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Deep Learning for Blockchain Security: A Concise Survey, Taxonomy, and Open Problems Cover

Deep Learning for Blockchain Security: A Concise Survey, Taxonomy, and Open Problems

Open Access
|Jul 2026

Figures & Tables

Figure 1.

Blockchain process.

Figure 2.

Distribution of the surveyed papers by publication year and dominant deep-learning family.

Figure 3.

Master Taxonomy: Threats, Integration Locus, DL Families, Data Modalities, and Deployment Settings

Figure 4.

Blockchain Security Vulnerabilities

Figure 5.

An example of smart contracts [35]

Various Deep Learning Approaches Have Been Applied Blockchain Fraud Detection

CriteriaBlockchain FocusBlockchain IntegrationMain TechniqueDatasetPerformanceKey ContributionsWeaknesses/Challenges
Lakhan et al. (2022) [26]Serverless Blockchain (SBETS)HybridDeep Graph Convolutional Network (GCN)Simulated ITS dataset10% cost reduction, 50% fraud detection gainServerless task scheduling and secure ITS fraud detection with GCNSimulation-based, lacks real-world testing
Roy et al. (2022) [23]EthereumOff-chainLSTM + Dense Neural Network with Information Gain for feature selectionEthereum transaction datasetSignificant improvement over baseline modelsIntroduces a reliable Ethereum fraud detection model using LSTM; highlights need for quality datasets; feature selection reduces model complexityLack of public dataset limits reproducibility; focuses only on binary classification; limited explanation of model decisions
Ghosh et al. (2023) [24]BitcoinOff-chainEnsemble of MLP, FNN, and Attention-based LSTMBitcoin transaction dataAccuracy: 99.62%; Precision & Recall >99%Combines multiple deep learning models to achieve superior accuracy and robustness in fraud detectionOnly focused on Bitcoin network; lacks model interpretability; dataset specifics are missing
Olusegun and Yang (2024) [25]EthereumOff-chainEnsemble of deep learning models (MLP, LSTM, CNN, CLSTM, TabPFN) with SHAP-based feature selection and explainable AIEthereum transaction datasetAccuracy: 99.2%Incorporates explainable AI (SHAP) and transformer-based TabPFN to provide both high accuracy and transparency in fraud detectionComplexity and potential overfitting from ensemble models; limited real-world deployment discussion
Airlangga (2024) [31]Open Metaverse blockchainOff-chainMLP, CNN, LSTMmetaverse transactionsMLP achieved lowest MSEComparative DL approach to metaverse fraud detectionOffline only; lacks real-time capability
Taher et al. (2024) [27]EthereumOff-chainEnsemble Learning + XAI (LIME)Ethereum transaction dataset99% accuracyEnsemble + XAI for interpretable fraud detectionScalability and real-time deployment not evaluated
Baabdullah et al. (2024) [29]Credit card blockchain-integratedHybridFederated Learning + Blockchain, LSTM, CNN, RFFederated dataset from 3 banksImproved accuracy and privacyPrivacy-preserving fraud detection via FL and blockchainTrade-off between latency and privacy; dataset access
Asiri and Somasundaram (2025) [28]BitcoinOff-chainGraph Convolutional Network (GCN)Elliptic Bitcoin Dataset98.5% accuracy, AUC 0.9444, RMSE 0.1123GCN applied to illicit Bitcoin detectionDataset partially labeled; possible generalization issues
Gu and Dib (2025) [30]EthereumOff-chainEnsemble (RF, SVM, XGBoost)Ethereum transaction dataset>98% on all metrics; 0.13s inference timeReal-time, high-performance ensemble fraud detection modelClass imbalance in Ethereum transaction data
Sun et al. (2025) [32]EthereumOff-chainHybrid LM+GraphMulDiGraph, B4E, SPN+10–20% F1 over SOTA across all three datasetsFirst to fuse transaction semantics (LM) with similarity and structure under joint optimization; releases datasetComplexity & compute; vocabulary/design choices; interpretability of fused views
Kang and Hwang (2025) [33]EthereumOff-chainTransformer with Random Traversal over the transaction graph + deep graph featuresLarge-scale Ethereum transaction networksHigher AUC than baselines on large networksScalable traversal strategy to form sequences for a transformer while preserving graph contextPotential training cost; explaining decisions may be non-trivial
Gomes and Ferreira (2025)BitcoinOff-chainDimensionality reduction + ML (PCA/UMAP + FS) with multiple classifiers; XGBoost bestElliptic Bitcoin dataset3-class: XGBoost around 0.926 acc; 2-class performs higher;Clean pipeline highlighting explainability via reduced feature sets; comprehensive baseline sweepImbalance & label scarcity

Overview of Major Consensus Algorithms in Blockchain Systems

Consensus MechanismMechanismSecurity StrengthsWeaknessesEnergy EfficiencyScalability
Proof of Work (PoW) [12]Miners solve cryptographic puzzlesHigh security, prevents Sybil attacksEnergy-intensive, slow transactionsVery LowPoor
Proof of Stake (PoS) [13]Validators are chosen based on the number of coins stakedResistant to Sybil attacks through staking requirementsSusceptible to "nothing at stake" attacksHighGood
Delegated Proof of Stake (DPoS) [14]Selected nodes validate transactions on behalf of othersFast finality and reduced attack surface with fewer nodesPotential centralization risksHighExcellent
Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT) [15]Nodes reach consensus through a series of voting roundsTolerant to malicious nodesDoes not scale well for large networksHighPoor to Moderate

Various Deep Learning Approaches Have Been Applied Blockchain Data Privacy

CriteriaBlockchain FocusBlockchain IntegrationMain TechniqueDatasetPerformanceKey ContributionsWeaknesses/Challenges
Fadaeddini et al. (2019) [74]StellarHybridDecentralized federated learning using Stellar with Deep Learning Coin (DLC) incentive mechanismGeneral AI/Big Data (not specified)Focus on incentivization and decentralization, no quantitative benchmarks providedIntroduced Stellar blockchain for deep learning model training with a novel token-based incentive mechanism (DLC)Data availability, trust in validators, scalability of Stellar network
Zhu and Li (2021) [76]EthereumHybridPrivacy-preserving federated deep learning with secure multi-party computation and Paillier encryptionnot specifiedEvaluated with respect to ciphertext size, throughput, training accuracy, and timeProposed PDFDL model with encrypted gradient aggregation and smart contract-based model updatesComplex encryption adds overhead; does not fully guarantee privacy due to blockchain exposure risks
Zhou et al. (2022) [83]EthereumHybridGAN + Transfer Learning + BlockchainEEG data (wearable sensors)Secure, privacy-aware data sharingBCI privacy preservation with synthetic data and blockchainLimited application to small, specific use cases
Mahmood and Jusas (2022) [75]EthereumHybridFederated learning with multi-layered blockchain security and Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs)Fashion-MNISTShows training accuracy and loss on CNN with Fashion-MNIST datasetIntegrated FL with blockchain to defend against multiple attacks and introduced multi-layered defense with ZKPsFL still susceptible to attacks like poisoning and inference; complexity of securing large decentralized networks
Malik et al. (2023) [80]Optimized Blockchain (Bonobo algorithm)HybridFeistel Encryption + DRL + Smart GovernanceBoT-IoT, ToN-IoTEnhanced security and fraud detectionSecure data exchange and governance using DRL and blockchainPrivacy vs. transparency trade-off
Awotunde et al. (2023) [77]General Blockchain (ePoW)HybridBlockchain + CNN + KPCAToN-IoT, BoT-IoTImproved accuracyHybrid deep learning and blockchain model for smart city securityHigh computational cost and complexity in multi-layer integration
Raju et al. (2023)[78]Custom BlockchainHybridOK-HECCFHE + GRU + HPB- ASMOIoT-Healthcare (custom data)Secure prediction with encrypted cloud communicationHybrid encryption and deep learning for healthcare IoTOverhead from complex hybrid cryptographic scheme
Kokila & Reddy (2024) [79]EthereumHybridBlockDLO + CNN + Smart ContractsCustom in-house testbedHigh accuracy, reduced latency, lower energy useFive-layer blockchain-deep learning model for IoT edge securityComplex architecture, limited generalizability
Li et al. (2024) [81]Generic BlockchainHybridProbabilistic Encryption + ZKPs + GNNSimulated transaction dataBalanced privacy and regulatory complianceFramework for privacy-preserving, auditable blockchain transactionsImplementation complexity, not consensus-specific
Ghani et al. (2024) [82]Decentralized BlockchainHybridGAN + Deep Learning + BlockchainCelebA FFHQ HFImproved privacy in biometric systemsPrivacy-enhanced facial recognition on blockchainScalability and real-time performance concerns
Bhardwaj and Sumangali (2025) [85]Generic BlockchainHybridEntropy Deep Belief Network (EDBN) within FLBreast Cancer Wisconsin; UCI Heart~95–96% (BCW) and ~93% (Heart);First end-to-end FL+ Blockchain+ XAI+ Optimization pipeline with auditable explanationsAdded complexity; permissioned ledger + XAI + optimizer overhead;
Bezanjani et al. (2025) [84]Generic BlockchainHybridLSTM for anomaly detection.Simulation-based evaluation+2% precision, accuracy, recallproves feasibility of lightweight DLSimulation; PoW— even lightweight—may add energy/latency overhead

Various Deep Learning Approaches Have Been Applied Blockchain Consensus Mechanisms

CriteriaBlockchain FocusBlockchain IntegrationMain TechniqueDatasetPerformanceKey ContributionsWeaknesses/Challenges
Liu et al. (2021) [65]PoLe (Proof of Learning)HybridNeural network training with Secure Mapping Layer (SML) to prevent cheatingMNIST, IRIS, and CIFAR-10; data released to all network nodesStable block generation and efficient transaction processing shown in experimentsPrevents cheating with SML; redirects PoW effort toward useful neural network trainingSML adds extra computational overhead; assumes honest behavior for validation
Badruddoja et al. (2022) [69]Ethereum-like Smart Contract BlockchainOn-chainOn-chain DL Prediction via Taylor SeriesMNIST99% accuracy; scalable on-chain predictionTaylor-based approximation of activation functions for on-chain DLComputational cost of on-chain operations; limited to simple models
Kim (2022) [68]Custom LSTM Blockchain FrameworkHybridLSTM + Blockchain ConsensusVehicle sensor and CAN data (simulated)Real-time anomaly detection with secure propagationIntegrated LSTM for auto anomaly detection in vehiclesSpecific to automotive use; lacks generalizability
Goh et al. (2022) [67]Delegated PoS (e.g., EOS-like)HybridDeep Reinforcement Learning (D3P with TD-PBFT)Simulation with varying node trust levelsHigh TPS, reduced computing cost, improved securityTrust-based node selection; DRL optimization; mitigates malicious influenceFocus on simulation; lacks real-world scalability validation
Islam et al. (2023) [66]Generic PoS BlockchainHybridMulti-Agent Reinforcement Learning (MRL-PoS)Simulated Blockchain EnvironmentAdaptive consensus; efficient malicious node detectionIntroduced MRL-PoS; dynamic penalty-reward; RL-based voting systemNo real-world deployment; complexity in multi-agent coordination
He et al. (2024) [64]PPPML (Proof of Privacy-Preserving Machine Learning)HybridPrivacy-preserving encrypted model training and hybrid learningConfidential datasets; encryption techniques used to protect data privacyMaintains model accuracy while preserving privacy; simulation validatedIntroduces privacy protection for DL in blockchain consensus; hybrid approach balances privacy and efficiencyHigh computational cost of encrypted training; complex implementation
Alruwaili (2024) [70]Custom IoT-Cloud BlockchainHybridFGADL-DEVCA (DL + Blockchain + Edge verification)IoT-cloud simulation with injected faultsEnhanced fault detection; efficient edge validationDAE for fault detection; Football Game Algorithm for tuningNovelty in tuning may lack optimization efficiency; experimental
Zhi et al. (2025) [63]BCDDL (Proof of Distributed Deep Learning Work)HybridDistributed Deep Learning used as mining task; dynamic incentives (DIM-TSCR) and model aggregation (MAA-TM)Training data dynamically allocated based on node capabilityIncreases resource utilization and reduces impact of malicious nodesEfficient use of resources in blockchain by integrating useful DL tasks; novel incentive and aggregation mechanismsRequires reliable node performance estimation; potential vulnerabilities in data allocation
Amarnadh & Rao (2025) [71]Byzantine lightweight fault-tolerant consensusHybridMRBSAN classifier; feature selection via enhanced Mountain GazelleThree credit datasetsAcc 97.2%, Prec 98.6%, Rec 98.6%, F1 98.0%New MRBSAN architecture for credit-risk scoringinterpretability/XAI not discussed

Deep Learning Architectures to Enhance Blockchain Security

Deep Learning ModelApplication in Blockchain SecurityStrengthsLimitations
Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) [17]Malware detection, smart contract security analysisExtracts spatial patterns, high accuracyRequires large labeled datasets
Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) [18]Fraud detection, anomaly detection in transactionsCaptures sequential dependenciesTraining complexity, vanishing gradient problem
Long Short–Term Memory (LSTMs) [19]Intrusion detection, network traffic analysisOvercomes short-term memory issues in RNNsRequires high computational power
Autoencoders [20]Detecting anomalies in blockchain transactionsLearns compressed representations, detects outliersMay not work well for real-time detection
Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) [21]Analyzing blockchain transaction networksCaptures complex entity relationshipsHigh training cost, requires large-scale blockchain data

Various Deep Learning Approaches Have Been Applied Blockchain Intrusion detection

CriteriaBlockchain FocusBlockchain IntegrationMain TechniqueDatasetPerformanceKey ContributionsWeaknesses/Challenges
Al-Kadi et al. (2020) [50]Ethereumoff-chainBiLSTM for detecting intrusionsUNSW-NB15 and BoT-IoTMost attack types detected with over 95% accuracyIntegrates deep learning and blockchain for secure VM migration and collaborative IDSPotential scalability issues and complexity in deployment
Wang (2022) [52]Embedded within architecture protocoloff-chainDeep Residual Learning with edge info fusionNot clearly specifiedN/RUses deep residual fusion and association rules for embedded systemsLack of standard datasets, unclear integration with broader blockchain systems
Mansour (2022) [54]Blockchain for CPS communication and integrityoff-chainAHSA for feature selection, ABi-GRNN, PRO optimizerNSL-KDD-2015 CICIDS-2017N/RUses attention-based BiGRNN and hybrid optimization in a CPS blockchain contextgeneralization and reproducibility concerns
Katib & Ragab (2023) [53]Generic blockchain frameworkoff-chainHHO + SCA for feature selection, LSTM-AE, AOA for hyperparameter tuningBoT-IoTAccuracy: 99.05%Hybrid metaheuristic optimization for feature selection; LSTM-AE for classification; Blockchain for secure IoT data flowModel complexity and computation cost due to multiple optimization layers
Alamro et al. (2023) [56]Used for secure medical data transmissionoff-chainALO for FS, CNN + LSTM, FPA for tuningToN-IoT CICIDS-2017N/RApplies hybrid optimization and DL in healthcare; leverages CNN-LSTM synergylacks interpretability and energy efficiency assessment
Kamali Poorazad et al. (2023) [57]Generic Blockchainoff-chainCNN-based IDS + Blockchain integration in SDNCustom SDN attack simulation dataset (version 3)N/RDual-layer security (IDS + blockchain); focuses on SDN-IIoT integrationDoes not benchmark blockchain overhead or real-time latency
Li, Sun & Sun (2023) [58]Used for privacy-preserving federated learningoff-chainFederated LSTM-GRU with blockchain-secured trainingNSL-KDD 2015Accuracy:99.01%Focuses on privacy-preserving training; hybrid RNN + blockchainModel complexity and hardware heterogeneity limit scalability
Alasmari (2024) [51]Ethereumoff-chainEnsemble of CNN, RBM, GAN with HSHBA optimizationUNSW-NB15Accuracy: 99.12%, Precision: 99%Hybrid optimization (seahorse + bat), advanced ensemble DL models for IDSHigh computational cost due to complex ensemble and optimization techniques
Alkhonaini et al. (2024) [55]Blockchain for data sharing integrityoff-chainSandpiper optimizer, CNN-SAE, BSOA tuningToN-IoT, CICIDS-2017Accuracy: 99.59% (ToN-IoT), 99.54% (CICIDS-2017)Efficient FS and hybrid DL for high accuracy; robust feature learning and hyperparameter tuningRequires multiple tuning layers, increasing computational cost
Alruwaili (2025) [59]blockchain-assisted IoT environmentHybridGRU classifier; GJO feature selection; PDO-DE hyper-param tuning (LBCCD-GJO)ToN-IoTUp to 99.67% AccRobust DDoS pipeline with evolutionary optimization; compares processing time vs baselinesOn-chain design details light; need device-level constraints and reproducibility checks.
Aliyu et al. (2025) [60]EthereumHybridLSTM core; self-updating NNs per block;Binance Smart Chain, Ethereum ClassicAcc. 98.5%, FPR 1.5%Integrate TEEs with blockchain for tamper-resistant, self-adapting IDS;Trust/attacker model for TEEs and on-chain cost not fully benchmarked;

Various Deep Learning Approaches Have Been Applied Blockchain smart contract

CriteriaBlockchain FocusBlockchain IntegrationMain TechniqueDatasetPerformanceKey ContributionsWeaknesses/Challenges
Li et al. (2022) [38]Ethereum, VNTChainOff-chainDeep and Cross Network (Link-DC model) combining contract graphs and expert featuresSmart contracts from Ethereum and VNTChainReentrancy: 94.37%, Timestamp Dependency: 92.11%, Infinite Loop: 85.29%Fuses expert patterns with constructed graph features for richer contextRelies on manually defined expert patterns; possible overfitting to known patterns
Li et al. (2023) [37]EthereumOff-chainMultimodal feature fusion using GCN and Bi-LSTMEthereum contractsReentrancy: 85.73%, Timestamp Dependency: 85.41%,Combines static and dynamic features; uses deep learning for comprehensive multimodal analysisMay have limited generalization to unseen vulnerabilities; performance may vary with dataset balance
Han et al. (2023) [41]EthereumOff-chainSyntactic and Semantic Feature Fusion using TextCNN and GNNEthereum Smart Contracts (AST + CFG)Precision: 96%, Recall: 90%Fusion of AST and CFG features for better vulnerability detectionLimited to five vulnerability types, may not scale
Deng et al. (2023) [44]EthereumOff-chainDeep Learning with Multimodal Decision FusionPublic Smart Contract DatasetAccuracy: 94.8%, AUC: 0.886Fuses multi-modal information (SC, OP, CFG) via DLHigh computational overhead with multiple modalities
Hwang et al. (2024) [40]EthereumOff-chainCompiler-Guided Generation with Monte Carlo Tree SearchGenerated via CGGNet (3.37M contracts)3,369,397 contracts generatedFirst smart contract-focused augmentation using compiler-guided learningDepends on compiler and MCTS configuration quality
Osei et al. (2024) [39]EthereumOff-chainWide & Deep Neural Network (WIDENNET) using opcode vectorsReal-world smart contractsAccuracy: 83.07%, Precision: 83.13%Introduces wide and deep learning model for combining general and specific vulnerability patternsLimited to detecting reentrancy and timestamp dependency; lower performance compared to other models
Li et al. (2024) [42]Ethereum (DEXs)Off-chainGraph-based Deep Learning using GCN on AST Dependencies46 DEX Projects Dataset (5,671Precision: 92.24%, F1-score: 94.25%Detection of state derailment in DEXs using dependency-aware GCNFocus only on DEX-related state issues
Kasula et al. (2024) [43]EthereumOff-chainGraph-based Deep Learning ApproachEthereum explorerN/RIntegrates structural and semantic contract featuresLimited methodological detail;
Chen et al. (2024) [35]EthereumOff-chainContrastive Learning with Transformer-based Architecture40K+ Real-world ContractsF1-score improved by 9.73% to 39.99%Applies contrastive learning for improved contract context understandingRequires pair-wise contract samples and correlation labels
Wang et al. (2025) [45]EthereumOff-chainMultimodal, multi-scale Transformer fusion over code tokens + AST/CFGPublic Ethereum contractsN/RShows complementarity of text + structure; scalable fusion designPotential compute overhead for graph + transformer; generalization beyond tested vulns not detailed
Balci et al. (2025) [46]EthereumOff-chainTransformer over EVM bytecode sequences~16,4xx verified 2022 contractsN/RWorks without source code; strong scalability claims; contemporary, large verified setPotential label noise from auto-annotation; need reproducible release of data/code
Choi et al. (2025)EthereumOff-chainCodeBERT (text) + CFG/AST/opcode graphs, Sent2Vec + centralityNot mentionedAcc 86.70%, Prec 85.24%, Rec 84.87%, F1 84.46%Clear text–structure fusion recipe; transparent metrics;Moderate F1 vs newer multimodal systems; dependency on LLM prompting; compute for graph extraction;

Various Deep Learning Approaches Have Been Applied Blockchain Malware Detection

CriteriaBlockchain FocusBlockchain IntegrationMain TechniqueDatasetPerformanceKey ContributionsWeaknesses/Challenges
Pastor et al. (2020) [91]None (focuses on ML for encrypted traffic)Off-chainRandom Forest, DNN with Tstat-derived flow featuresCustom encrypted Monero mining trafficN/RDetection of encrypted cryptomining flows via network behavior profilingNo use of blockchain; dependent on realistic setup
Alotaibi (2021) [88]Miyaguchi–Preneel cryptographic hash-based blockchainHybridDeep multilayer perceptive learning with Ruzicka index and biserial correlationDrebin datasetAccuracy 93–95% depending on sample sizeCombines biserial correlation, blockchain hashing, and Ruzicka index for secure and fast malware detection in IoMTPotential challenges in scalability for very large, real-time datasets were not discussedcomparison benchmarks
Nalinipriya et al. (2021) [89]Blockchain network for decentralized security layerHybridDeep Stacked Autoencoder with Water Wave–based Moth Flame Optimization (WMFO)Custom dataset using 2-gram and 3-gram opcodesAccuracy: 96.93%, Sensitivity: 96.90%, Specificity: 97.92%Uses optimized feature fusion and transformation methods for effective ransomware detectionOptimization complexity; performance might vary on real-world datasets
Denysiuk et al. (2023)Blockchain with Proof-of-Action consensusHybridDeep learning + Blockchain consensus validationNot specifiedAccuracy: 98.81% to 99.33%Parallel malware analysis via blockchain; Proof-of-Action validationHigh computational complexity due to consensus process
Pawar et al. (2024) [90]Blockchain for smart city authentication & data exchangeHybridTwo-layer XGBoost model with Bonobo optimization and greedy searchRaspberry Pi, NVIDIA Jetson, plus other IoT devicesF1-score: 93%, Accuracy: 95%Integrates optimized XGBoost and blockchain to support digital governance securityIncreased power and memory usage on edge devices (13.5% more energy)
Şafak et al. (2025) [92]Blockchain (unspecified, used to store predictions immutably)HybridCNN-based ensemble (EfficientNetB0, MobileNetV2, Custom CNN)CICMalDroid 2020 (3,590 image samples)Accuracy: 97.38%Image-based Android malware detection + blockchain loggingDoes not specify blockchain type; mobile feasibility implied but not deeply tested
Nannan et al. (2025) [94]Coordination and integrity of FL roundsHybridFederated Learning across devicesNot specifiedN/RGet hitched FL with blockchain to eliminate raw-data centralizationledger throughput/latency and system complexity
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ias-2026-0008 | Journal eISSN: 1554-1029 | Journal ISSN: 1554-1010
Language: English
Page range: 137 - 172
Published on: Jul 8, 2026
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 6 issues per year

© 2026 Omar Mohammed Ahmed, Shavan Askar, published by Cerebration Science Publishing Co., Limited
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 License.