Inventions like the printing press, the Internet and the radio have created new opportunities to communicate and share knowledge with others. Although all these technologies have improved human life, some still believe that blockchain is the greatest technology of the 21st century worldwide.
Blockchain takes things to a new level, as it distributes data without someone altering or interfering with it and provides a more secure environment to keep information. While blockchain is mainly associated with digital currencies, like Ethereum and Bitcoin bought and traded at places like binance.com/en, the technology has begun to be used in various industries, including healthcare, supply chain, etc.
What was the initial purpose of blockchain technology?
The blockchain is a distributed ledger or a database that stores information in blocks. It uses cryptographic and scripting techniques to create immutability, meaning the information can’t be changed. Blockchain technology was first designed to offer a decentralized way to exchange value. It also secures the data stored and removes the possibility that a human being could change it. Because blockchain eliminates payment gateways, banks, and other entities from the financial system, it makes financial instruments more accessible to people.
Where can blockchain be used?
The nodes of the digital ledger record, execute, verify, encrypt, store transactions and need to reach a consensus to approve a new block. This makes blockchain a tamper-proof and transparent platform, ideal for many industries and sectors. Although blockchain has become very popular with the help of cryptocurrencies, various industries are taking advantage of the benefits of this technology. Here are a few of them.
Blockchain in finance
Money makes the world go round, but over the years, there have been many issues regarding the financial sector. Here are some solutions blockchain can bring to the financial industry.
Fights corruption
It is a natural drive for people to want as much money as possible, but that should be done in legal ways. Unfortunately, that doesn’t really happen when the desire to get money in any way enters the game, and people begin to resort to unethical and illegal means to fulfill their dreams. Finance is an industry where temptations are everywhere, as money flows in and out of businesses, homes or countries. Because so much capital is circulating, it needs to be managed so that the temptation to act unethically can be removed.
Luckily, blockchain can solve some of the corruption issues associated with the finance industry as it eliminates the risk of duplicating assets. Transactions on blockchain are recorded, executed, verified, encrypted and stored in a way that creates an irreversible ledger of transactions. This is why blockchain is one of the best solutions to fight the problems associated with the finance sector.
Replace currency
The main reason behind the creation of blockchain was to create a decentralized way to exchange value, which is also how digital currencies entered the game. Blockchain removed third parties like payment processors, banks or other entities. Now, there are many crypto alternatives people can opt for, and experts also believe that digital currencies could replace fiat money in the future.
Cryptocurrencies have also become an investment asset, and now virtual coins are widely bought by investors as investments or by traders to make profits from price movements.
Blockchain in banking and lending
Blockchain has also revolutionized banking and lending. It allows consumers to lend to each other and helps lending companies use blockchain in their processes to reduce costs. Costs can be highly reduced because there are no banks, layers, paperwork, and other complicated procedures.
Blockchain in insurance
Insurance providers are also exploring new ways to add blockchain to their products and services. For instance, insurance providers can collect information with the help of blockchain to reduce fraud and customize products.
Blockchain can store the client’s health information, send requests through smart contracts, or streamline other processes.
Blockchain and Government
The government faces several critical issues, such as corruption, inefficiency, lack of trust, waste, fraud, and security. Luckily, blockchain has the potential to reduce these problems. With the help of blockchain technology, resources can be properly transferred, tracked and accounted for. Payroll taxes could be collected more efficiently, and data about citizens and businesses could become more secure.
The information on the blockchain is distributed and secure, and it can’t be changed for the benefit of another person. Blockchain can erase the possibility of a false report, where the money disappears without a trace so that all entities can be held accountable for their actions.
Blockchain in healthcare
Healthcare is an industry that can benefit from blockchain. Technology doesn’t directly impact human health, but it can improve systems that share medical information and knowledge by keeping them more secure. If blockchain manages to be integrated into healthcare, it can enhance treatment plans and even save lives.
Blockchain in the supply chain
Blockchain can also be used to track the movement of products. For instance, companies could use decentralized ledgers to track perishable goods while considering important variables like temperature and moisture.
Also, blockchain can address efficiency. Supply chains are vast platforms of manufacturers, suppliers, retailers and distributors, and the information can get lost between so many entities. However, the new technology could provide a method to track production methods, raw materials, payments, transportation times, or other activities that create issues and inefficiencies.
Concluding thoughts
Blockchain promises various great things, including immutability, transparency, instant P2P settlements and trustless transaction verification. This is why, in recent years, this technology has been highly adopted by companies worldwide. Because blockchain is decentralized, it can build a more secure and transparent internet, allowing users to interact with dApps and smart contracts without relying on central authority or other intermediaries.
Blockchain can also bring together many individuals from different environments, including gamers, business people, politicians and artists, who all believe this technology can greatly impact society in the future. Of course, as blockchain is quite a new domain, only time can tell how far its potential can go, and enthusiasts can only wait to see how they can take advantage of the benefits this technology brings.