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Journals / Selçuk Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 34 Sayı: 3

THE LEGAL NATURE AND REGULATORY APPROACHES OF SMART CONTRACTS IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE: A COMPARATIVE LEGAL ANALYSIS

ULUSLARARASI TİCARETTE AKILLI SÖZLEŞMELERİN HUKUKİ NİTELİĞİ VE DÜZENLEYİCİ YAKLAŞIMLAR: KARŞILAŞTIRMALI BİR HUKUKİ ANALİZ

Metehan Ortakarpuz(SELÇUK ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0002-1674-4245
Fatih Mangır(SELÇUK ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0003-1348-7818
Pages
993–1039
Publication Date
2026-09-24
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The findings of the international legal framework review and the comparative analysis conducted in the EU, United Kingdom, USA, some Asian countries, and Türkiye show that widespread adoption of smart contracts is still limited due to legal uncertainties and unresolved doctrinal questions, while regula-tory approaches are still evolving.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Smart contracts, by enabling the automated and transparent execution of ag-reements through blockchain technology, promise to simplify complex cross-border transactions and reduce reliance on intermediaries, possessing trans-formative potential in international trade.
📊
Key Findings & Data:However, significant legal uncerta-inties remain regarding their legal nature, contract validity, applicable law, jurisdiction, and liability.
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Conclusion & Impact:The findings of the international legal framework review and the comparative analysis conducted in the EU, United Kingdom, USA, some Asian countries, and Türkiye show that widespread adoption of smart contracts is still limited due to legal uncertainties and unresolved doctrinal questions, while regula-tory approaches are still evolving.
🔬Design:Review & Systematic Survey
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Akıllı Sözleşmeler · Blok Zinciri Teknolojisi · Uluslararası Ticaret

Abstract

Smart contracts, by enabling the automated and transparent execution of ag-reements through blockchain technology, promise to simplify complex cross-border transactions and reduce reliance on intermediaries, possessing trans-formative potential in international trade. However, significant legal uncerta-inties remain regarding their legal nature, contract validity, applicable law, jurisdiction, and liability. This study aims to examine the legal framework of blockchain-based smart contracts in international trade and to comparatively evaluate regulatory approaches in different legal systems. The research emp-loys a methodology that combines doctrinal legal analysis with comparative regulatory review, focusing particularly on legal recognition, regulatory inst-ruments used, general regulatory approaches, and emerging key legal issues. The findings of the international legal framework review and the comparative analysis conducted in the EU, United Kingdom, USA, some Asian countries, and Türkiye show that widespread adoption of smart contracts is still limited due to legal uncertainties and unresolved doctrinal questions, while regula-tory approaches are still evolving.

Özet

Akıllı sözleşmeler, blok zinciri teknolojisi ile anlaşmaların otomatik ve şeffaf bir şekilde yürütülmesini sağlayarak karmaşık sınır ötesi işlemleri basitleştir-meyi ve aracılara olan bağımlılığı azaltmayı vaat etmekte ve uluslararası tica-rette dönüşüm potansiyeli taşımaktadırlar. Bununla birlikte, yasal nitelikleri, sözleşme geçerliliği, uygulanacak hukuk, yargı yetkisi ve sorumluluk konula-rında önemli yasal belirsizlikler devam etmektedir. Bu çalışma, uluslararası ticarette, blok zinciri tabanlı akıllı sözleşmelerin hukuki çerçevesini inceleme-yi ve farklı hukuk sistemlerindeki düzenleyici yaklaşımları karşılaştırmalı olarak değerlendirmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Araştırma, doktrine dayalı hukuk analizi ile karşılaştırmalı düzenleyici incelemeyi birleştiren bir yöntem izle-mekte ve özellikle hukuki tanınma, kullanılan düzenleyici araçlar, genel dü-zenleyici yaklaşım ve ortaya çıkan temel hukuki sorunlar üzerinde durmakta-dır. Uluslararası yasal çerçeve incelemesi ve AB, Birleşik Krallık, ABD, bazı Asya ülkeleri ve Türkiye üzerinde yapılan karşılaştırmalı inceleme bulguları, akıllı sözleşmelerin geniş çapta benimsenmesinin hukuki belirsizlikler ve çö-zülmemiş doktrine dayalı sorular nedeniyle henüz sınırlı kaldığını, düzenleyi-ci yaklaşımların ise gelişmekte olduğunu göstermektedir.

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Cite This Article

Ortakarpuz, M., Mangır, F. (2026). THE LEGAL NATURE AND REGULATORY APPROACHES OF SMART CONTRACTS IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE: A COMPARATIVE LEGAL ANALYSIS. Selçuk Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi, Cilt: 34 Sayı: 3, 993–1039. https://doi.org/10.15337/suhfd.1906822

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