data privacy and supply chain transparency by utilizing bibliometric techniques. All relevant publications indexed in the Scopus database were examined to extract and analyze keywords and themes. Additionally, VOSviewer software was employed to visualize co-authorship, keyword co-occurrence, and thematic clusters. Findings reveal that blockchain contributes to various domains within e-commerce, including data security, supply chain transparency, sector-specific applications, and integration with emerging technologies such as AI and IoT. Key drivers for blockchain adoption include improved traceability, automation, and fraud prevention, while barriers such as scalability, regulatory uncertainty, and high implementation costs continue to hinder widespread integration. The study offers valuable implications for both academic researchers and industry practitioners seeking to adopt blockchain for enhancing e-commerce performance.