Blockchain–Edge Computing Integration: A Comprehensive Review of Security, Trust Management, Dynamic Access Control, Resource Management, and Applications

This review examines research on the integration of Edge Computing and Blockchain, with a focus on how this integration can enhance security, trust, and decentralization while maintaining low latency and acceptable performance. The review covers integration architectures, smart contracts, identity management and access control, trust management, resource management and task offloading, as well as major applications in the Internet of Things, industrial and healthcare environments, smart cities, and connected vehicles. It also discusses key challenges related to limited edge resources, consensus latency, storage, scalability, and privacy. The literature indicates a shift toward lightweight, adaptive, and hybrid solutions that combine the processing speed of the edge with the trust and auditability of Blockchain, supported by smart contracts, suitable consensus mechanisms, sharding, and artificial intelligence to improve system efficiency.