A method for distributing digital content on a peer-to-peer network, comprising: receiving, by a content apparatus (510; 1101), a download request sent by a download client, wherein the download request comprises an upload transaction identity and a license transaction identity of a content file that is requested to be downloaded; determining, by the content apparatus (510; 1101) based on the upload transaction identity and the license transaction identity, whether the download client has permission information of downloading the content file, and if the download client has the permission information, sending the content file to the download client; after the content file has been distributed, sending, by the content apparatus (510; 1101), a download transaction request to a content transaction processing apparatus (508; 1102), wherein the download transaction request comprises download information; receiving, by the content transaction processing apparatus (508; 1102), the download transaction request, determining that the download information is valid, generating a download transaction, and sending the download transaction to a block chain processing apparatus (501; 1103); after the download client has downloaded the content file, storing, by the content apparatus (510; 1101), the download information; and receiving, by the block chain processing apparatus (501; 1103), the download transaction, and adding the download transaction to a block chain stored in the block chain processing apparatus (501; 1103) to record the download of the content file in the block chain; wherein the download information relates to logging information of downloading the content file. receiving, by a content apparatus (510; 1101), a download request sent by a download client, wherein the download request comprises an upload transaction identity and a license transaction identity of a content file that is requested to be downloaded; determining, by the content apparatus (510; 1101) based on the upload transaction identity and the license transaction identity, whether the download client has permission information of downloading the content file, and if the download client has the permission information, sending the content file to the download client; after the content file has been distributed, sending, by the content apparatus (510; 1101), a download transaction request to a content transaction processing apparatus (508; 1102), wherein the download transaction request comprises download information; receiving, by the content transaction processing apparatus (508; 1102), the download transaction request, determining that the download information is valid, generating a download transaction, and sending the download transaction to a block chain processing apparatus (501; 1103); after the download client has downloaded the content file, storing, by the content apparatus (510; 1101), the download information; and receiving, by the block chain processing apparatus (501; 1103), the download transaction, and adding the download transaction to a block chain stored in the block chain processing apparatus (501; 1103) to record the download of the content file in the block chain; wherein the download information relates to logging information of downloading the content file.