Abstract
Blockchains started as an enabling technology in the area of digital currencies with the introduction of Bitcoin. However, blockchains have emerged as a technology that goes beyond financial transactions by providing a platform supporting secure and robust distributed public ledgers. We think that the Internet of Things (IoT) can also benefit from blockchain technology, especially in the areas of security, privacy, fault tolerance, and autonomous behavior. Here we present a decision framework to help practitioners systematically evaluate the potential use of blockchains in an IoT context.