Publication Ethics

Effective Date: August 1, 2025

The BitCurrency journal and the Federal Money Services Business Association (FedMSB) are committed to maintaining the highest standards of publication ethics, in alignment with international best practices for scholarly publishing. All parties involved in the publication process—authors, reviewers, editors, and journal staff—are expected to adhere to the ethical guidelines outlined below.

1. Author Ethics

  • Originality: Submissions must be original, not previously published, and not under consideration for publication elsewhere. Duplicate submissions will be rejected.

  • Legal Compliance: Authors are responsible for ensuring that manuscripts contain no unlawful statements and do not infringe on the rights of third parties.

  • Copyright Permissions: Any figures, tables, or other materials reproduced from copyrighted sources must be accompanied by permission from the copyright holder(s) and proper attribution.

  • Authorship Criteria: Each listed author must have made a significant contribution to the research and/or manuscript preparation. All authors must approve the final version of the submission.

  • Conflict of Interest: Authors should include a statement disclosing any conflicts of interest or competing interests.

  • Plagiarism: Plagiarism in any form (including self-plagiarism) is strictly prohibited. Detection of plagiarism will result in immediate rejection of the submission.

2. Reviewer Ethics

  • Fairness: Peer review must be impartial, constructive, and free from personal bias or attacks.

  • Conflict of Interest: Reviewers who have a conflict of interest with the authors or their work must decline the review and inform the editor.

  • Confidentiality: Manuscripts under review are confidential and must not be shared or discussed with anyone outside the review process.

  • Anonymity: Reviewer anonymity is maintained unless a reviewer chooses to waive it.

3. Editor Ethics

  • Neutrality: Editors must remain neutral in discussions between authors and reviewers and make decisions based solely on the manuscript’s merit.

  • Confidentiality: Editors must not share unpublished material with third parties.

  • Conflict of Interest: Editors should not handle manuscripts where they have a conflict of interest. If an editor is an author or co-author, another editor must oversee the review process.

  • Ethical Enforcement: Editors are responsible for ensuring that all participants in the review and publication process adhere to ethical standards.

4. Conflict of Interest Declaration

All potential conflicts of interest—whether involving authors, reviewers, editors, or journal staff—must be disclosed. Full transparency helps maintain trust and integrity in the publication process.

5. Dealing with Unethical Behaviour

  • Reporting Misconduct: Anyone may report suspected unethical behaviour or misconduct by contacting the editors and/or publisher with supporting evidence.

  • Investigation: Editors will examine all allegations, consulting external experts as necessary. The accused will have the opportunity to respond to the claims.

  • Actions:

    • Minor misconduct: A warning letter may be issued or an erratum published.

    • Major misconduct: A public notice may be issued, an official letter sent to the offender’s institution, or—where necessary—a formal retraction of the publication issued.

  • Purpose of Retraction: Retractions are issued to correct the scholarly record while maintaining scientific integrity, not as punitive action, and will be done in agreement with editors and authors.