Blockchain vs. Secure QR: The Ultimate Showdown

Rajesh Soundararajan
Jan 24, 2023
5 min read

Exploring the Advantages and Trade-offs of Both Technologies in the Document Security Industry

As the world becomes increasingly digital, the need for having secure and tamper-proof documents has never been greater. Blockchain technology has been mentioned in the popular press recently as one such solution. The other solution is securing the documents with a digitally signed secure QR code. This blog will delve into the advantages and trade-offs of these two technologies and explore the energy efficiency debate. We will answer frequently asked questions such as “What is the main difference between blockchain and secure QR code?”, “Which technology is more secure?” and “Which technology is more energy-efficient?”. By the end of this blog post, you will clearly understand the critical differences between blockchain and secure QR code and be able to make an informed decision on which technology is best suited for your document security needs. So, let’s dive in!

Technology and Usage

Q 1. What is the main difference between blockchain and secure QR codes?

A 1. Blockchain is a system used for transactions that uses a decentralized and distributed digital ledger that records transactions across a network of computers that cannot be reversed or tampered with. A secure QR code is a digitally signed tamper-proof and verifiable QR code that can be placed on physical or electronic documents to ensure their authenticity. Secure QR codes are different from standard QR codes that we see used for marketing purposes since they have digital signing with a private key-public key architecture that prevents tampering and has increasingly become extremely popular. COVID vaccination certificates by EU member states for example use this approach of digitally signed secure QR codes. (Learn more from this whitepaper here: (/whitepaper/eudcc/)

Q 2. Can blockchain technology be used for document security? How does secure QR help in this aspect ?

A 2. Yes, Blockchain technology can be used for document security. It works by recording the details of transactions on the blockchain network. However, recording the transaction on the blockchain is complex and incurs significant cost both on the Etherum and Bitcoin networks. Other more efficient and cost-effective solutions exist. For example, secure QR code technology is specifically designed for document security and offers a range of advantages over blockchain in this application.

Q 3. Which one is more secure, blockchain or secure QR?

A 3. Both blockchain and secure QR are secure methods of document security. And both secure QR and blockchain are considered secure, though use cases may differ.

Q 4. Is blockchain faster than secure QR?

A 4. No, Blockchain can be slower than secure QR when processing transactions both for generating and verification of secure documents. Secure QR codes can be verified instantly as the information can be entirely embedded in the QR and it only requires a public key to validate. Blockchain transactions on the other hand, being a distributed ledger, will take several orders of magnitude longer to verify on the distributed blockchain network. -

Q 5. Why is blockchain more expensive than secure QR?

A 5. Blockchain can be more expensive than secure QR due to the costs associated with generating, recording the transaction on the decentralized network , validation of transactions and maintaining this decentralized network.

Energy Efficiency

Q 6. Why is energy consumption & efficiency important in the debate between blockchain and secure QR codes?

A 6. Blockchain relies on a consensus mechanism called proof-of-work, which requires significant computational power and energy consumption. There are efforts to make blockchain technology more energy-efficient, such as using more energy-efficient consensus algorithms or moving to a proof-of-stake model like in the case of Ethereum. However, these solutions may still be less energy efficient than Secure QR code technology. On the other hand, secure QR codes (defined as digitally signed QR codes that rely on PKI infrastructure to make them tamper-proof and verifiable) can be generated and verified with minimal energy consumption.

Q 7. Why do blockchain and Secure QR code technology differ in energy consumption?

A 7. Blockchain technology relies on a decentralized network of computers to validate and record transactions, which can consume a significant amount of energy. Blockchain requires a large amount of energy to maintain its network and process transactions. On the other hand, secure QR code technology uses a private key to generate tamper-proof codes that third parties can verify with only a public key without needing an entire network, resulting in significantly lower energy consumption. As a result, secure QR codes can be generated and verified with minimal energy consumption, making it a more energy-efficient solution for document security.

Q 8. What are the environmental implications of blockchain’s high energy consumption?

A 8. Blockchain’s high energy consumption can significantly impact the environment, contributing to carbon emissions and other forms of pollution. With its lower energy consumption, secure QR code technology can help reduce document security systems’ environmental impact. The high energy consumption of blockchain technology can limit its scalability, as the cost and environmental impact of running a decentralized network increases with usage. On the other hand, with its lower energy consumption, secure QR code technology can scale more efficiently and sustainably.

Q 9. Is energy efficiency the only advantage of Secure QR code technology over blockchain?

A 9. Energy efficiency is a significant advantage of Secure QR code technology, but it is not the only one. Secure QR code technology is also more cost-effective, can be integrated into existing systems more quickly, and provides a higher level of security than standard QR codes. The table below gives a summary of the differences.

Tabular Summary