What is Blockchain?

A Beginner’s Guide to the Technology Behind Cryptocurrency #

If you’re interested in cryptocurrency, you’ve probably heard the term “blockchain” mentioned quite frequently. Whether it’s in relation to Bitcoin or other digital currencies, understanding what blockchain is and how it works is essential if you want to invest in cryptocurrency. While you might not directly interact with blockchain as an investor, having a basic understanding of it will help you understand why digital currencies like Ethereum and Bitcoin are so popular.

Bitcoin and Blockchain #

The World Economic Forum has identified blockchain as one of the technologies with the potential to transform the world. Blockchain is often mentioned alongside Bitcoin because it was specifically developed for the introduction of Bitcoin.

Bitcoin was created in 2008 by someone known as Satoshi Nakamoto, although their true identity remains a mystery. Bitcoin was launched on January 3, 2009, as a global payment system that operates without a central bank. Users of Bitcoin are responsible for verifying transactions, and the currency is not subject to inflation. The blockchain technology allows for fast transactions, even between different countries. But the main purpose of the blockchain is to ensure that all Bitcoin transactions are verified by its users, without the need for a central bank.

No Central Bank in Blockchain #

When using blockchain technology, there is no central bank that controls all transactions. However, users still need to ensure that everything is safe and reliable. That’s where the blockchain comes in. The blockchain is a ledger that contains all Bitcoin transactions ever made. Whether it’s buying a pizza or making a multi-million dollar investment, it’s all recorded on the list. The unique thing about this blockchain ledger is that it’s public. Every Bitcoin user can take a look at the blockchain to verify transactions and ensure that everything is in order. You can even see which Bitcoin transactions have been made using the Blockchain Explorer on Blockchain.com.

The technology behind blockchain is also open source. This means that anyone can see how the technology is programmed and can make changes to it. This is why there are many other cryptocurrencies besides Bitcoin. These new currencies often use Bitcoin’s blockchain technology but have modified the code to create a system that they believe works better. This is possible because the technology is open source.

How Does Blockchain Work? #

Now that you know what blockchain is, the next question you might have is how Bitcoin transactions end up on the blockchain and how the verification process works. The blockchain is a ledger that contains all transactions, and there are many copies of this ledger, all of which are updated simultaneously when a transaction occurs. These ledgers are controlled by the users. Because everyone has the same copy, no one can make changes to it without it being noticed. If all the copies don’t match, it’s clear that something is wrong. This makes fraud impossible. The system itself is simple but highly effective.

When you make a Bitcoin transaction, it’s not verified by a central bank, but by the blockchain. When you make a transaction, a block is created that contains the transaction details. This is where the name blockchain comes from. All transactions and blocks that are created are linked together in a chain. Once your block is created, all blockchain ledgers are updated in real-time. If your transaction appears on all ledgers, it’s been approved, and your cryptocurrency has been transferred. This whole process usually takes less than 10 minutes with Bitcoin, and there are other cryptocurrencies that are even faster.

Who Verifies All Transactions on the Blockchain? #

This is where miners come in. Miners provide computing power to the network to strengthen it and to send and receive transactions. This is done using expensive equipment that usually requires a lot of electricity. Miners are often based in countries where there is an excess of renewable energy. Miners receive fees that are attached

to transactions as payment for their services. The more fees attached to a transaction, the faster it will be processed. Miners not only earn fees, but they also receive a reward when they successfully create a block. Currently, the block reward for Bitcoin is 6.25 BTC and was halved in 2020 due to the Bitcoin halving event.

Blockchain Beyond Cryptocurrency #

When you send money via Bitcoin, you’re not actually sending money itself, but a token. This is a line of text that your digital wallet can read to see how much Bitcoin should be credited to the recipient’s wallet. You’re not sending actual money like you would with a bank. Because only a token is being used, it can represent anything, not just money. It could be a house or a product.

There are already blockchain technologies that allow users to verify the authenticity of a product. In the Bitcoin blockchain, all transactions are recorded, but you can also reserve a spot in the blockchain for each product. As a consumer, you can then compare the product you want to buy in the blockchain to see what it’s made of and if it’s genuine. Blockchain serves as a register where users can verify and control the content. So it doesn’t have to be just a register for transactions.

Conclusion #

In summary, blockchain technology is the backbone of digital currencies like Bitcoin. It’s a public ledger that records all transactions and allows users to verify and control them. Because it’s open-source, anyone can see how it’s programmed and make changes to it. Miners provide computing power to the network to verify transactions, and they are paid in fees and block rewards. The technology also has uses beyond cryptocurrency, such as product verification.

While blockchain technology may seem complicated at first, it’s essential to have a basic understanding of it if you’re interested in investing in cryptocurrency. Knowing how transactions are verified and controlled by users, without the need for a central bank, is an important aspect of understanding digital currencies.

FAQs #