Cybersecurity in Cryptocurrencies and NFTs: A Bibliometric Analysis

The rapid growth of cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) has expanded technological opportunities, but it has also increased the exposure surface to cyber threats, creating a need for a more precise understanding of the field’s scientific evolution. This study aims to systematically analyse academic output related to cybersecurity and cyber threats within cryptocurrency and NFT ecosystems, identifying central themes, the most influential authors, and emerging trends. A bibliometric methodology was employed, based on the PRISMA 2020 protocol and scientific mapping tools such as SciMAT (v1.1.06) and VOSviewer (v1.6.20), using a corpus of 337 articles published between 2014 and 2025. The findings indicate sustained growth in the literature, a marked geographical and editorial concentration, and the presence of motor themes such as blockchain, cybersecurity, emerging technologies and illegal mining, alongside emerging areas such as intrusion detection. The results also reveal a progressive integration of artificial intelligence techniques in the detection and prevention of attacks. In conclusion, this study provides a comprehensive overview of the state of the art, identifies critical gaps, and underscores the need for interdisciplinary approaches to strengthen security in decentralised environments.

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Publication Details

Journal
Applied Sciences
Published
2026-02-14
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/app16041917
Primary Topic
Blockchain Technology Applications and Security
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

Cybersecurity in Cryptocurrencies and NFTs: A Bibliometric Analysis

José-Javier Martínez-Herráiz, Mikel Ferrer-Oliva, Jose-Amelio Medina-Merodio, José-María Oliet-Villalba
Applied Sciences
Blockchain Technology Applications and Security
article

Cybersecurity in Cryptocurrencies and NFTs: A Bibliometric Analysis

José-Javier Martínez-Herráiz, Mikel Ferrer-Oliva, Jose-Amelio Medina-Merodio, José-María Oliet-Villalba
article en

Abstract

The rapid growth of cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) has expanded technological opportunities, but it has also increased the exposure surface to cyber threats, creating a need for a more precise understanding of the field’s scientific evolution. This study aims to systematically analyse academic output related to cybersecurity and cyber threats within cryptocurrency and NFT ecosystems, identifying central themes, the most influential authors, and emerging trends. A bibliometric methodology was employed, based on the PRISMA 2020 protocol and scientific mapping tools such as SciMAT (v1.1.06) and VOSviewer (v1.6.20), using a corpus of 337 articles published between 2014 and 2025. The findings indicate sustained growth in the literature, a marked geographical and editorial concentration, and the presence of motor themes such as blockchain, cybersecurity, emerging technologies and illegal mining, alongside emerging areas such as intrusion detection. The results also reveal a progressive integration of artificial intelligence techniques in the detection and prevention of attacks. In conclusion, this study provides a comprehensive overview of the state of the art, identifies critical gaps, and underscores the need for interdisciplinary approaches to strengthen security in decentralised environments.

Applied SciencesVol. 16(4)
Universidad de Alcalá (ES)
European Commission, Instituto Nacional de Ciberseguridad
Openalex Percentile: Top 69%
Blockchain Technology Applications and Security
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