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Blockchain and Cryptocurrency: Blockchain

Blockchain

What Is Blockchain?

"Blockchain is the innovative database technology that’s at the heart of nearly all cryptocurrencies. By distributing identical copies of a database across an entire network, blockchain makes it very difficult to hack or cheat the system. While cryptocurrency is the most popular use for blockchain presently, the technology offers the potential to serve a very wide range of applications."

"At its core, blockchain is a distributed digital ledger that stores data of any kind. A blockchain can record information about cryptocurrency transactions, NFT ownership or DeFi smart contracts."

Cover Art

What Is Blockchain? by Sir John Hargrave, Evan Karnoupakis

Everyone’s talking about blockchain. This exciting technology has the potential to impact our lives in much the same way as the internet did, but few understand how it actually works. Written for business technology leaders, this report breaks down the complexity of blockchain into plain language and simple illustrations so you can easily explain it to your colleagues.

 

References

Montevirgen, K. (2022). What is Blockchain and how does it work? Britannica Money

https://www.britannica.com/money/financial-ratios


KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Blockchain is a specific type of database.

  • It differs from a typical database in the way it stores information; blockchains store data in blocks that are then chained together. 

  • As new data comes in it is entered into a fresh block. Once the block is filled with data it is chained onto the previous block, which makes the data chained together in chronological order.

  • Different types of information can be stored on a blockchain but the most common use so far has been as a ledger for transactions. 

  • In Bitcoin’s case, blockchain is used in a decentralized way so that no single person or group has control—rather, all users collectively retain control.

  • Decentralized blockchains are immutable, which means that the data entered is irreversible. For Bitcoin, this means that transactions are permanently recorded and viewable to anyone.

 

References
Conway, L. (2021, June 1). Blockchain explained. Investopedia
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/blockchain.asp

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