# February 2025
Construction Blockchain Newsletter
Welcome to our second CBC Newsletter of 2025! This month’s crypto headlines showcase the growing influence—and risks—of digital assets worldwide. From Elon Musk’s radical government efficiency plan involving Dogecoin in the U.S. to record-breaking crypto theft in Asia, the global crypto landscape is evolving rapidly. Meanwhile, Europe is advancing DLT-based settlements, and political tensions in Argentina highlight the volatility of crypto endorsements. Enjoy the read!
World & Blockchain
Worldwide
Bitcoin and crypto have soared since the election of U.S. president Donald Trump (though the rally has lost momentum, potentially signalling a serious stock market crash). The bitcoin price is hovering at just under $100,000 per bitcoin, up from under $50,000 at the beginning of 2024, as JPMorgan issues a serious Wall Street warning.
North America
‘This Needs To Stop Now’—Elon Musk Confirms Radical Doge U.S. Treasury Plan
Elon Musk has become deeply embedded in U.S. president Donald Trump’s White House after declaring a U.S. “financial emergency" while on the campaign trail. Musk, the Tesla billionaire-turned-government-cost-cutter, is leading the so-called Doge department of government efficiency, proposed by Trump’s Commerce department nominee Howard Lutnick to “rip the waste out of our $6.5 trillion budget.”
Asia
Korean Hackers Steal $1.5 Billion From Cryptocurrency Exchange
Bybit, a major cryptocurrency exchange based in Dubai recently announced it had been hacked, losing $1.5 billion worth of the cryptocurrency Ethereum in the largest cryptocurrency theft of all time. Putting it into perspective, the previous largest cryptocurrency theft was of $611 million worth of cryptocurrencies from the PolyNetwork platform in 2021.
Europe
Eurosystem expands initiative to settle DLT-based transactions in central bank money
The Governing Council of the European Central Bank (ECB) decided to expand its initiative to settle transactions recorded on distributed ledger technology (DLT) in central bank money. The initiative will follow a two-track approach. First, as soon as feasible, the Eurosystem will develop and implement a safe and efficient platform for such settlements in central bank money through an interoperability link with TARGET Services. A concrete time plan will be announced in due course.
South America
Argentina’s opposition threatens impeachment trial after Milei touts crypto coin
Argentine President Javier Milei could face an impeachment trial in Congress, opposition lawmakers said on Saturday, after the libertarian leader touted a cryptocurrency which crashed soon after. Milei late on Friday posted on X recommending the little-known crypto coin $LIBRE, which soon after shot up to nearly $5 apiece. Just hours later, the cryptocurrency plummeted to under $1.
Research & Development Digest
This monthly Research Digest features some notable papers produced or suggested by our academic and industry Members and Partners that we hope will be of interest.
Blockchain & Supply Chain
Blockchain applications in the construction supply chain
Mohammadhossein Heydari and Alireza Shojaei, 2025
Construction supply chain issues, such as coordination and collaboration inefficiencies, remain unresolved due to insufficient digitalization progress. Blockchain is investigated as a potential digital solution to overcome these challenges. Despite some reviews on blockchain in construction, specific studies focusing on blockchain in construction supply chain are limited. This paper takes a deeper look at this topic and the integration of facilitatory technologies by performing a systematic literature review of 197 studies. Furthermore, it draws lessons from blockchain applications in manufacturing industries. Findings demonstrate that blockchain can enhance efficiency, transparency, and collaboration within the construction supply chain. Lessons from the manufacturing sector further validate blockchain's potential to improve traceability, reduce counterfeiting, and enhance financial processes. Furthermore, the findings of this review are organized into a multi-layered knowledge map to demonstrate the knowledge advancement and potential of each layer and inspire future research directions for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2025.105998
The effect of blockchain on construction supply chain resilience: A mediated moderation model
Lin Wang, Yu Zeng, Yongshun Xu, Ming Chi, Haitao Wu, 2025
In the era of globalization, enhancing construction supply chain resilience (CSCR) has become essential. Traditional supply chains face issues like information asymmetry, trust deficits, and inefficiencies, weakening their resilience. Blockchain offers a solution by improving transparency, trust, and coordination, but its impact on CSCR remains unclear. This study addresses the gap by developing a moderated mediation model to explore how blockchain influences CSCR through supply chain integration and the moderating role of environmental uncertainty. Data from 310 senior managers in Chinese construction firms were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results showed that blockchain significantly improves CSCR, mediated by operational, informational, and relational integration, particularly under high uncertainty environments. The findings highlight blockchain’s potential to strengthen CSCR and provide theoretical insights into its mechanisms, offering practical guidance for construction companies to enhance supply chain processes through blockchain implementation.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asej.2024.103253
Data Carriers for Circular Construction Supply Chains: an Exploratory Quantitative Analysis
Brandon S. Byers, Kaspar Stengele, Catherine De Wolf, 2025
This article is an exploratory study on data carriers for circular construction supply chains (CCSC) essential for the reuse of building components and the transition to a circular economy in construction. Different track and trace technologies (Quick Response (QR) codes, Near Field Communication (NFC) chips, and Direct Product Marking (DPM)) were investigated on how they perform as data carriers in CCSC. Using a quantitative and experimental design, the study evaluates these technologies based on speed, user experience, and error rates in a controlled setting. The use of QR codes and NFC chips significantly improves efficiency and user satisfaction compared to DPM, which could help facilitate material reuse in the construction industry. The research offers evidence-based recommendations for selecting efficient and user-friendly data carriers that contribute to supply chain and circular economy practices within the construction sector.
Events Agenda
The Linux Foundation Member Summit
18-20 March 2025. Napa, California.
An annual gathering for Linux Foundation members that fosters collaboration, innovation, and partnerships among the leading projects and organizations working to drive digital transformation with open source technologies.
Paris Blockchain Week 2025
8–10 April 2025. Paris, France.
Paris Blockchain Week is Europe’s biggest blockchain and digital assets event, covering all aspects of blockchain technology, including NFTs."
2025 European Conference on Computing in Construction
14-17 July 2025. Porto, Portugal.
EC³ is the premier European Conference for information, communication and technological research, innovation and policy for the Construction Sector as a whole in Europe.
Knowledge Upgrade
What Is Berachain? The 'Proof-of-Liquidity' Blockchain and BERA Airdrop
Berachain’s new proof-of-liquidity blockchain is now live. Here’s what you need to know about the network and its BERA token airdrop.
5 Trends Defining AI Agents In Crypto For Your Business
AI agents are reshaping industries, with some adopting them faster than others. The cryptocurrency sector is at the forefront, embracing automated decision-making, advanced data analysis, and greater efficiency in handling vast amounts of data. These AI technologies are becoming essential for traders, investors, and blockchain companies.
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