Blockchain Adoption in Accounting and Auditing: Evidence from U.S. Organizations

Blockchain technology has gained increasing attention for its potential to transform ‎accounting and auditing practices by enhancing transparency, data integrity, and process ‎efficiency. This study examines how blockchain is being applied within accounting and auditing ‎functions in U.S. firms and explores its implications for professional practice. Using a qualitative ‎research design, data were collected through survey questionnaires administered to managers ‎from 23 accounting and internal auditing departments across a range of organizations. The ‎findings indicate that blockchain is used for multiple purposes, including digital document ‎authentication, smart contract execution, digital asset registration, payment processing, ‎transaction verification, and the development of verifiable audit trails. The scope and intensity of ‎blockchain adoption varied across industry sectors. Participants reported notable improvements at ‎the transactional level of accounting, enabling accountants to review a greater volume of ‎transactions originating from multiple areas within their organizations. Overall, the findings ‎indicate that blockchain adoption is beginning to influence several aspects of accounting and ‎auditing practice, particularly through improved transaction traceability, faster reporting cycles, ‎and more reliable audit trails‎.