Blockchain-Based Cadastral Records: Research Developments and Implementation Feasibility in Romania

Abstract

Blockchain technology is very often presented as a promising solution for modernizing property registration, due to its characteristics of immutability, auditability, and traceability. However, the evolution of research in recent years shows that the initial technological enthusiasm has been followed by a more critical phase, in which the focus has shifted from abstract promises to the concrete conditions of legal, institutional, and operational integration. This article pursues two main objectives: (i) to present the current state of research regarding the use of blockchain in property registration systems and (ii) to identify the suitability of implementing such an infrastructure in Romania, by reference to the legal framework governing real estate registration, data protection requirements, and the current stage of digitalization of the National Agency of Cadastre and Land Registration (ANCPI). The study is qualitative, interdisciplinary, and evaluative in nature and is based on a set of sources such as scientific literature, institutional reports, case studies, and official normative sources. The analysis shows that international literature is dominated by prototypes and architectural models, while real-world implementations remain limited and, in all relevant cases, rely on permissioned and hybrid models, rather than fully decentralized public ledgers. For Romania, the article shows that the main barriers are not strictly technical, but legal–institutional: the legal recognition of distributed entries, the relationship with the function of the land book, the role of ANCPI, and compliance with GDPR. The conclusion of the research is that blockchain may be useful for cadastral records in Romania only within a complementary, phased, and institutionally controlled architecture, rather than as an immediate replacement for the current cadastral registration system.