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 analy...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Oliet Villalba, José María, Medina Merodio, José Amelio|||0000-0003-3359-4952, Ferrer Oliva, Mikel, Martínez Herraiz, José Javier|||0000-0002-2351-7163
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2026
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Alcalá (UAH)
Repositorio:e_Buah Biblioteca Digital Universidad de Alcalá
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:ebuah.uah.es:10017/68681
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10017/68681
https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/app16041917
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Science mapping
Bibliometric analysis
Cryptocurrency
NFT
Non-fungible token
Cybersecurity
Cyberthreat
Informática
Computer science
Descripción
Sumario: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.