Vitali Buterin (co-founder of Ethereum), explains in a new scientific paper how the block chain technology can help to implement anti-trust law.

The academic paper “Blockchain as a tool against cartel formation” explains
how block chain technology, by its descriptive nature, can be useful to decentralisation in preventing the formation of monopolies.
However, the authors emphasize that antitrust law must go hand in hand with technology to achieve the desired result:

“Law and technology should be seen as allies,
and not as adversaries, because they have complementary strengths and weaknesses”, is the exact wording of the proposal.
Decentralisation prevents the formation of monopolies:
The block chain can be particularly helpful in situations where antitrust law cannot be implemented as planned, for example,
when states are unwilling to cooperate with each other or supervisory authorities are beset by corruption.

This is where “Smart Contracts”, a mechanism that ensures that transactions are processed on the block chain, come into play.
They could automatically create trust between economic actors through their establishment and thus provide an impulse for cooperation.

Decentralization is probably the characteristic feature of block chain technology. The original background of antitrust law,
the prevention of monopolies or the creation of central market power, is naturally supplemented here.

“Decentralisation is intended to ensure that all market participants are free to decide and do not have to follow the instructions of a central market ruler”. – Buterin

Because of this apparent synergy between antitrust law and Blockchain, Buterin and Schregel call on the supervisory authorities,
to take advantage of the technology.