Antitrust in the Decentralized Economy : DeFi, Central Bank Digital Currencies, and Blockchain

This book explores all aspects of the application of EU competition and US antitrust law in decentralized finance, virtual assets, central bank digital currencies, and blockchain products and services.

As the blockchain and decentralized finance industry crosses the $3 trillion-mark, market distortions and anticompetitive practices are starting to emerge. In this decentralized economy, antitrust and competition law are called to play a major role in preserving healthy competition and consumer welfare.Against this backdrop, Antitrust in the Decentralized Economy explores all aspects of the application of EU competition and US antitrust law in decentralized finance, virtual assets, central bank digital currencies, and blockchain products and services. Using the latest caselaw and literature in law, economics, and computer science, this book discusses economic and commercial activity in decentralized markets, shows how to perform market definition and measure market power, and analyzes abuse of dominance, monopolization, and collusion in these markets.In line with recent industry developments, Antitrust in the Decentralized Economy systematizes extant scholarship while breaking new ground, introducing new concepts of the decentralized economy and integrating them in the analytical framework of competition and antitrust law, making it readily usable by academics, practitioners, and competition authorities.