A method for securing a blockchain and incentivizing the storage of blockchain data using a publicly verifiable proof of retrievability, PoR, the method comprising: - generating a PoR transaction by a PoR generation method comprising: retrieving blockchain data associated with the blockchain stored by a PoR creator node; generating a hash based on a last block header and a PoR account identifier of the PoR creator node; generating a challenge vector by executing a pseudo-random number generator using the hash as its seed; retrieving challenged block data from the blockchain data according to the challenge vector; sorting the challenged block data into groups according to block creator accounts; for each of the groups, generating a creator PoR proof based on associated challenged block data, at least one associated authentication tag, and an associated vector of public random elements, the associated vector of public random elements being generated by the pseudo-random number generator using a public key of a corresponding one of the block creator accounts as its seed; generating the PoR proof based on the creator PoR proof and the public key of the corresponding one of the block creator accounts for each of the groups; and incorporating the PoR proof and the PoR account identifier; - receiving the PoR transaction comprising the PoR proof; - determining whether the PoR proof is a verified PoR proof; and - based upon determining that the PoR proof is a verified PoR proof, incorporating, by a block creator node, the PoR transaction into a new block of the blockchain; wherein the PoR transaction further comprises a PoR account identifier, and wherein the method further comprises: - proposing the new block to a blockchain network, the blockchain network having a reward protocol that provides a reward to an account corresponding to the PoR account identifier included in the new block based upon the new block being accepted by the blockchain network and included in the blockchain. - generating a PoR transaction by a PoR generation method comprising: retrieving blockchain data associated with the blockchain stored by a PoR creator node; generating a hash based on a last block header and a PoR account identifier of the PoR creator node; generating a challenge vector by executing a pseudo-random number generator using the hash as its seed; retrieving challenged block data from the blockchain data according to the challenge vector; sorting the challenged block data into groups according to block creator accounts; for each of the groups, generating a creator PoR proof based on associated challenged block data, at least one associated authentication tag, and an associated vector of public random elements, the associated vector of public random elements being generated by the pseudo-random number generator using a public key of a corresponding one of the block creator accounts as its seed; generating the PoR proof based on the creator PoR proof and the public key of the corresponding one of the block creator accounts for each of the groups; and incorporating the PoR proof and the PoR account identifier; retrieving blockchain data associated with the blockchain stored by a PoR creator node; generating a hash based on a last block header and a PoR account identifier of the PoR creator node; generating a challenge vector by executing a pseudo-random number generator using the hash as its seed; retrieving challenged block data from the blockchain data according to the challenge vector; sorting the challenged block data into groups according to block creator accounts; for each of the groups, generating a creator PoR proof based on associated challenged block data, at least one associated authentication tag, and an associated vector of public random elements, the associated vector of public random elements being generated by the pseudo-random number generator using a public key of a corresponding one of the block creator accounts as its seed; generating the PoR proof based on the creator PoR proof and the public key of the corresponding one of the block creator accounts for each of the groups; and incorporating the PoR proof and the PoR account identifier; - receiving the PoR transaction comprising the PoR proof; - determining whether the PoR proof is a verified PoR proof; and - based upon determining that the PoR proof is a verified PoR proof, incorporating, by a block creator node, the PoR transaction into a new block of the blockchain; - proposing the new block to a blockchain network, the blockchain network having a reward protocol that provides a reward to an account corresponding to the PoR account identifier included in the new block based upon the new block being accepted by the blockchain network and included in the blockchain.