Reliability techniques and architectures for blockchain-enabled internet of things: Current applications, systematic review, and future trends

The rapid proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) devices across diverse sectors has amplified concerns regarding security, scalability, and trust, particularly due to the reliance on centralized architectures. Blockchain, with its decentralized structure and cryptographic foundations, has emerged as a potential enabler of secure, scalable, and accountable IoT ecosystems. Despite increasing interest, limited attention has been paid to the reliability and dependability mechanisms in blockchain-enabled IoT networks, especially in resource-constrained or developing regions. This study presents a systematic review of key publications, categorizing them into five principal groups: consensus mechanisms, fault-tolerant designs, data integrity techniques, multi-tier-based mechanisms, and lightweight blockchain-based mechanisms. By employing this taxonomy, the review investigates how different technical approaches ranging from advanced cryptography methods to symmetry-based architectural designs contribute to trust management, operational resilience, and data protection in IoT ecosystems. The findings suggest that although blockchain integration holds substantial potential for overcoming existing limitations in IoT infrastructures, it also presents new engineering and architectural challenges. Nevertheless, the diverse techniques identified in the literature demonstrate tangible progress in improving efficiency, reducing latency, and enhancing the overall reliability and security of decentralized IoT networks.