UPSC » UPSC CSE Study Materials » General Awareness » Description of Blockchain Technology

Description of Blockchain Technology

You might have recently heard about blockchain technology and its potential applications. However, like most people, you might not know exactly what it is and how it can impact your business or life.

Businesses can keep track of their financial transactions in a decentralised network with blockchain technology instead of a centralised database. Each block in the chain contains a unique and verifiable transaction, and the blocks are linked together in a continuous chain and secured by advanced cryptography. This creates a tamper-proof record with an auditable trail that can be used to verify the authenticity of any transaction at any point in time.

We go through what is blockchain technology and several use cases and explain the decentralised nature of blockchain technology and its pros and cons. If you want an introduction to this topic, let’s get started!

What is Blockchain Technology?

A blockchain is a digitised, decentralised, public ledger of transactions across a distributed computer network. People often use the term “blockchain” to refer to the entire network, but the term refers to the underlying technology that powers the network. The purpose of the network is to provide transparency, trust, and security across industries. 

Traditionally, businesses keep track of financial transactions in a centralised location and use a trusted third party, like a bank, to verify the authenticity of the transactions. This article aims to give you a general overview of what blockchain technology in India is, why it’s so significant right now, and how it may impact businesses in the future. 

How Does Blockchain Work: Digital Ledger Of Transactions

Before we go any further, let’s look at what a blockchain is and how it works. Imagine a place where you record all your financial transactions like money received, money spent, etc. This ledger can be in a book or a computer file. 

In the blockchain, there are several such ledgers kept across the world. The people who own these computer systems collectively manage these ledgers. The information stored in these ledgers is open for everyone to see. When someone initiates a transaction, everyone in the network can see it and verify its authenticity.

Why Is Blockchain So Significant Right Now?

Blockchain technology is a distributed ledger that facilitates the creation of a tamper-proof, peer-to-peer network of transactions. The blockchain was initially devised as the underlying technology behind cryptocurrencies. However, since then, blockchain technology in India has been repurposed to serve a wide range of use cases and is currently being adopted by businesses across the globe. 

One of the biggest advantages of blockchain technology is that it is highly secure. The network is distributed across computers globally, so one malicious actor cannot destroy the entire network. Blockchains are also transparent, promoting trust among all parties involved in a transaction. When a transaction takes place, all parties involved get an instant notification. This transparency allows businesses to audit their transaction records to follow regulatory compliance.

How Might Blockchain Benefit Businesses In The Future?

There are many ways in which blockchain technology may benefit businesses in the future. These potential benefits include: 

  • Increased Efficiency: The decentralised nature of blockchain technology allows businesses to operate more efficiently by removing intermediaries from their supply chain. This might reduce transaction times and costs significantly. 
  • Reduced Fraud: The transparency and immutability of blockchain technology in India help businesses to reduce fraud by increasing trust among stakeholders. 
  • Optimised Resource Utilisation: The automated execution of smart contracts can help businesses optimise resource utilisation. Blockchain technology has immense potential to change the way businesses are managed. 

However, it is still too early to predict how blockchain will impact businesses in the future. Many businesses are still exploring various blockchain use cases to find the best fit.

Organisations Currently Working With Blockchain Technology

IBM has been a pioneer in developing blockchain technology and its applications. IBM has partnered with several organisations to leverage blockchain technology and build solutions for several use cases. Some of these include supply chain management, trade finance, and food safety. – Hyperledger is another major open-source blockchain project that aims to bring blockchain technology to businesses. The project leverages blockchain to build solutions for supply chain management, digital identity management, and more. – Ecommerce behemoths eBay and Amazon have also started exploring blockchain technology to digitise their inventory and facilitate payments between buyers and sellers. – Companies in the financial sector also explore blockchain technology to build cost-effective solutions for trading, settlements, and other financial services.

Conclusion:

Blockchain technology is a digitised, decentralised, public ledger of transactions. It facilitates the creation of a tamper-proof, peer-to-peer network of transactions. The blockchain was initially devised as the underlying technology behind cryptocurrencies but has since been repurposed to serve many use cases. One of the biggest advantages of blockchain technology is that it is highly secure. The network is distributed across computers globally, so one malicious actor cannot destroy the entire network. 

Blockchains also promote trust among all parties involved in a transaction. When a transaction takes place, all parties involved get an instant notification. This transparency allows businesses to audit their transaction records to follow regulatory compliance. There are many ways in which blockchain technology may benefit businesses in the future. These potential benefits include increased efficiency, reduced fraud, and optimise resource utilisation. Blockchain technology has immense potential to change the way businesses are managed.

faq

Frequently asked questions

Get answers to the most common queries related to the UPSC Examination Preparation.

How do you explain blockchain to the average person?

Answer. A blockchain is described as preserving data that makes it hard or impossible to alter, hack or defraud the ...Read full

What are the basics of blockchain technology?

Answer. Transactional records, or “blocks,” of the public are stored in numerous databases, known as ...Read full

When it comes to blockchain, how do you programme?

Answer. As a result of its superior multithreading capabilities and other object-oriented characteristics (such as f...Read full

Is coding necessary for blockchain?

Answer. Blockchain technology uses all of the abilities that a developer has today. As a result, blockchain develope...Read full