Ledger (journal)


Ledger is the first peer-reviewed academic journal dedicated to cryptocurrency and blockchain technology research. The journal covers aspects of mathematics, computer science, engineering, law, economics and philosophy that relates to cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin.
The journal is published as open access by the University Library System of the University of Pittsburgh and is cosponsored by the University of Pittsburgh Press.
The idea for the journal was born out of a discussion between managing editors Peter R. Rizun and Christopher E. Wilmer on the bitcoin forum bitcointalk.org. Rizun is a physicist and entrepreneur who lives in Vancouver, Canada. Wilmer is an assistant professor in the Swanson School of Engineering’s Chemical & Petroleum Engineering Department.
A call for papers was issued on 15 September 2015 with the deadline set at 31 December 2015 but following delays in formalising the review process the inaugural issue was not published until December 2016. It is funded by the nonprofit called Coin Center. The focus according to Wilmer is "blockchain technology research." Wilmer noted that the University of Pittsburgh has also been featured in a documentary called "The Rise and Rise of Bitcoin." Wilmer is also the author of "Bitcoin for befuddled." Wilmer first used bitcoin to purchase honey caramels from a beekeeper. Wilmer envisioned ledger as a journal for those "people passionate about the technology to publish their research." Wilmer called into question the reliability of 'white papers' that became common in the cryptocurrency boom. He stated that the Ledger Journal received two to four submissions a week, with many of poor quality. “Occasionally we get submissions with no citations." Wilmer's vision for Ledger is that it would use more a traditional peer review system.