The news of the rise in price of cryptocurrencies has been ubiquitous during the last couple weeks, with Bitcoin being the most popular. In simple terms, cryptocurrency is a digital currency which can be exchanged and traded as each transaction is encrypted and then verified independently of any centralized system or bank.

Due to of the lack of necessity for a third party system to verify the transaction, cryptocurrency was supposed to become a fast and simple way to exchange currency, due to what is called the blockchain.

Blockchain Technology

Companies and individuals have relied on an intermediary to ensure that there is a level of trust utilized into the transaction process. This includes authenticating the transactions and the transaction history. The blockchain technology is a distributed database that tracks and verifies all digital transactions. When a transaction occurs, it is grouped together in a block with other transactions that have occurred on the network within a short period of time, which are then validated.

The validation of each transaction occurs when a miner is able to utilize a high powered computer to solve a complex problem. Each transaction is encrypted, thus when the computer is able to solve the problem the transaction becomes decrypted and verified. Each time a transaction is verified it will result in a “reward” to a miner, (often in the form of a cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin) timestamp when the transaction occurred, and add it to a linear chain in a chronological order. This is the blockchain. When this is complete, the ledger is updated and copied across all of the networks to ensure that the latest ledger is always being used to verify each block.

Future Impact

The impact that the blockchain technology could have is significant. The elimination for the need of a third party to verify the transaction removes the need for intermediaries. This could pose an issue to portions of the government, banks, financial institutions, and other companies focused on handling financial transactions. The positive effect, however, that this technology could have on business efficiency on a global scale is enormous. A decentralized currency and financial system could help eliminate barriers that currently limit the way that many small businesses grow their consumer base. Since the blockchain technology is still in its infancy, there are many further applications that have not been explored yet. In the meantime, if you want a piece of the action there are a few ways in which you can be a part of this new wave of technology.