Contracts, transactions and the clear and accurate records of them are vital to create and maintain the structural integrity of any economic, legal, and political system. The claim has been made that blockchain will revolutionise business and redefine the way our companies and economies operate.
Blockchain technology enables the creation and proliferation of cryptocurrency. It is most simply defined as a decentralised and distributed ledger that records the origin of a digital asset. Blockchain is a new foundational technology that has the potential to create new record-keeping mechanisms for our economic and social systems.
From a business perspective, blockchain is a type of business process improvement software. It brings with it the ability to improve the business processes that occur, thereby lowering the “cost of trust.” The goal of blockchain is to allow digital information to be recorded and distributed, but not edited.
Blockchain’s most well-known and controversial use is in cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin is the name of the world’s best-known cryptocurrency and it is the one for which blockchain technology was invented.
As of 2022, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies can be used to buy a growing range of products and services. The easiest way to make purchases using cryptocurrencies is with a cryptocurrency debit card. When you use it, the cryptocurrency is withdrawn from your card and paid to the merchant in fiat money.
Whether or not digital currencies are the future remains to be seen. For now, it seems as if blockchain’s rise is beginning to take shape in reality instead of pure hype.
Blockchain is challenging the current status quo of innovation by allowing companies to experiment with technology. For instance, a stock transaction can usually be executed within seconds. The settlement of the transaction, however, usually takes much longer. It takes time for all parties involved in the transaction to verify the ownership of the asset and whether or not it can be transferred. This requires a series of intermediaries to validate the transaction.
In a blockchain system, all the copies are simultaneously updated. As transactions occur, records are permanently entered in all ledgers. Therefore, there is no need for intermediaries to verify or transfer ownership. If a stock transaction took place on a blockchain-based system, it would be theoretically be securely settled within seconds.
The Mercantile 