Saintier, SeverineSAIF AHMED ALSAIF2022-06-042021-12-252022-06-04109347https://drepo.sdl.edu.sa/handle/20.500.14154/66072Smart contracts are a relatively recent occurrence and are built on top of blockchains. Initially, Bitcoin was the first blockchain and cryptocurrency. Smart contracts make it possible to automatically transact with each other globally (e.g., on the Ethereum platform). This area has not been regulated, though an authoritative legal statement has been issued by the UK LawTech Delivery Panel that smart contracts are regulated by traditional contract law and the Law Commission has also called for evidence in order to publish a study which spells out the current law. The dissertation analyses how traditional contract law principles can be applied to smart contracts and specifically analyses how smart contracts can be formed, whether they are enforceable, how they can be interpreted and studies remedies and vitiating factors, such as mistake and duress. It is difficult to apply traditional contract law without addressing some of the special characteristics of smart contracts which are different from normal written contracts. This is because smart contracts are written in code and once smart contract are executed, they cannot be stopped. Code is also very strict and sets the limits clearly and there is no discretion, whereas normal contract law concepts, such as good faith, are vague and broad. The distinct features of smart contracts may thus give rise to novel legal problems and this research investigates how the existing UK contract law framework can be applied to smart contracts. It is argued that UK contract is sufficiently flexible to accommodate smart contracts and that only a few areas require reform by lawmakers.90enThesis