Digital Land Registry: A Comparative Review of the Use of Blockchain Technology for Land Registry

Abstract

The use of blockchain technology is constantly expanding. The land registry system is an area where this technology can be applied. Some countries have already implemented the use of blockchain technology for land registries or are developing projects for its use. However, there are concerns about whether blockchain can provide sufficient security, transparency and cost reduction needed for land registry transactions. For developed and developing economies, it is crucial to register immovable properties in land registry and to appropriately reflect on rights related to them. Thus, several states have been devoting significant resources to land registry studies in the past. Turkey is among these states. Further, significant progress has been made in land registry efforts that have been ongoing since the foundation of the Republic of Turkey, especially in recent years. Additionally, extensive studies have been conducted to transfer the land registry system to the electronic environment. However, the increasing prevalence of blockchain technology in the world will also affect Turkey. First, the situation in certain countries that use or are considering blockchain-based registries is explained in this study. Further, the compatibility of the blockchain-based land registry and the principles that govern the Turkish land registry system are discussed. Finally, a brief review of the blockchain-based model developed for the Turkish land registry is made.