United Kingdom: Information Commissioner's Office opened consultation on draft guidance on distributed ledger technolologies

On 28 August 2025, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) opened a consultation on draft guidance on distributed ledger technologies until 7 November 2025. The draft guidance clarifies when blockchain is an appropriate tool for processing personal information, emphasising the need to assess whether its specific features are necessary and considering alternatives such as traditional databases. It also covers measures required when using blockchain, such as establishing roles as controller or processor and demonstrating compliance. The aspects of compliance include conducting data protection impact assessments, documenting processing activities and decisions, ensuring data protection by design and default, maintaining transparency, and implementing security audits. Furthermore, the guidance explores privacy-enhancing technologies such as zero-knowledge proofs, homomorphic encryption, and differential privacy to mitigate data protection compliance risks.