Blockchain and 6G-Enabled IoT

Ubiquitous computing turns into a reality with the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) adopted to connect massive numbers of smart and autonomous devices for various applications. 6G-enabled IoT technology provides a platform for information collection and processing at high speed and with low latency. However, there are still issues that need to be addressed in an extended connectivity environment, particularly the security and privacy domain challenges. In addition, the traditional centralized architecture is often unable to address problems associated with access control management, interoperability of different devices, the possible existence of a single point of failure, and extensive computational overhead. Considering the evolution of decentralized access control mechanisms, it is necessary to provide robust security and privacy in various IoT-enabled industrial applications. The emergence of blockchain technology has changed the way information is shared. Blockchain can establish trust in a secure and distributed platform while eliminating the need for third-party authorities. We believe the coalition of 6G-enabled IoT and blockchain can potentially address many problems. This paper is dedicated to discussing the advantages, challenges, and future research directions of integrating 6G-enabled IoT and blockchain technology for various applications such as smart homes, smart cities, healthcare, supply chain, vehicle automation, etc.