application/pdf 611612 bytes Blockchain technology and money laundering Blokčejn tehnologije i pranje novca info:eu-repo/semantics/article Keywords: The Bitcoin, money laundering, Distributed Ledger Technologies, algorithm, the Ethereum Ključne reči: Bitkoin, pranje novca, Distributed Ledger Technologies, algoritam, Ethereum https://unilib.phaidrabg.rs/o:1831 doi:10.5937/ptp2202021B ISSN: 0352-3713 eng Pravo - teorija i praksa vol. 39 br. 2 str. 21-38 Bjelajac, Željko Bajac, Momčilo ABSTRACT: In this paper, we want to break down certain prejudices against new blockchain technologies and cryptocurrencies, especially the Bitcoin, as instruments having mostly negative connotations and representing an opportunity for various criminal activities, including the cases of money laundering where money has been acquired in unethical and illegal ways. According to that aim, there were applied the methods of genetic, structural and functional analysis, the method of correlative variations, as well as the analogous and normative method. A significant part of the paper is dedicated to an introduction to DLT – (Distributed Ledger Technologies), i.e. a distributed book of records technologies, on which the blockchain and its most important exponent – the Bitcoin – rests. Also, we had to touch upon the second most important contribution to this technology, namely the Ethereum blockchain, which expands the perspectives opened by the Bitcoin, and thus the possibilities for misuse of this technology, primarily due to its constitutive principle of anonymity. In the paper, we have shown the fact that despite inadequate legislation, both nationally and globally, the blockchain and cryptocurrencies have not significantly supported the paths of illegal money laundering, especially not related to serious crimes, in particular drug trafficking and terrorism. We mostly see the contribution of this paper in the typologization of possible money laundering procedures, especially by using the NFT (Non-Fungible Tokens), non-exchangeable tokens whose hype, in last two years, might be the result of a perceived opportunity for a new way of money laundering. We conclude that we should not be afraid of the Bitcoin, but it should be accepted as an integral part of a peaceful and prosperous futurity for it opens new perspectives for humanity burdened with bigger problems than money laundering, which had existed to the same degree even before the appearance of the Bitcoin. REZIME: U ovom radu želimo da razbijemo predrasude prema novim blokčejn tehnologijama i kriptovalutama, posebno Bitkoinu, kao instrumentima koji imaju pretežno negativne konotacije i predstavljaju priliku za razne kriminalne aktivnosti, uključujući i pranje novca stečenog na neetički i nezakonit način. U tom cilju, primenjene su metode genetičke, strukturne i funkcionalne analize, metoda korelativnih varijacija, kao i analogna i normativna metoda. Značajan deo rada je posvećen upoznavanju sa DLT – (Distributed Ledger Technologies), odnosno tehnologijama distribuirane knjige zapisa, na kojima počiva blokčejn i njegov najznačajniji eksponent – Bitkoin. Takođe smo morali da se dotaknemo i drugog najznačajnijeg doprinosa ovoj tehnologiji, a to je Ethereum blokčejn, koji proširuje perspektive koje je otvorio Bitkoin, a time i mogućnosti za zloupotrebe ove tehnologije, pre svega zbog njenog konstitutivnog principa anonimnosti. U radu smo pokazali da i pored neadekvatne zakonske regulative, kako na nacionalnim tako i na globalnom nivou, blokčejn i kriptovalute nisu u značajnoj meri potpomogle puteve nezakonitog pranja novca, pogotovo ne u vezi sa teškim krivičnim delima, posebno trgovinom narkoticima, kao i sa terorizmom. Doprinos ovoga rada najviše vidimo u tipologizaciji mogućih postupaka pranja novca, pogotovo korišćenjem NFT (Non Fungible Tokens), nerazmenljivih tokena čiji hajp u poslednje dve godine može biti i rezultat uočene prilike za novi način pranja novca. Zaključujemo da se ne treba plašiti Bitkoina, već ga treba prihvatiti kao sastavni deo mirne i prosperitetne budućnosti, jer otvara nove perspektive čovečanstvu opterećenom većim problemima od pranje novca, koje je u istim razmerama postojalo i pre pojave Bitkoina. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode 2022