Blockchain technology has increasingly drawn the attention of governments seeking to modernize public services through transparent, secure, and efficient digital infrastructures. Drawing on case studies from diverse regions, including the UAE, Estonia, Georgia, Colombia, and multiple Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, this systematic review synthesizes implementation patterns across domains such as land administration, digital identity, procurement, and intergovernmental payments. The critical analysis highlights blockchain’s capacity to establish tamper-evident records, automate verification, and reduce administrative overhead while also addressing technical and institutional factors that shape its impact. Outcomes across successful deployments suggest that benefits are most pronounced when blockchain aligns with real governance needs and is supported by robust legal and digital infrastructure. This review also identifies key barriers to adoption, including interoperability challenges, regulatory uncertainty, limited technical capacity, and resistance to organizational change. Notably, this review highlights a critical but underexplored dimension involving the need for public accountability not only in service delivery but also in the governance of blockchain systems themselves. By examining real-world use cases alongside technical and policy frameworks, this review advances a deeper understanding of blockchain’s role in reshaping public administration and sets a research agenda for building more trusted, auditable, and inclusive digital government systems.
Almiani et al. (Sun,) studied this question.